Research Finance Team Leader

Job Purpose

To lead, manage and develop a team of research finance administrators who provide high quality financial and administrative support to project co- ordinators and academics based in colleges and other central functions in relation to research grants and commercial activities. To identify, recommend and embed process, procedural and reporting improvements to the University's related financial control framework in order to drive service excellence within teams and across functions.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. To provide specialist financial advice, guidance and support to College project teams to establish robust reporting & monitoring of research grants including providing advice around system set up for complex interdisciplinary projects, budget allocation and reporting in order to ensure compliance with a broad range of funding terms & conditions.

2. Develop and deliver training, development and communication initiatives designed to embed knowledge of technical and legal requirements around control procedures and governance within operational teams and across college project teams.

3. Proactively plan and manage the allocation of workload across the team, ensuring workload is balanced, co-ordinated and aligns with the wider Research & Finance strategic objectives. Provide clear direction and assist team members in the administration of commercial projects, funder audits and work with other stakeholder groups to influence outcomes. Take corrective action where required to ensure deadlines are met and targets achieved.

4. Develop the capability of the team and set goals for individual team members aimed at maintaining service excellence, improving processes, systems and controls or developing skills aligned to growth opportunities with the University. Hold regular team meetings and 1:2:1 meetings with staff members to ensure development and feedback is recognised and recorded. Drive cultural and strategic values within the team by establishing goals aligned to the finance roadmap, socialising requirements and to coach team members in order to aid delivery of successful outcomes.

5. Establish and build network relationships to influence change and best practice within stakeholder groups such as project coordinators and academics across the colleges and to work with them to deliver tactical change. Monitor complicated research budgets across multiple PIs , forecasting & analysing spend and working with college finance teams to ensure actual spend is allocated appropriately using negotiation skills to ensure and agree fair allocation of income and costs across interconnected budgets.

6. Lead on the development of workload and KPI metrics aimed at monitoring service delivery and identifying areas for improvements in service delivery and controls, analyse and interpret results and work with team members to implement the required changes to process, reporting or workload allocations.

7. Contribute to the development of department aims and goals which are aligned to the Research, Finance and wider University strategy and lead on delivery plans and monitor implementation.

8. To make a significant contribution towards the delivery of both tactical and strategic finance projects by taking responsibility for core workstreams or holding technical expertise influencing design and/or outcomes.

9. To deputise for the Research Support Advisor and represent the Research Finance Office in meetings with external funders, with other internal departments or change related projects as required.

Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Knowledge/Qualifications

Essential:

A1 Ability to demonstrate the competencies required to undertake the duties associated with this level of post having acquired the necessary knowledge and skills in a similar or number of different roles. Or: Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 9, (Ordinary Degree, Scottish Vocational Qualification level 4), or equivalent (including professional accreditation with relevant formal training), and experience of personal development in a similar or related role(s).

A2 Detailed & thorough operational knowledge of procedures related to controls, accounting policy and general practice relating to financial governance gained in a large/complex organisation.

A3 Detailed knowledge of higher education sector, research management/funding or equivalent public sector / commercial experience.

Desirable:

B1 Knowledge of Full Economic Costing models and derivations thereof.

Skills

Essential:

C1 Proven initiative and judgement to resolve problems independently and ability to challenge assumptions and practices.

C2 Financial accounting & management skills.

C3 Highly effective communication skills both written and verbal.

C4 Highly effective interpersonal skills with an ability to influence.

C5 Robust analytical and problem-solving capability.

C6 Excel skills supporting formulae creation and analysis of data.

C7 Effective planning, organising and prioritising skills with ability to adapt to changing priorities or requirements.

C8 Ability to provide coaching and advice to other team members.

C9 Excellent customer service skills.

Desirable:

D1 Advanced Microsoft application experience and proficiency in excel such as creation and use of pivot tables, macros and other data / reporting activities.

Experience

Essential:

E1 Experience of planning and progressing work activities within professional guidelines or organisational policy, applying initiative, influencing skills and independent judgement in a fast-paced environment.

E2 Experience of manging and monitoring budgets, investigation of discrepancies and remediation.

E3 Experience of coaching and developing team members and working successfully towards common goals.

E4 Experience of maintaining, analysing and reconciling large and complex financial data sets.

E5 Experience of data extraction, transformation, and loading for report production.

Desirable:

F1 Costing, analysis and forecasting experience using ERP systems together with data analysis and reporting of outcomes.

F2 Experience of accounting, financial controls and budgetary processes gained within a HEI or Research Grant Funding body.

Terms and Conditions

Salary will be Grade 7, £39,347 - £44,263 per annum.

This position is full time (35 hours p/w) and open ended. Relocation assistance will be provided where appropriate.

As part of Team UofG you will be a member of a world changing, inclusive community, which values ambition, excellence, integrity and curiosity.

The University of Glasgow has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK. If you require a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK, you will be required to meet the eligibility requirements of the visa route to be assigned a Certificate of Sponsorship.

Please note that this post may be eligible to be sponsored under the Skilled Worker visa route if tradeable points can be used under the Skilled Worker visa rules. For more information please visit: https: // www. gov.uk/skilled- worker-visa.

As a valued member of our team, you can expect:

1 A warm welcoming and engaging organisational culture, where your talents are developed and nurtured, and success is celebrated and shared.

2 An excellent employment package with generous terms and conditions including 41 days of leave for full time staff, pension - pensions handbook https: // www. gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/payandpensions/pensions/, benefits and discount packages.

3 A flexible approach to working.

4 A commitment to support your health and wellbeing, including a free 6-month UofG Sport membership for all new staff joining the University https: // www. gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/staff/healthwellbeing/.

We believe that we can only reach our full potential through the talents of all. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Applications are particularly welcome from across our communities and in particular people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under-represented within the University. Read more on how the University promotes and embeds all aspects of equality and diversity within our community https: // www. gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/.

We endorse the principles of Athena Swan https: // www. gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/athenaswan/ and hold bronze, silver and gold awards across the University.

We are investing in our organisation, and we will invest in you too. Please visit our website https: // www. gla.ac.uk/explore/jobs/ for more information.

Vacancy Ref : 150092 Close Date : 28-Jul-2024 23:45