Internal Applicants Only

**DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES**

Key Duties
- To establish working relationships with key contacts on your allocated research projects, developing appropriate communication links with the University's Schools/ Directorates and outside bodies, as required, as well as regular liaison with other Finance sections.
- To maintain updated rules, terms and conditions of the research funder and advise academics and project partners of their obligations under same.
- To gather and analyse data from research project financial reports, monitor project budgets, and advise principal investigators of any estimated under or overspends so as to enable informed future project decisions.
- To ensure that all financial records relating to the University and research partners are maintained in order to satisfy both internal and external audit requirements, including advising on eligibility of all project expenditure and the requirement regarding supporting documentation, whilst acting as the main contact point between the University and research project partners on financial issues.
- To prepare financial claims and cost statements, both electronically and manually in a timely manner, for both internal and external review, whilst ensuring claims from the external funder are in line with either the University's Financial Regulations and Policies or agreed funder's Terms and Conditions.

Specific Duties
- Prepare and submit reconciliations, claims and invoices:

- Perform financial reconciliations and prepare monetary claims for projects in line with funder deadlines (co-ordinating where Cardiff is the lead).
- Ensure claims and invoices are complete and accurate and, following line manager review, submit to funders in line with strict funder eligibility rules and deadlines. Complete claims on various external funder systems as required
- Project Financial Management & Control:

- Regular communication (including meetings with your line manager) with departments across the University (for example: ongoing project management; or closedown).
- Identify changes to projects (for example: in the start or end date) and implications of these through close communication with departments. Act, as appropriate, in agreement with or through escalation with line manager.
- Monitor research projects which have ended and ensure that appropriate actions are taken for a prompt and orderly close for archiving.
- Liaise with accounts receivable and funders regarding debt chasing and escalate issues where necessary to your line manager.

Audit
- Support the Research Finance Manager to arrange audits, prepare documentation for these, and respond in a timely manner to basic audit queries from external or internal auditors.

General Duties
- Abide by all University policies and undergo appropriate personal and professional development.
- Perform other duties which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role.
- Uphold the Professional Services Values & Behaviours or local equivalent.

**Person Specification**

We are looking for a team player who will work with colleagues to provide a great service to colleagues.

This role may be an opportunity for you to build on your experience from working in a previous administrative role or environment with particular interest in research finance showing your transferable skills and aptitude to be successful in the role. You should be enthusiastic about developing your knowledge and skills to become a valued member of the team.

**Essential Criteria**

Qualifications and Education

1. GCSE passes at grades A-C in English & Mathematics and/or relevant practical accounting qualification, such as A.A.T and/or experience in financial project management.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
2. Post-holders must be highly proficient in their use of IT systems, especially Microsoft Excel and Outlook or close equivalent.
3. Experience of handling large volumes of financial data and working to a high standard of accuracy and attention to detail.
4. Ability to learn new areas of knowledge and skills rapidly (for example, to understand funder terms and conditions).

Customer Service, Communication and Team Working

Planning, Analysis and Problem Solving

6 Ability to adapt to a flexible working environment and plan your time and tasks accordingly.
7 Ability to manage a variety of tasks at any one time, work under pressure and achieve strict deadlines whilst maintaining a high standard of customer service.
8 Evidence of ability to solve problems using initiative and creativity.

**Desirable Criteria**

1. Experience of using Oracle finance system or equivalent.
2. Experience of working effectively in a large complex organisation.
3. Experience in higher education/research finance role or similar environment.
4. Studying towards a CCAB professional accounting.
5. Fluency in Welsh, written and oral.

**Additional Information**

**HOW WE WILL SUPPORT YOU IN PERFORMING THIS ROLE**

We want to support and develo