Finance Manager at BioInnovation Institute Foundation (UK)

Do you want to play a central role in supporting financial operations within an international life science organization? Are you motivated by operating in a complex environment where you combine hands‑on financial execution with developing robust processes across multiple entities and jurisdictions? Then we might have the perfect opportunity at BioInnovation Institute (BII), where we are looking for a Finance Manager to support financial operations related to our UK activities and broader European activities within human health.

The BioInnovation Institute (BII) is a Danish non‑profit foundation established by the Novo Nordisk Foundation in 2018. Its mission is to accelerate research and startups to bring forward bold solutions that improve human and planetary health. BII supports collaborative, interdisciplinary innovation across Life Sciences, Quantum Science, and Deep Tech, helping transform cutting‑edge research into viable companies so that new discoveries can deliver real impact for people and society. BII is strengthening its activities within human health through a dedicated initiative aimed at translating early‑stage academic discoveries into validated pre‑clinical candidates. The initiative focuses on accelerating innovative research and supporting the development of next‑generation therapeutics with the potential to improve patient care and outcomes. Activities are anchored across dedicated European locations, working closely together within a shared scientific and operational framework. The location for this job is based in London, UK.

The Role In this role, you will join BII’s finance activities in the UK as the primary finance lead on the ground, supporting financial operations across multiple entities and jurisdictions. This is a genuinely dual‑facing role. Alongside regional responsibilities, you will be an active and hands‑on member of BII’s Finance team headquartered in Copenhagen, working closely with HQ colleagues on shared priorities and selected central finance activities from day one. You will support the development and operation of financial processes, systems, and controls in the UK while contributing to coordination across BII’s European activities and locations. Over time, the role will involve broader responsibility across multiple jurisdictions, grant portfolios, compliance activities, consolidated reporting, and investor‑related support.

Your Key Responsibilities Will Include:

• Financial Operations (Europe)
• Own day‑to‑day finance for UK operations and support relevant international entities
• Manage bookkeeping, AP/AR, payroll coordination, and month‑end close
• Produce management accounts and ensure full statutory and regulatory compliance across jurisdictions
• Lead intercompany processes and support finance systems, controls, and process development
• Support internal and external audits as the key finance contact for European entities
• Manage grants from Danish and European funders (incl. Novo Nordisk Foundation)
• Oversee the full grant lifecycle: budgeting, drawdowns, expenditure tracking, reporting, and closure
• Maintain audit‑ready documentation and ensure strict compliance with funder requirements
• Governance & Compliance
• Implement and maintain financial controls, policies, and procedures across entities
• Ensure compliance with local legal and tax requirements in all jurisdictions
• Monitor and manage FX exposure as operations scale
• Deliver accurate consolidated reporting to HQ in Copenhagen
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and long‑range financial planning inputs for Europe
• Act as the primary finance interface between UK operations and HQ
• Direct Participation in HQ Finance
• Take direct ownership of selected HQ finance workstreams, including group consolidation inputs, cross‑entity recharges, intercompany transactions, grant management, and elements of statutory reporting
• Step in as a working member of the BII HQ finance team on an ongoing basis — covering specific tasks, supporting peak periods, and contributing to team‑wide deliverables such as annual accounts preparation and audit support
• Participate in the development and rollout of finance systems, tools, and process improvements that apply across both HQ and the European entities
• Act as a bridge between the European operations and HQ finance, ensuring that local financial realities are reflected in group‑level planning and that HQ policies are effectively implemented on the ground
• Support preparation of financial materials and due diligence for investors and co‑funding partners

This is a full‑time position based on‑site in London, UK, King’s Cross, with responsibility for the UK location and close collaboration with other European locations. You will become part of a small on‑site UK team, but also an integrated member of BII’s Finance based in BII’s HQ in Copenhagen and report to the Head of Finance located in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Professional & Personal Qualifications We are looking for a finance professional who thrives in multi‑entity, cross‑border environments and enjoys transforming complexity into robust, scalable financial processes. The ideal candidate brings the following skills and competencies:

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) with several years of post‑qualification experience
• Proven experience in grant management and/or fund administration, ideally in a research, non‑profit, life sciences, or public‑sector funded environment
• Strong working knowledge of UK GAAP / FRS 102; familiarity with compliance across more than one European jurisdiction is a significant advantage
• Experience building finance processes in a start‑up or newly established entity
• Comfortable operating independently and as the sole finance professional on the ground, while maintaining close collaboration with a remote HQ finance team
• Excellent communication skills — able to translate financial complexity for scientific and operational colleagues
• Fluent in English, written and spoken
• Experience working within a Danish or Nordic organization, or familiarity with Danish donor reporting standards
• Knowledge of VAT, payroll, and employment regulations in Denmark, and e.g., Germany and/or Italy
• Background in biotech, pharma, academic technology transfer, or a research‑intensive non‑profit
• Exposure to investor relations, co‑funding negotiations, or deal structuring
• Fluency in a second European language (preferably Danish and/or German)

Compensation The salary range for this role is £75,000-£95,000, depending on relevant experience and expertise within the area. Further details can be discussed during the interview process. We are committed to pay equity, ensuring equal pay for equal work regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, religion, or background.

Curious for more? If you are curious to know more about the position, please contact Henrik Knudsen, Head of Finance on e‑mail: hku@bii.dk. We welcome all applications and encourage candidates to apply regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, or socio‑economic background. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where different perspectives contribute to innovation.