Senior Financial Accountant

ARTS UNIVERSITY BOURNEMOUTH; Poole; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Arts University Bournemouth is seeking a Senior Financial Accountant to lead statutory reporting, year-end audit, VAT and compliance returns, fixed asset management and cash flow forecasting within the Finance team.

Reporting to the Head of Finance, you will manage four staff, collaborate with external auditors, HMRC, pension providers and senior university leaders to ensure compliance and financial resilience across the institution.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in financial accounting, audit, or compliance in a complex or regulated organisation.
• Ability to produce statutory accounts and VAT returns, interpret financial standards (FRS102) and support stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead on statutory financial reporting, year-end audit, VAT and compliance returns, fixed asset management, and cash flow forecasting.
• Manage four team members and work with external auditors, HMRC, pension providers, and senior university leaders to ensure resilience and compliance.

Skills

Financial accounting

Audit

Compliance

Statutory accounts

VAT returns

FRS102

Stakeholder management

People management

Job description

37 hours per week, permanent, hybrid working

PostType: Full Time

ClosingDate: 23.59 hours GMT on Tuesday 24 November 2026

InterviewDate: Monday 07 December 2026

Reference: AD1699

Our commitment to EDI

We are proud to have achieved the Inclusive Employers Standard Silver Accreditation in 2024, reflecting our dedication to fostering an inclusive and respectful environment where the diversity of our students and staff is truly valued and respected . We welcome application from all areas of the community and particularly encourage applications from People of Colour and people who are disabled, who are currently underrepresented in our workforce.

Our commitment to Safeguarding

AUB is committed to maintaining the highest standards of safeguarding . We take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety and welfare of children, young people, and adults at risk who engage with us, as well as those who work with them.

About the role

As we look to the future, we are seeking a highly capable and motivated Senior Financial Accountant to play a vital role in our Finance team.

Reporting to the Head of Finance, the Senior Financial Accountant will lead on statutory financial reporting, year-end audit, VAT and compliance returns, fixed asset management, and cash flow forecasting. This is a high-impact role where your expertise will support confident decision‑making across the institution — from strategic planning to regulatory assurance.

You will be a key technical expert in the team, ensuring the integrity of our financial systems and controls, while managing and developing four team members. You’ll also work closely with external auditors, HMRC, pension providers, and senior university leaders to ensure AUB remains financially resilient and compliant.

What We are Looking For:

You will bring strong experience in financial accounting, audit, or compliance — ideally in a complex or regulated organisation. You will be confident in producing statutory accounts and VAT returns, interpreting financial standards (such as FRS102), and supporting internal and external stakeholders.

We are looking for a problem‑solver with excellent attention to detail, good people skills, and the drive to deliver continuous improvement. Experience in higher education or the charity sector is welcome but not essential.

Why AUB?

Be part of a passionate, mission‑driven university shaping the future of the creative industries.

Join a professional and supportive Finance team at a time of exciting development and transformation.

Enjoy a collaborative culture, flexible working, generous annual leave, and a beautiful coastal campus environment.

In meeting your performance expectations, each year you’ll have a salary increase in line with the grade of your role. As well as this there is an annual cost of living increase. AUB provides generous holiday entitlement, and you will be enrolled in the Local Government Pension Scheme (professional services staff) or the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (academic staff) from day one of employment. Along with subsidised bus travel, cycle to work and annual savings schemes, our broad range of benefits can be explored on the AUB careers website https://aub.ac.uk/working-at-aub .

AUB has an agile working policy, and flexible working can be considered.