The Finance Service invites applications for two permanent Senior Accountants post in the Management Accounting Team. The post-holders will join a senior team responsible for preparing and maintaining budgets across the University.

Duties include, a full management accounting service across the academic, professional and commercial services of the University, undertake analytical review of management reports, and provide detailed cost information & financial modelling. The post-holders will be expected to work closely with senior management in Academic Colleges and Professional Services to ensure best use of resources, provide detailed costing and planning information, and provide support on all financial and budgetary queries.

The post-holders should be a qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA, ACA or equivalent) and have extensive experience of producing management accounts. The post-holders are expected to demonstrate strong analytical skills, possess excellent IT skills and have the ability to explain accounting and financial concepts to non-finance staff.

The ability to communicate in Welsh is desirable for these posts.

This role will be located on campus at Bangor. Through our Dynamic Working framework, there will also be the option to spend some time working remotely (although remaining in the UK) to support work life balance, which will be discussed further with candidates at interview.

Applications will also be considered to carry out this role on a part-time or job share basis.

Applications will only be accepted via our on-line recruitment website, jobs.bangor.ac.uk. However, in cases of access issues due to disability, paper application forms are available by telephoning 01248 383865.

Committed To Equal Opportunities

Purpose of the Job

To prepare management information for area of responsibility enabling the evaluation of the Academic/Professional/Commercial Service financial performance and supporting the development of business plans.
Contribute towards the management of the Management Accounting function of the Finance Service, ensuring a clear focus on providing a responsive and flexible service that is valued by those accessing it and is compliant with legislative and regulatory audit requirements.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Generic Duties (appropriate to Grade)

Contribute to the management of the Management Accounting function, ensuring resources are used effectively and that staff are motivated, engaged and supported to develop and take responsibility for their performance.
Take the lead in developing and maintaining management information provision that is flexible and responsive to need (internal and external) and meets statutory and regulatory requirements.
Work with the Head of Service and other relevant parties to develop and agree Key Performance Indicators for the service, monitor & review performance against these KPIs, taking action to address issues as required.
To be an active member of the senior management team for the Academic / Professional / Commercial Service, working closely with and taking instruction from the Heads of the Service on specific tasks/requirements/projects. Maintaining excellent communication links with colleagues at College and School level and with colleagues in Professional/Commercial departments.
To be an active member of the Finance Service management team, engaging positively with colleagues to build/maintain good working relationships and shared understanding between the different areas of the service.
Foster and develop business relationships with internal and external partners in order to identify opportunities for the development and improvement of the service, and for collaborative working.

Specific Functional duties

Both provide and manage the provision of comprehensive management information to support the strategic planning and decision-making process and development of business plans.
Assist the Head of Financial Planning & Analysis in the preparation of 5 Year Forecasts and Statutory returns.
Undertake preparation, analysis and monitoring of budgets and financial forecasting to support decision making within Academic / Professional / Commercial Services.
Analyse and report on the financial performance of Academic / Professional / Commercial Services and advise on how performance could be improved.
Responsible for Academic / Professional / Commercial Services budget setting and modelling and reporting performance against budget on monthly/quarterly basis.
Assist Academic / Professional / Commercial Services in the preparation of project costing and evaluation of business plans.
Provide advice and support to the Academic / Professional / Commercial Services in the management of the budget and the development and implementation of the Services strategies and policies.
Implement and develop mechanisms to monitor financial activity across the Services and its constituent schools/projects and trading areas and provide management information to allow informed decisions.
Responsibility for ensuring best practice in planning and financial matters within the Academic / Professional / Commercial Services, developing and refining systems and procedures as necessary.
Assist the Senior Management Team to develop and support new strategic initiatives and ensure they are implemented effectively.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

The post holder will be expected to participate in performance review and developmental activities.
The post holder will be expected to comply with the University equal opportunities policies, Dignity at Work and Study Policy and the University’s Welsh Language Scheme.
The post holder has a general and legal duty of care in relation to health, safety and wellbeing and must take all reasonable steps to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for him/herself and for other members of staff, students and visitors affected by his/her actions or inactions. The post holder is also required to comply with all applicable health and safety policies, procedures and risk assessments.
The post holder must comply with relevant legal and financial policies and procedures and be aware of their responsibilities in terms of the legal requirements of their posts.

Person Specification

Qualifications/Training

Essential

Qualified Accountant (ACCA, CIMA, ACA or equivalent)

Experience/Knowledge

Essential

Demonstrable experience of managing staff and leading a team.
Understands internal/external factors that may impact on the service and takes action /make suggestions to mitigate any risk.

Desirable

Extensive and relevant management accounting experience gained within an HE environment.
A strong customer service focus.

Skills/Abilities

Essential

Strong analytical skills with-in depth experience of providing and commenting on management accounting information for strategic level use.
Ability to summarise and interpret complex and ‘specialist’ information and explain in language appropriate to the audience.
Ability to use appropriate techniques to influence and negotiate with a variety of stakeholders to achieve satisfactory outcomes.
Ability to gather information to identify future demands and opportunities and develop longer term plans.
Ability to translate operational plans into specific objectives for the team that enable them to contribute individually as well as collectively
Has the ability to evaluate individual & team performance and develops opportunities to improve performance through learning and development.
Ability to analyse problems /issues, consider all options in the light of experience and assess immediate and longer-term benefits and impacts.
Has the ability to use judgment to make decisions with limited or ambiguous data and takes account of multiple factors

Desirable

Ability to present complex information in a well structured, clear and concise manner using a range of styles and media to suit the audience.
Ability to plan and co-ordinate the work of the team to ensure that performance standards and objectives are met and that resources are used effectively.
Can identify and deal with performance problems or situations causing conflict within a team.
Can adapt services and systems to meet customer/stakeholder need and identify ways of improving standards
Ability to initiate processes and procedures to resolve new problems involving others as appropriate
Ability to anticipate issues and their potential impact upon own area of responsibility and identify practical ways to prevent or overcome them whilst still adhering to legal and regulatory requirements.
Ability to anticipate and highlights issues that need to be taken into account.
Can outline possible impacting factors, assessing their degree of influence on the choice of options

Other

Essential

Can help others understand complex, confusing or ambiguous data and explore options
Ensures that robust processes are in place to enable quality, legal and regulatory requirements to be met

Desirable

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for these roles
Ensures that relevant strategic information is shared so others adjust plans accordingly.

General

The University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds. We strive to develop a workforce from all sections of the community regardless of sex, gender identity, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. We promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language through our progressive Welsh Language Policy. We comply with the Welsh Language Standards and are committed to equality of opportunity. You are welcome to apply for any job in English or Welsh and all applications submitted will be treated equally.

We are a member of Advance HE's Athena SWAN Gender Equality charter and hold a Silver award in recognition of our commitment to and progress towards gender equality within the University's policies, practices, and culture. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

All members of staff have a duty to ensure their actions are in line with the overall environmental aims of the University and minimise their environmental impact.

All offers are made subject to proof of eligibility to work in the UK and receipt of satisfactory references.

We have a legal responsibility to ensure that you have the right to work in the UK before you can start working for us. When you apply for this post you will be required to explain the basis upon which you believe you will able to live and work in the UK legally on the commencement date of the role should your application be successful. If you do not have the right to work freely in any position in the UK already, any offer of employment we will make to you will be subject to you obtaining a right to work visa. The following link provides information on the various visa routes into employment and the eligibility requirements (including switching visa status where permissible) https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas. If you are successful in your application we will discuss visa options with you at the time of making the offer of employment.

Please note that, in the event of applications being received from candidates on the University's Redeployment Register with a reasonable skills match to the post specification, these applicants will be given prior consideration.

Connect with a cause that needs you!

Senior Accountant