Group Financial Controller

Bournemouth University; Bournemouth; Hybrid; GBP 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Defined benefit pension

Annual leave 30 days

Hybrid working

Flexitime

Job summary

Bournemouth University is seeking a Group Financial Controller to lead the finance function, shape strategy, and ensure robust governance, accounting, and reporting. You will manage the finance team, collaborate with senior leadership, and drive efficiency across financial processes while strengthening systems and controls.

This senior role requires credibility, relationship building, and a proactive approach to complex challenges across education, research and campus operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead the finance team and develop talent for high performance.
• Provide technical expertise in governance, accounting, financial reporting, tax and treasury management.
• Drive efficiency improvements and strengthen financial systems and processes.

Job description

About the role

A Group Financial Controller is sought to play a critical role in the strategic development and management of BU, to lead and develop the team, provide technical expertise in governance, accounting, financial reporting, tax and treasury management, and to provide organisational leadership through a collaborative approach to financial decision making. There is also a need to drive efficiency in financial processes and improve the effectiveness of our financial systems.

The Group Financial Controller will, in collaboration with the Head of Financial Planning and Analysis, and along with other responsibilities, lead the delivery of our financial information to a variety of stakeholders, ensure compliance with all external and regulatory reporting, strengthen and maintain our financial systems and processes, and drive efficiency improvements and sector best-practice in Finance and across the organisation.

As the University is in the early stages of the new 10 year strategic plan, this is an exciting time to join us. This role will be central to supporting our decision-making and influencing our direction over the medium-term.

This is a senior role and the post-holder will need to be both proactive and credible in building relationships, strategies and solutions for complex challenges.

The variety and scale of our educational, research, entrepreneurial, cultural, and social activity presents an exciting opportunity for the right candidate.

About the department

The Finance department at BU is responsible for all financial aspects of the organisation, including planning and governance. BU is a medium sized organisation with income and expenditure of over £180m, assets over £146m, with over 1,500 employees

About us

Bournemouth University’s vision is worldwide recognition as a leading university for inspiring learning, advancing knowledge and enriching society through the fusion of education, research and practice. Our highly skilled and creative workforce is comprised of individuals drawn from a broad cross section of the globe, who reflect a variety of backgrounds, talents, perspectives and experiences that help to build our global learning community.

BU values and is committed to an inclusive working environment. We seek a diverse community through attracting, developing and retaining staff from different backgrounds to contribute to inspirational learning, advancing knowledge and enriching society. To support and enable our staff to achieve a balance between work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.

Core Package:

• PAY– a competitive salary with opportunities for pay progression
• PENSION– a valuable defined benefit pension with generous employer contributions
• HOLIDAY– Annual leave entitlement of 30 days plus bank holidays and winter closure (pro rata if part time)
• WORK LIFE BALANCE –flexible working arrangements including opportunities for hybrid working and flexitime (role dependant)

You will also have access to a wide range of voluntary benefits:

• Health & Wellbeing: Employee assistance programme, dental care scheme, health cash plan
• Financial & Discounts: Discounts including a reduction of fees for family members who study at BU
• Travel: Cycle to work scheme, secure bike stores, showers and lockers, free bus travel between campuses, discounted bus travel
• Sports & Activities: Sport BU has a wide range of activities which staff can access
• Family: Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave, on-site nursery with discounts for BU staff
• Modern, vibrant campus locations: Bright and flexible work and meeting spaces, with on-site food outlets and coffee shops