Senior Research Finance Officer

TN United Kingdom; London; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading organization in the UK is seeking a Senior Research Finance Officer to support academic staff with grant applications and manage a diverse research grants portfolio. This hybrid role requires strong numeracy and analytical skills, along with experience in research finance within higher education. The successful candidate will work closely with the Cancer Institute's Professional Services team to enhance research administration processes and ensure compliance with regulations. The position offers generous benefits including extensive holiday, pension scheme, and employee support services.

Benefits

41 Days holiday

Defined benefit pension scheme

Cycle to work scheme

On-site gym

Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption pay

Employee assistance programme

Qualifications

• Experience in higher education or similar research environment.
• Experience of research project costing and economic costing methodology.

Responsibilities

• Support academic staff in preparing grant applications.
• Manage the Institute’s research grants portfolio.
• Implement and maintain a transparent research administration service.

Skills

Numeracy

Analysis

Problem Solving

Education

Degree level education

Tools

Worktribe

MyFinance

JeS

Job description

The Senior Research Finance Officer works with the Senior Research Finance Officer and the Research Finance Officer to provide an effective and proactive service to Cancer Institute staff in accordance with strategic priorities and the University’s regulations, policies, and procedures. They will work as an active part of the Cancer Institute Professional Services team to provide a joined-up and responsive service to the Institute community. The post-holder will support the Institute’s academic staff in preparing grant applications and will play a key role in managing the Institute’s broad research grants portfolio.

The postholder will also support the Institute Manager in implementing and maintaining a transparent research administration service for the Institute; to identify and promote new systems/processes for improvement.

Application Requirements

1. Applications should include a CV and a Cover Letter.
2. In the Cover Letter, please evidence the essential and desirable criteria in the Person Specification part of the Job Description. Including a Cover Letter allows you to leave blank the “Why you have applied for this role” field in the application form, which is limited in the number of characters it will allow.

The position is available as a hybrid role with an expectation of 3 days on-site per week.

About You

Applicants must be educated to degree level or equivalent and have experience of working in higher education or a similar research environment supporting research grant proposals. Experience of research project costing, including an understanding of full economic costing methodology and overhead recovery, is essential. Knowledge and experience of using electronic research management and finance systems such as Worktribe, MyFinance, and JeS are also required.

The successful applicant will have demonstrable experience working directly with academic staff in support of research projects or initiatives, ideally within a large and complex organization. The ability to work under pressure while maintaining close attention to detail and accuracy is essential. The applicant should have strong numeracy, analysis, and problem-solving skills, with a proven ability to communicate financial information accessibly to non-finance professionals.

Experience liaising with the UK Research Councils and other major funding bodies is desirable.

What We Offer

We offer exciting opportunities and some great benefits, including:

• 41 Days holiday (including 27 days annual leave, 8 bank holidays, and 6 closure days)
• Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
• Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
• On-site gym
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption pay
• Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service