Head of Investments, Tax and Capital Accounting

Advert
Head of Investments, Tax and Capital Accounting
Cardiff University is recruiting to the post of Head of Investments, Tax and Capital Accounting.
Responsibilities
The post holder will provide leadership and professional expertise to support the management of the University’s Treasury, Tax, Insurance, and Capital Accounting functions, actively engaging with internal and external stakeholders This is a new role with the University’s finance department, reporting to the Group Financial Controller and responsible for:

• Providing technical expertise on all aspects of investment, endowment, and capital projects accounting, maintaining relevant policies and financial regulations, and analysis of investment returns and cashflow forecasting.
• Ensuring that the University has a comprehensive understanding of the tax implications of decisions and that the University complies with its payment and reporting obligations, engaging external advisors if appropriate.
• Oversee and manage cash flow reporting providing analysis and commentary to senior management.

As a member of the Finance Management Team, you will engender an inclusive, cohesive culture, in which all members of the team understand their role in the wider University context. You will translate the vision into tangible goals, establish and communicate high expectations and standards, give feedback, manage performance and maintain the team’s focus through involvement in decisions, planning and regular communication.
The post is full time, 35 hours per week and open ended.
Salary: £60,321 – £65,814 per annum (Grade 8)
This role is eligible to be offered on a blended working basis, meaning that as well as spending time working on campus you may spend some time working from another location, e.g. your home. The University is committed to offering this flexibility, wherever the role and business need allows, supporting work-life balance.
Cardiff University offers many excellent benefits, including 37 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) pro-rata for part-time hours, local pension scheme, blended working (meaning you will be able to work from home for some of your time), a cycle to work scheme and other travel initiatives, annual increments up the pay scale, and more. It is an exciting and vibrant place to work, with many different challenges and is a proud Living Wage supporter.
Date Advertised: Friday, 25 July 2025
Closing date: Friday, 22 August 2025
Cardiff 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 who have the ambition to create a University which seeks to fulfil our social, cultural and economic obligation to Cardiff, Wales, and the world. In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.
Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.
Job Description
Duties and Responsibilities
Investments

• Provide technical expertise on all aspects of investment accounting, including Private Equity and Pensions, and maintain and update the University’s Investment and Treasury policies.
• Liaise with the investment managers of the University’s investment portfolio, monitor investment performance, and provide reporting to the University’s Investment and Banking Sub Committee.
• Oversee accounting, reporting, and monitoring services for the University’s endowment funds, in conjunction with DEVAR.

Tax and Insurance

• Responsible for delivery of tax advisory services, including policies and guidance to ensure the University is compliant in all its activities in the UK and overseas, for the purposes of VAT, corporation, employment and other taxes.
• Supervise the University’s outsourced tax work and advice.
• Oversee and manage the University’s insurance cover, ensuring appropriate risk management and operational policies are in place.

Capital Accounting

• Provide technical expertise on the University’s Capital Investment Programme to ensure the correct accounting and tax treatment is applied to all capital expenditure and associated financing.
• Monitor and report on major capital investment programme projects, with focus on benefits, cashflows, and financial modelling.
• Ensure that external capital funding opportunities are identified and appropriately utilised, coordinating reporting to external funders as required.

General Duties

• Lead and motivate a team of staff that are responsible for tax, treasury, investments, and endowments, to ensure that the outputs are delivered to expected and agreed standards.
• Come together with the finance senior management team to co-ordinate and report key financial matters to senior managers and the University Executive Board as necessary.
• Drive the development of efficient processes and risk-based, proportionate controls, through a lens of continuous improvement.

Person Specification
Your application will be assessed against the following essential and desirable criteria for the role. Please copy and paste this section into a new document and give clear examples of how you can evidence meeting each criteria by writing under each one. You can draw on elements from any aspect of your life (e.g. work, home, education/qualifications or community life) as long as you focus on their relevance to the role.
Please save your supporting statement in a separate document with the title (YOURNAME – 19669BR – JOB TITLE) and attach it to your application in the recruitment system.
Please note that these are also the criteria shortlisted applicants will be assessed against at interview and/or by other means (e.g. a skills test) where applicable.
Essential Criteria
Qualifications and Education

• A professionally qualified accountant, (ACA, ACCA, ACMA, CIPFA) with significant post-qualification experience, specifically including experience in managing endowments and Private Equity accounting, and tax.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Good written and oral communication skills, able to communicate complex financial matters to non-finance staff and to build trust-based relationships with senior managers throughout the organisation. Enthusiastic, self-confident approach.
• Strategic capability, able to understand the wider business context and to add value to strategic decisions. Strong analytical and decision support skills, with the ability to be able to interpret and improve financial data.
• Strong finance system skills, including the knowledge and understanding of implementing change and process improvements.
• Substantial experience of managing a specialist team and to bring the best out in them.

Customer Service, Communication and Team Working

• Ability to communicate detailed and complex information effectively and professionally with a wide range of people
• Proven experience of successful engagement with fund management bringing about benefit for the organisation, highlighting and mitigating risk.
• Evidence of ability to explore customers’ needs and adapt the service accordingly to ensure a quality service is delivered

Planning, Analysis and Problem solving

• Long term scenario modelling and management, ability to look for opportunities and present a persuasive case for a change in direction backed by evidence of successful delivery in the past?
• Evidence of ability to plan the work of a section over year plus time scales, reacting to changes in workload and strategic direction of the department and University

Desirable Criteria

• Understanding or interest in and affinity for higher education – its teaching, research and enterprise activities.
• Familiarity with Oracle’s E-Business Suite software.
• Knowledge of legal and policy frameworks in which universities operate.
• Fluency in Welsh, written and oral.

Salary Range Min.
60,321
Salary Range Max.
65,814
Job Category
Accountancy & Finance, Management & Executive
Grade
Grade 8 #J-18808-Ljbffr