Functional Expert - HR & Payroll - Finance Office - 51861Z25 - Grade 6

Position Details

Finance Office

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, Fixed Term contract up to May 2026

Closing date: 4th May 2025

This role is also open as an internal secondment opportunity which would need to be agreed by your current line manager.

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

Role Summary

The Core Systems Optimisation team, (CSOT), is responsible for quarterly release management, helping to stabilise and optimise the build of the new system, co-ordinating and delivering end-user support and training and overseeing the work of the Managed Support Provider. CSOT work with key stakeholders across the University community to deliver enhancements to system functionality, resolve defects and manage quarterly upgrade releases.

Reporting the relevant Functional Lead within CSOT, the post holder will have a detailed knowledge of the relevant business processes and a deep knowledge of the system functionality in order to be able to identify system and process improvements and make changes to system configuration, as and when required. They will be responsible for resolving incidents, deploying enhancements, supporting training and overseeing regression testing. The post holder will also have a good awareness of the business processes and system functionality in the other two areas of system functionality.

Main Duties

Process ownership

• Maintain an in-depth knowledge of all business processes, from the perspective of both the system owner and the end-user.
• Have the ability and confidence to challenge and influence staff who are unfamiliar or resistant to the new business processes and the new ways of working.
• Work across the University to develop the right behaviours associated with the new system.
• Support the on-going documentation of business process rules.

System Functionality

• Develop an in-depth knowledge of system functionality across all modules.
• Develop an in-depth knowledge of the data requirements for each module, including quality management issues such as accuracy, completeness and consistency, covering all data elements including Suppliers, Customers, Chart of Accounts, Departmental structures, Grade Ladders, Person Types etc.

End-User Support

• Resolve all Level 2 calls assigned from the ITS Service Now Desk, including break/fix calls, configuration issues, troubleshooting requests including data issues or dealing with issues associated with user-error.
• Undertake configuration changes, (integrations, conversions, enhancement, forms), as required.
• Keep all documentation up to date and accurate.
• Develop reports to satisfy business intelligence requirements for the relevant processes.

Release Management

• Evaluate forthcoming releases associated with the range of modules.
• Undertake all necessary regression testing to ensure that functionality is configured appropriately.Review requirements and specifications and define test conditions. Design test cases and test scripts under own direction, mapping back to pre-determined criteria, recording and reporting outcomes. Analyse and report test activities and results. Identify and report issues and risks associated with own work.Compile results for feedback.
• Ensure all process maps are kept fully up to date.

Data Integrity

• Maintain data integrity ensuring appropriate master data management creation.
• Investigate data issues and identify ways of resolving them.

Training

• Contribute to the updating of all relevant training materials, including online self-service training modules and hard copy training materials.
• Support end user training, as required.

Skills Development:

• Develop knowledge across all functional areas over time, to ensure that cover can be provided during absence or during periods of heightened activity.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

• Relevant professional experience preferably in Higher Education, a comparable complex public sector body or significant commercial organisation.
• Knowledge and experience of system implementation.
• Good communication and inter-personal skills including:
  • the ability to communicate effectively,
  • establishing and managing collaborative stakeholder relationships and networks with academics, professional services staff and other partners demonstrating credibility,
  • interacting with all levels of staff,
  • influencing, negotiating and facilitating skills,
  • the ability to work using own initiative and mange own workload within agreed deadlines and tolerances.
• A creative, imaginative and enthusiastic approach to problem solving and process improvement activities.
• Well-developed administrative and organisational skills with a proven ability to pay attention to detail.
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office.
• Collaborative and flexible working style.
• Ability to prioritise work, particularly under pressure.
• An understanding of and empathy for the activities/objectives of the University.
• Personal characteristics:
  • Strong intellectual abilities,
  • Eye for detail,
  • Judgement and resilience,
  • Problem solving,
  • Honesty and integrity,
  • Energy and resilience.

Planning and Organising

The broad remit of the role will be presented to the post holder. Guidance will be available from the Functional Lead.

Problem Solving and decision making

Responsible for supporting solution design and build and quality assurance of these activities.

Internal and External relationships

Post holder will be required to communicate with a wide range of employees across the University.

Informal enquiries to Soumi Nandi, email: s.nandi@bham.ac.uk

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 .