Company Description
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). We work in partnership with the NHS, universities, local government, other research funders, patients, and the public. The NIHR funds, enables, and delivers world-leading health and social care research that improves people’s health and wellbeing and promotes economic growth. We are also a major funder of applied health research in low- and middle-income countries.
Job Description

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA or CIMA) with significant post qualification experience, ideally in both a public sector and a commercial environment
• Experience and understanding of management of research finances in an NHS and/or HEI setting would be advantageous
• Good technical application of financial accounting skills
• Previous experience and responsibility for divisional reporting requirements
• Proven experience of building strong working relationships with operational teams
• Experience of taking a significant role in systems implementation would be advantageous
• Experience of creating and managing robust and complex processes, ideally in a research funding environment
• Experience of managing and developing others

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Strong interpersonal skills Excellent planning and organisational skills
• Excellent attention to detail
• Well-developed written and presentation skills
  Additional Information

APPLICATION

If you are excited about the prospect of joining our team and believe you possess the relevant skills and background, we invite you to apply. Please submit your CV along with a ‘Statement of Suitability’ that showcases your key skills and experiences in relation to the ‘Required Experience ' outlined in the job description. Additionally, share your enthusiasm for working with NIHR.

THE POST HOLDER’S RESPONSIBILITIES WILL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:

• Financial management of a research portfolio of NIHR/DHSC awards and those of our other customers
• Day-to-day management of a team of 9 staff (2 direct reports)
• Development and management of KPIs
  We’re looking for a qualified accountant with strong communication skills who is able to influence decision makers in GMG, NIHR and our customers, including senior staff. You will be an established leader, able to motivate and develop a team while managing the day-to-day aspects of the GMG finance function.

The post-holder will be responsible for the financial management and reporting of the ~30 research funding streams (including research programmes, Research Schools and infrastructure funding streams), with a total annual budget of more than £500m, managed by GMG on behalf of NIHR/DH and NHS England. Specific responsibilities will include:

• Accountability for the quality, accuracy and timely completion of quarterly outturns and forecasts of expenditure for the research budgets managed by the CCF
• Working closely with colleagues in DH SRED Directorate to understand DH’s financial reporting and monitoring requirements and to develop reporting structures and processes which meet these requirements in as efficient and effective manner as possible
• Ensuring that there are appropriate systems in place for issuing contracts and variations to contracts (VTCs) and for monitoring the performance of programme teams in managing these systems
• Implementation of systems and process improvements to continually develop the finance function, in particular the process for managing and setting research budgets within programme teams
• To ensure that robust systems are in place to review the cost information provided in research funding applications, in order to ensure best value for money for research funded by NIHR/DH and NHS England
• To build and support the financial awareness of members of the finance team, as well as staff in programme teams, developing their skills in monitoring and forecasting research budgets
• To lead on finance initiatives of strategic importance to customers and support efforts to ensure appropriate consistency of GMG processes with best practice in other research funders (including other NIHR Coordinating Centres)
• To ensure that the finance and contracts team work to best practice, and that policies and standard operating procedures are in place for sound financial monitoring, reporting and forecasting, driving consistency and championing a culture of excellence and quality assurance
• Actively contributing to staff continuous professional development
• Ensuring that the CCF’s senior management team has access to relevant and accurate management informatio