Financial Controller

BRASENOSE COLLEGE; Oxford; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

An esteemed educational institution is looking for a Financial Controller to manage the Finance Bursary team and oversee daily financial operations. The role demands experience in finance management, strong analytical skills, and the ability to work under tight deadlines. Key responsibilities include supervising accounts payable and receivable, preparing VAT returns, and ensuring compliance with financial regulations. A strong proficiency in Excel and previous experience in a similar role are essential for success in this position.

Qualifications

• Experience in a similar role, like Financial Controller or Finance Manager.
• Proven experience supervising finance operations and transactions.
• Ability to work independently and self-motivate.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day finance operations and manage the Finance Assistant.
• Ensure compliance with VAT regulations and prepare VAT returns.
• Develop and maintain the annual financial timetable and meet deadlines.

Skills

Financial operations oversight

Accounts payable

Accounts receivable

Budget reporting

VAT returns

Excellent numeracy skills

Advanced Excel skills

Excellent organization skills

Problem identification and solutions

Teamworking skills

Education

Accountancy qualification

Tools

Excel

Job description

The Financial Controller provides day-to-day operational oversight of the Finance Bursary team and is responsible for the effective management of the College's day-to-day financial operations. This includes overseeing accounts payable, accounts receivable, vat returns, ONS returns, monthly management accounts, and preparing accounts to trial balance for the college and its trading subsidiary.

The Financial Controller line manages the Finance Assistant responsible for the Student Billing function.

The post holder will be responsible for the month end close down processes and timely production of the monthly management accounts pack. They will support the Finance Director for budget reporting, to standardise regular month end journal entries and to identify the critical tasks at month end. The Financial Controller is the most senior role in the Finance Bursary after the Finance Director and is expected to deputise for the Finance director when required.

Working closely with colleagues across the college the Finance Controller would support existing projects to integrate fully the sub ledgers relating to students, conference business, other transactions and the development office. The role ensures ensuring that processes linking the sub ledgers are robust, compliant with financial accounting standards, vat and internal controls.

The College operates in a complex VAT environment and uses the partial exemption method. The FC is responsible for ensuring that all transactions in the accounting system comply with current VAT regulations, for preparing the VAT return and keeping up to date with current VAT rules and changing College processes to maintain compliance.

The Finance Controller is responsible for developing and maintaining the annual financial timetable, ensuring all deadlines are clearly defined, appropriately allocated, and consistently met. This includes monitoring progress and adjusting workflows accordingly to ensure operational and statutory deadlines are met.

Qualifications

• Previous experience of a Financial Controller, Finance Manager, financial accounting or similar role
• Demonstrable experience of overseeing day-to-day finance operations and supervising transactional finance activities (e.g. accounts payable, receivable, billing and month-end processes)
• An accountancy qualification
• Experience of completing month end close to tight timetable
• Some technical accounting knowledge, experience of month end, and vat returns in particular
• Ability to identify problems and develop solutions
• Excellent numeracy skills and good report writing skills
• Advanced knowledge of Excel and good system skills
• Excellent organisation skills
• Ability to work independently and self-motivate
• A high degree of accuracy and attention to detail
• Good team working skills, including flexibility and adaptability
• Good interpersonal skills, including ability to develop good working relationships and to persuade and influence

Desirable

• Credit control
• Banking and treasury experience
• Payroll
• Experience of higher education and/or the College environment
• Knowledge of Charities SORP or experience of preparing financial reports in a highly regulated environment
• Experience and knowledge of Iplicit/Kinetics/Raisers Edge would be highly desirable