Finance Director (MRC %26 EPSRC)

UKRI; Swindon; Hybrid; GBP 92,000; Full time

Job description

UK Research and Innovation

Salary: £91,943 per annum - the final salary will be awarded in line with the UKRI pay principles. This role also qualifies to participate in the UKRI senior bonus scheme.
Hours: Full time
Contract Type: Two-year fixed term appointment*, or secondment, with potential for permanent role at the end of the period
Location: Swindon; hybrid working available with semi-frequent travel to London and other sites
Closing: Thursday 24 April 2025 (23:59)
Interviews: Expected to be held on Friday 02 May 2025

Employees applying for any opportunity which may mean being away from your substantive role for a temporary period of time, please refer to the Recruitment Policy for further information in the first instance. If you are made an offer, please ensure you liaise with your Line Manager and the designated HR Team as soon as possible in order that implications of any move are clear and understood, prior to a move taking place.

*This position is initially advertised as a two-year Fixed Term Appointment (FTA), with the potential to transition to a permanent role once the future finance operating model is confirmed following ongoing system and data changes.

About the role

This high-profile role offers the opportunity to provide expert financial management support to the Executive Chairs of the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). These Councils fund cutting-edge research to prevent illness, develop therapies, and improve human health (MRC), and create knowledge in engineering and physical sciences to benefit society and the economy (EPSRC). You will play a key role at the forefront of two of the nine Research Councils within UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), supporting a combined budget of over £2bn.

You will be responsible for enabling the strategic, efficient, and effective deployment of funding to meet the Councils’ objectives, ensuring sound governance, and compliance with financial standards, policies, and procedures. This will involve supporting the UKRI Chief Executive as Accounting Officer, safeguarding public funds, and protecting the Councils' financial integrity.

The role requires substantial senior-level experience in accountancy or finance, along with exceptional diplomatic and influencing skills, and the ability to evaluate and communicate complex financial issues. As a member of the Councils' Senior Leadership Teams (SLTs) and an active participant in advisory Councils, you will contribute to high-level decision-making and strategy.

You will also lead and inspire a team of 21 finance professionals through a period of significant change, including the transition to a new cloud system. This will involve guiding your team and the wider finance department through the changes, driving the development of a new operating model, and finding efficiencies in processes using the new tools available.

Reporting to the UKRI Deputy Finance Director, you will be accountable to the UKRI Finance Director for ensuring effective financial management across Council finances. This includes ensuring Councils deliver within budget, forecast accurately, and implement a robust Finance Business Partner model. As a key member of the Finance Senior Leadership Team, you will take the lead on managing key financial risks and safeguarding public money. You may also be tasked with corporate responsibilities, including serving as a subject matter expert in a specific technical area or contributing to the development of UKRI Corporate Services.

You will provide strategic financial analysis and advice to the Executive Chairs of MRC and EPSRC, helping them manage their finances effectively and drive the execution of key Council programmes.

Key Areas of Accountability

Leadership / Teamwork / Collaboration:

• Collaborating closely with Exec Chairs and senior teams to ensure the effective management of the Council’s finances and advising on complex financial issues to maximise the effectiveness of Council funding.
• Build robust and strong relationships with senior stakeholders within the Councils’ communities, such as institutes and centres, and wider UKRI functions and portfolio to ensure effective stewardship of UKRI funding.
• Demonstrating and modelling a personal commitment to UKRI's strategy and finance’s vision, mission, values and strategic objectives.
• Leading the effective delivery of a high performing Finance service, through the further development of the Finance Business Partnering function, ensuring that the high standards within the team are developed and maintained.
• Leading the team, and wider finance, through the embedding of our new systems and the introduction of revised ways of working and processes that those systems enable. Building a culture of one finance, across finance teams, including role-modelling close collaboration with strategic finance, management reporting, and financial control teams.
• Actively managing three direct reports, ensuring that PDRs, probationary meetings (where applicable) and regular one-to-one meetings take place to develop the skills and behaviours of the Finance team. Ensuring high line management standards within the whole team including active talent management, in collaboration with SLT colleagues, and succession planning.
• Playing an active role in UKRI’s senior finance team, led by the UKRI Finance Director. Being a highly visible ambassador for the function, and leading cross-cutting workstreams (e.g. within the finance function’s transformation programme).

Delivery / Programmes / Projects / Process:

• Providing strategic financial analysis and advice in support of Council decision making, supporting performance and continuous improvement in support of Councils’ objectives, working closely with the Chief Operating Officers, Executive Chairs, and other Executive Board colleagues.
• Accountable for supporting budget holders in the delivery of a financial outturn consistent with Councils’ budget allocation, working closely with the Executive Team.
• Developing and maintaining a long-term planning view for Councils that is fully aligned with broader UKRI and DSIT priorities.
• Senior finance representative on major programme boards; providing advice and guidance on the creation and subsequent delivery of robust, achievable project and programme business cases, including financial sign-off of cases requiring UKRI investment committee approval.
• Ensuring sound governance and compliance with financial standards, policies and procedures; ensuring MPM and AO considerations are fully taken into account, working closely with Council and UKRI Governance, Risk and Assurance teams, UKRI Financial Controller, and senior Council colleagues.
• Supporting the UKRI Finance Director, by acting as the Finance lead on a range of different organisational projects and responsibilities.

Your skills, qualifications and experience

The following criteria will be assessed throughout the recruitment process:

Essential:

• CCAB/CIMA Qualified Accountant with current membership.
• Proven ability to lead a significant portfolio, demonstrating strong teamwork, development, and collaboration skills.
• Excellent communication, relationship building and influencing skills, with the resilience to navigate complex challenges.
• Capable of operating at a strategic level, demonstrate clear strategic vision and making a substantial contribution to corporate plans and decision making.
• Experience in leading teams through change, focusing on achieving results, continuous improvement, and managing ambiguity.
• Strong capability to balance the conflicting demands from multiple stakeholders whilst protecting the integrity of key financial processes and the Accounting Officer position.

Desirable:

• Experience of public sector accounting, budgeting and controls (e.g. Managing public money requirements).

Other Information

Please note that this role is also being advertised externally as a separate campaign. Internal candidates are encouraged to apply through the Internal Careers Portal (ID: 2500009E). If the internal campaign does not result in a successful appointment, the panel will then proceed to review external applications.

For a further discussion about the role, please reach out to Anna Pyshkin, Deputy Finance Director, UKRI.

About UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

UKRI launched in April 2018, UKRI is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

Our organisation brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England, which is responsible for supporting research and knowledge exchange at higher education institutions in England, and the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK. Together we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision to ensure the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation. More information can be found at www.ukri.org.

Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit Benefits of working for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.

How we support EDI in the workforce

At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit How we support EDI in the workforce.

Disability Confident Employer

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

How to apply

Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded.

Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter/statement of suitability and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application/the careers portal.

Should you have any problem with submitting your application via the UKRI Careers Portal, please do send an email to [e-mail] and a member of our team will then be in touch.

Please note, to apply via the UKRI Careers Portal you will receive a notification confirming your profile has successfully been created (if you have not previously set up an account) and a second notification confirming your application for this role has been submitted. If you do not receive the second notification confirming your application for this role has been submitted, please contact [e-mail], so we can ensure your application has been received.

UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.