Financial Controller

The University of Manchester; Manchester; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous employer contribution pension

29 days annual leave plus bank holiday

Ride to work and EV car scheme

Job summary

The University of Manchester is seeking a Financial Controller to lead financial control, statutory reporting, and technical accounting for the university and its subsidiaries. The role collaborates across Finance and the wider university to ensure accurate, fully supported financial information and high-quality statements.

The successful candidate will oversee accounting ledgers, balance sheet integrity, and engagement with internal and external auditors, driving improvements across financial

Qualifications

• Qualified professional accountant with degree and consolidation experience.
• Strong knowledge of statutory financial reporting and accounting standards.
• Proven ability to lead a large financial control or reporting function.

Responsibilities

• Lead and continuously improve the financial control framework across the University and subsidiaries.
• Ensure integrity of ledgers and balance sheet with high-quality reconciliations and timely item resolution.
• Deliver annual consolidated financial statements and complex disclosures in line with statutory requirements.

Skills

Financial reporting

Auditing

Leadership

Governance

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Professional accountancy qualification

Bachelor's degree in accounting or related field

Tools

ERP systems

Excel advanced

Job description

We are seeking a motivated and collaborative individual to join our team as a Financial Controller. This role offers an exciting opportunity to lead the University's financial control, statutory reporting and technical accounting arrangements. Working collaboratively across Finance and the wider University, you will ensure that financial information is accurate, complete and supported by proportionate, effective controls, while delivering high-quality financial statements, regulatory returns and authoritative accounting advice within a dynamic and inclusive environment.

You will be responsible for:

• Leading and continuously improving the University's financial control framework, ensuring controls are proportionate, documented, consistently applied and effective across the University and its subsidiaries.
• Overseeing the integrity of the accounting ledgers and balance sheet, including high-quality reconciliations, clear ownership of balances, timely resolution of outstanding items and meaningful reporting of risks and exceptions.
• Delivering the University's annual consolidated financial statements and complex accounting disclosures, ensuring compliance with applicable accounting standards and statutory requirements.
• Leading the University's relationships with internal and external auditors for non-research matters, coordinating audit planning and delivery, preparing colleagues and ensuring issues are addressed effectively.
• Leading and developing the financial control, capital finance, subsidiary finance, central accounts and UMW finance business partnering teams, setting clear priorities and supporting high performance, collaboration and professional development.

We welcome candidates who bring diverse perspectives, experiences, and approaches to their work.

About You

We encourage applications from individuals with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. You should demonstrate:

Essential Criteria:

• A recognised professional accountancy qualification.
• Educated to degree level.
• Expert knowledge of statutory financial reporting, technical accounting and the preparation of consolidated financial statements.
• Strong knowledge of financial control frameworks, balance sheet management, audit and financial governance in a large, complex organisation.
• Leading a senior financial control or financial reporting function in a large, complex organisation with subsidiary entities and consolidation requirements.

Desirable Criteria:

• Delivering statutory financial statements and regulatory returns to demanding quality and timetable requirements.
• Leading relationships with internal and external auditors and coordinating complex audits from planning through to completion.
• Advising and influencing senior financial and non-financial stakeholders on complex, sensitive or high-risk matters.
• Leading, motivating and developing multidisciplinary finance teams and delivering service and process improvement.
• Advanced digital and data skills, including the ability to analyse large and complex datasets and use financial systems and spreadsheet tools effectively.

Our benefits include:

• Generous employer contribution pension
• 29 days annual leave plus bank holidays, along with Christmas closure
• Ride to work and EV car scheme available

For more information, please see University of Manchester Benefits . You can also find information on our Flexible and Hybrid working here .

We are an open place of enquiry and challenge. We embrace and celebrate difference, diversity and debate, and we pride ourselves on being a place of education, learning and community where we are able, within the law, to question and test received wisdom, express new ideas and explore controversial or unpopular topics and opinions. Find out more from our Freedom of Speech Policy .

Enquiries about the role, shortlisting and interviews

Name: Gemma Lyons
Email Address: [e-mail]

General enquiries and administrative support

[e-mail]

Technical and job portal support

https://knowledge.jobtrain.co.uk/jobseeker [knowledge.jobtrain.co.uk]

Applications close at midnight on the closing date.

Further particulars (with person specification) linked below.