Financial Controller

Heriot-Watt University is a campus-based organisation that also supports connected hybrid working. Flexible working options will also be considered.

The Finance team is one of the Professional Services supporting the University's mission and its strategic priorities. On a day-to-day basis, it delivers a range of financial operations:

• Routine financial transactional processing in payroll, accounts payable and accounts receivable
• Sound management accounting, including ensuring the availability of accurate and timely financial management reporting; and effective budgeting and planning
• Effective operation of financial systems
• Effective and timely delivery of statutory financial reporting

This role reports to the Global Financial Director and is responsible for providing strategic leadership to all aspects of the Edinburgh Finance Directorate. The role holder will have direct management responsibility for 5 direct reports and overall responsibility for circa 20 FTE. The role-holder will have significant influence on and provide thought leadership on the University's financial control framework and processing activity. The role-holder will also provide financial leadership across the Global University and to the University Executive.

Summary of Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Providing a leading edge financial reporting and controlling processes to ensure University reporting meets all internal and external deadlines
• Ownership of overall control framework within the University and financial policies across the University, instil a rigorous balance sheet review process across the group to minimise risk and ensure credibility of the numbers within the financial ledgers
• Provide leadership on cash management, cash forecasting and across the general treasury function, in particular management of existing and new covenant lending arrangements
• Provide leadership for Treasury, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable and Financial reporting teams, developing team members
• Provide leadership on overall fraud management ensuring fraud controls are appropriate for University - both now and in the future
• Lead, manage and develop the teams responsible for the above processes, ensuring colleagues are trained and supported in their day to day work and longer term career development
• Lead by example, demonstrating the university values and promoting a culture of customer service and efficiency
• Drive forward a continuous improvement culture in respect of the control environment, and spread best practice and across the Finance Team and University
• Completion and submission of Corporation tax, VAT and other relevant taxation forms
• Lead finance representation on key projects where appropriate
• Lead relationship with external auditors
• Deputise for Global Finance Director where appropriate and, as a member of the Finance Leadership team, contribute to the wider strategic development of the function and its services in support of University Strategy

Education, Qualifications & Experience:

Essential:

• Holds industry recognised accountancy qualifications or equivalent practical experience in the workplace
• Experience of developing and implementing strategy
• Demonstrable experience of leading a team that includes multiple layers of management
• Demonstrable experience of managing resources, workloads and changing priorities for self and others
• Demonstrable experience of managing change
• Demonstrable ability to work within a fast‑changing environment
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Excellent influencing skills
• Good track record of developing and maintaining positive working relationships with internal and external customers, peers, stakeholders and others
• Technical expert in a relevant discipline/in at least one of the services provided by the Finance Directorate
• Flexible and resilient
• Collaborative and proactive

Desirable:

• ACCA membership
• Experience of leading complex change
• Project management skills
• Experience of operating in a complex global environment

Please send CV and Covering Letter by Friday 24th April. Interviews are expected to take place in early May.

Equality and Diversity:

Heriot‑Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all. Heriot‑Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups.

We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g. part‑time working and job share options.