Finance Officer - Clinical Immunology Service - 105784 - Grade 6

University of Birmingham; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Birmingham is seeking a Finance Officer for its Clinical Immunology Service. The role involves preparing financial accounts, managing budgets, and providing insights to support decision-making. The ideal candidate will have strong analytical skills and experience in an accounting environment. This full-time position offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package, including generous holiday and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

40 days paid holiday

Occupational sick pay

Pension scheme

Subsidised day nurseries

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Experience in an accounting environment.
• AAT Level 4/MAAT or part-qualified accountant.

Responsibilities

• Preparation of monthly accounts and communication to stakeholders.
• Undertaking day-to-day financial tasks and maintaining records.
• Providing financial reporting and insights to stakeholders.

Skills

Analytical Skills

Communication

Organizational Skills

Education

Degree level or equivalent qualifications

GCSEs in English and Mathematics

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Position Details

Clinical Immunology Service, School of Infection, Inflammation and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £32,546 to £35,116 with potential progression once in post to £39,355

Grade: 6

Full Time, Permanent

Closing date: 1st June 2025

Our offer to you

People are at the heart of what we are and do.

The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, andweare equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university.We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.

We are committed to helping the people who work here todevelopthrough our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programmewhichprovides allprofessionalservices staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential.With almost 5,000professionalservices jobs in a wide-range of functionsin Edgbaston andin our campus inDubai, there are plenty of opportunities foryou to be able to develop yourcareer at the University.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate.We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are,and how we work.

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees andtothe success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer avarietyof flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working.In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 dayspaid holidaya year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.

The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site.On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops,places to eat and drink,our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.

Find out more about thebenefits of working for the Universityof Birmingham

Background

The University of Birmingham Clinical Immunology Services (CIS) offers an extensive range of tests for the immunological evaluation of patients, ensuring the highest quality of service with prompt and accurate results, supported by specialist medical and scientific expertise.

We are dedicated to training the next generation of academic and clinical scientists, shaping the future workforce. As an ISO 15189 UKAS-accredited provider of immunodiagnostic and blood cancer services, we also engage in clinical trials and bespoke research projects. Uniquely positioned within an academic institution, CIS leverages this advantage to deliver cutting-edge translational research focused on immunodeficiency and immunogenicity, blood cancer, and the development of novel immunodiagnostic tests.

Role Summary

Reporting to theOperations Manager and working in collaboration with the Finance Business Partnering Team, the post holder is responsible for the preparation of monthly accounts and communication of that information to key stakeholders.

The Finance Officer plays a key role in ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of the Clinical Immunology Service financial processes. This position is responsible for undertaking day-to-day financial tasks, including transaction processing and maintaining accurate financial records. The role also involves preparing monthly and quarterly management accounts and forecasts, supporting budget preparation, and assisting with year-end processes.

In addition to core financial duties, the Finance Officer provides clear and timely financial reporting and insights to key stakeholders, contributing to effective decision-making and strategic planning. The role requires strong attention to detail, good organisational skills, and the ability to communicate financial information in a clear and accessible manner.

The post holder will work closely with the Finance Business Partnering team to provide accurate, timely, and consistent data, along with clear, accessible reports to theClinical Immunology Service Management team enabling them to make informed financial decisions.

Main Duties

• Responsibility for ensuring the income and expenditure for the budget area is reported accurately and consistently against the budget set and to agreed accounting principles.
• Raise and issue sales invoices in line with contracts or agreements.
• Monitor and review aged debtor reports, following up on outstanding balances.
• Responsibility for the preparation of accounts ensuring all deadlines are met and that budget holders are adhering to financial regulations and accounting practices.
• Ensuring spending is in line with budget or plans and advising on implications.
• Preparation of variance statements and commentaries of variances against targets.
• Liaising with relevant contacts to resolve day to day queries or issues identified through monitoring.
• In conjunction with the Finance Business Partner take a key role in preparing budgetary and forecast information.
• Calculation and reporting of budget to date information considering agreed principles and assumptions.
• Ensuring that the financial information provided is relevant and understood.
• Producing ad-hoc financial data as deemed necessary.
• Reviewing the financial position, interpreting and analysing information and communicating these in a clear way to key stakeholders.
• Understanding and interpretation of management information for use in business decision making.
• Providing accurate and relevant information required by both the business area and Finance. This includes provision of annual accounts information as well as budgetary and forecast information.
• Identifying critical areas of financial performance and focusing time on those areas where improvements can be made.
• Providing knowledge and advice on best practice relating to all aspects of accountancy, financial processes and management information.
• The ability to develop and propose solutions to problems for review.
• Promotes equality and values diversity, acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.
• Any other duties commensurate with the grade.
• Promotes equality and values diversity, acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.
• Supports the University’s sustainability agenda through resource efficient working.
• Any other duties commensurate with the grade.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

• Educated to Degree level(or equivalent qualifications)-where no equivalent qualification is held, significant practical relevant experience and expertise in a similar role will be required
• experience in an accounting environment
• AAT Level 4/MAAT or part-qualified accountant, actively studying for a CCAB/CIMA qualification.
• GCSEs to a minimum of grade C in English and Mathematics (or equivalent qualifications).
• Experience of working in a large and complex organisation with an aptitude for challenging and changing existing practices and principles.
• Strong computer skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Excel (e.g., formulas, pivot tables, lookups) with the aptitude to develop skills in specific areas such as reporting systems.
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day to day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.

Communication

• Communication skills are essential as the post holder will deal with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. This would include senior members of the Finance Office as well as budget managers within Colleges or Professional Services.

Analytical Skills

• Aptitude for reviewing and interpreting often complex information.
• Proven planning and analytical skills.

Contributing to change

• Adaptable and flexible when dealing with complex situations and the unexpected.
• Ability to generate innovative solutions in response to challenges to deliver change and to articulate these sharing both implications and benefits.
• Resilient and positive in response to changes.
• Able to influence both formally and informally within an organisation.

Other

• The ability to work independently and as a team.
• Ability to plan, organise, prioritise workload, and work to strict deadlines.

Role context

Roles at this at this level will require proven specialist knowledge of technical, IT or scientific practices, methods and procedures gained through either experience and/or formal qualification and this knowledge should be deployed in the provision of a range of high-level technical support activities. You will have the opportunity to exercise a high degree of personal responsibility and initiative which you will use to resolve issues; you will use your judgement to deal with unforeseen problems and circumstances, all with limited guidance/supervision.

Core competencies/transferable skills

Working at this level, you will be able to develop and successfully use the core competencies/transferable skills outlined in each of the areas shown below.As appropriate for the level, our Birmingham Professionals will take ownership for getting things done. You will be expected to be flexible as required in supporting your department and wider University.

Planning and organising

• provide high level technical support, specialist analysis or advice to others;
• prioritise and schedule work and resources to ensure on time and (where applicable) on budget delivery;
• set priorities and quality standards for a wide range of tasks and duties;
• liaise with staff, students and technical colleagues toanticipate and understand needs/provide advice/guidance;
• as applicable, manage a team of staff who are carrying out similar kinds of work.

Problem solving and decision making

• anticipate, diagnose and resolve problems within their own working area;
• test and implement new approaches, services orsystems;
• develop and implement improvement programmes within own local, school or service area.

Organisational understanding

• quickly develop an understanding of their working area and how it contributes to the success of the University.
• display an interest in how the University operates beyond own working area; develop and share this knowledge with others.

Relationships and communication

• work collaboratively with colleagues to understand their requirements, discussing and reinterpreting requests as necessary, and ensure solutions are developed to meet these;
• provide specific support and advice;
• analyse problems and summarise the key points to others, including non-specialist staff
• demonstrate collaborative working at all times, including with others outside the immediate work area

Further particulars can be foundhere

Informal enquiries to Lisa Powell, email: [e-mail]

View our staff values and behaviourshere

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyoneon our website .