Assistant Finance Manager

Cyber Security Academy Southampton; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading health research organization in Southampton seeks an Assistant Finance Manager to oversee finance operations and ensure processes are efficient and compliant. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, experienced in finance, and capable of managing financial data effectively. The role offers hybrid working and a generous benefits package.

Benefits

Generous benefits package

Hybrid working

Culture of wellbeing and support

Commitment to personal development

Qualifications

• Substantial experience in a finance or accounting role.
• Ability to interpret financial data and present it clearly.
• Strong IT skills, including spreadsheets and financial software.
• Excellent communication skills for non-specialists.
• Strong organizational skills to manage multiple tasks.
• Experience in supervising or line managing staff is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Manage daily financial processing ensuring compliance.
• Respond to finance queries and offer guidance.
• Prepare monthly financial reports and assist with year-end.
• Improve financial procedures across programmes.
• Analyse data for financial decision-making.
• Lead and support a Finance Administrator.

Skills

Financial data interpretation

Excellent communication

Strong organizational skills

Supervision experience

IT skills including spreadsheets

Education

Studying towards a relevant finance qualification (e.g. AAT)

Tools

Financial software

Job description

Support impactful research through expert financial management

We’re looking for an Assistant Finance Manager to join the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Coordinating Centre in Southampton. This is a key finance role where you’ll contribute to the smooth and effective financial operations that underpin vital health and care research across the UK and beyond.

Who are we?

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.

Further information can be found at: www.nihr.ac.uk. You are encouraged to review our operational priorities and watch this introductory video.

What will you be doing?

As an Assistant Finance Manager, you’ll play a central role in ensuring financial processes are efficient, accurate, and compliant. Working closely with the Finance Manager and supporting the wider team, you’ll oversee the day-to-day delivery of finance operations, support month-end and year-end processes, and provide timely advice and information to colleagues and partners.

You’ll also line manage the Finance Administrator and help maintain a culture of service, accuracy and continuous improvement across the finance function.

Key Responsibilities Include

• Managing daily financial processing and ensuring compliance with University and NIHR policies
• Responding to finance queries and offering clear guidance to colleagues and external partners
• Supporting the preparation of monthly financial reports and assisting with year-end activities
• Helping to improve financial procedures and ensure consistency across programmes and contracts
• Analysing data to support financial decision-making and reporting requirements
• Leading and supporting a Finance Administrator, including workload planning and performance development
  
  

Who are we looking for?

You’ll be a reliable, organised, and detail-focused finance professional with experience in a similar role. You’ll be confident working with financial data and systems, with a strong understanding of how good financial management supports wider organisational goals.

You’ll Bring

• Substantial experience in a finance or accounting role
• Ability to interpret financial data and present it clearly and concisely
• Strong IT skills, including confidence with spreadsheets and financial software
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to explain finance matters to non-specialists
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks effectively
• Experience in supervising or line managing staff is desirable
• Studying towards a relevant finance qualification (e.g. AAT) is an advantage
  
  

Why join us?

Our people are at the heart of what we do. To look after them we offer:

• A generous benefits package (see full details here)
• Hybrid working (typically 20% office-based)
• A culture of wellbeing and support – we’ve proudly been signatories of, and working to, the 6 standards of Mental Health at Work commitment since 2019
• A commitment to personal development, with opportunities for growth
  
  

The role is offered at 35 hours per week, but we will consider part-time (minimum 28 hours). Please indicate your preference in your application.

To learn more about working in our teams, visit our website or watch the video below.

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Apply Online

Further Details

• Job Description and Person Specification
  
  

As a university we aim to create an environment where everyone can thrive and are proactive in fostering a culture of inclusion, respect and equality of opportunity. We believe that we can only truly meet our objectives if we are reflective of society, so we are passionate about creating a working environment in which you are free to bring your whole self to work. With a generous holiday allowance as well as additional university closure days we are committed to supporting our staff and students and open to a flexible working approach.

Apply by 11.59 pm GMT on the closing date. For assistance contact Recruitment on [phone] or [e-mail] quoting the job number.

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