Internal Applicants Only

Duties and Responsibilities

Key Duties

Planning

• To provide expert financial support and advice to the Head of School, School Manager and other senior staff, providing input to help inform the management and strategy of the School.
• Working with the Head of School and School Manager, play an active role in the School's annual budget setting and planning process and monitoring performance against agreed budgets, including preparing periodic financial statements for the Head of Schoos and other budget-holders, providing variance analyses and commentaries and proposing appropriate corrective actions where required.
• Contribute to the long-term financial management of the School, interpreting School strategies into work priorities to ensure that all financial services are delivered and working to enhance the working environment.
• Manage the process of engaging external contributors, including contacting, onboarding and ensuring accurate, timely payments in line with institutional policies.

Reporting

· Maintain a full financial reporting suite for the School, which will be used to inform Senior School and College Management of Financial Performance, which will include historical, current year and future time frames.· Gather and analyse data to inform decisions, establishing basic trends and patterns in data and creating reports as appropriate. e.g. profiling student fee income, research awards and support and develop School mechanisms for regular reporting and monitoring in these areas. Ensuring the management and analysis of data as required for internal and external reporting.

• Provide financial management information for various Schools committees on a monthly basis, across all the Schools activities (Teaching, Research, Services etc)
• To take lead responsibility for the good management of financial accounting and procurement activities undertaken within the School and for the effective and efficient functioning of associated business processes.
• To ensure that the School's financial practices and processes comply with the University's financial regulations and procedures at all times, and to support staff across the School in their implementation.

· To develop a thorough understanding of the School's income and expenditure and to maintain the integrity and currency of the School's financial records using the University's financial management package (currently Oracle EBS). · To carry out costing exercises, value-for-money investigations and other ad hoc financial review exercises as required.

• Prepare and maintain salary reconciliations for budgetary control/forecasting purposes, accounting for planned and approved changes in staffing establishments.
• Oversee the maintenance of the Schools asset inventory, including periodical audits to ensure accuracy and year end reporting.
• To act as an authorised signatory within the School.
• To support College Management on financially related periodic tasks including fee setting, annual returns (TRAC/HESA), and year end ensuring all staff involved are fully aware of their responsibilities and set deadlines are achieved;

(continues below)

Person Specification

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Qualifications and Education

1. Part-qualified or Qualified Accountant (CCAB or equivalent) or equivalent work related experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

1. Substantial experience of overseeing financial operations within in a financial environment.

2. Able to demonstrate professional knowledge within the areas of finance and research and the

policies and procedures around these areas, to give advice and guidance to internal and external

customers.

1. Proven experience of designing, reviewing, adapting and implementing business processes and

systems that are responsive, efficient and cost effective.

1. Excellent IT skills including advanced knowledge of excel (pivots, v lookup etc.) and all-round

knowledge of using Microsoft Office.

Customer Service, Communication and Team Working

1. Ability to communicate detailed financial information to a non-financial audience and complex

information effectively and professionally to a wide range of people.

1. Proven ability to interact with stakeholders, and within multiple networks, in order to contribute to

long term developments.

1. Experience of managing a team and dealing with performance and welfare issues and evidence

of ability to plan the work of a team, over extended time periods, reacting to changes in workload

and priority.

1. Evidence of ability to explore customers' needs and adapt the service accordingly to ensure a

quality service is delivered.

Planning, Analysis and Problem solving

1. Evidence of ability to solve expansive problems using initiative and creativity; identify and propose

both practical and innovative solutions.

Desirable Criteria

1. Experience of working in a Higher Education environment

2. Fluency in Welsh, written and oral

Additional Information

(continued from JD)

Management

• To manage, lead and motivate a team of staff, supporting them in the effective execution of their roles and taking overall responsibility for their induction, workload, performance review and training/ development needs.
• To promote within the Finance Team a commitment to delivering high quality services and a culture of continuous improvement.
• To liaise closely and collaboratively with colleagues in central University and College professional services to resolve any issues that may arise in a timely manner and to ensure that the School is fulfilling their roles in respect of those functions devolved to it and are contributing effectively to those activities undertaken outside of the School.

· Manage the operation of the finance team. Planning, organising and delegating work, monitoring progress and intervening as required. · Ensure the delivery of the team's service level agreements, adapting these according to changes in workload and customer requirements as required.

• Develop networks across Schools, Colleges and University to ensure the success of the team's objectives and long-term plans, sharing best practice within financial management.
• Make recommendations for developments of established processes and procedures and ensure implementation of these where required.
• Manage the performance, induction and development of the finance teams within the schools and the setting key objectives via the Personal Development Review.
• Support and guide team members in welfare issues, escalating as necessary to specialist support areas.
• Undertake the training of others in areas relating to the team's work.
• Undergo personal and professional development that is appropriate to and which will enhance performance. General Duties

· Make recommendations for developments of established processes and procedures · Manage the performance, induction and development of the team and setting key objectives.

• Ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties.
• Abide by University policies on Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity.
• Perform other duties which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role

To provide high-level professional financial advice and support to the ongoing development and implementation of the Schools Academic strategies within the College of Physical Sciences and Engineering, overseeing and supporting the Welsh School of Architecture

• To lead and manage the delivery of financial accounting and procurement activities within the School, ensuring that the School complies continuously with University financial regulations and procedures, with relevant sponsor or regulatory body requirements and with best practice in financial stewardship.
• To provide high quality financial management information and advice to assist the Head of School, School Manager, College Head of Finance, College Management Accountant and other senior staff in strategic and operational planning and management activities.
• To be a senior member of the Schools professional services, working closely with the School Manager and other colleagues to ensure effective and efficient support to the School's core academic activities.

Salary Range Min.

41,064

Salary Range Max.

46,049

Job Category

Accountancy & Finance, Management & Executive

Grade

Grade 6