Higher Education jobs in United Kingdom

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Working Hours: Part time: 2 or 3 days a week

Location: Remote (with some travel for meetings)

Job Purpose

We are seeking a highly strategic and results-driven Finance Manager to join our executive leadership team. The Finance Manager will lead the financial strategy of the College, ensuring financial sustainability, compliance, and the effective allocation of resources to support our growth and mission. This includes the robust management of public funding, with responsibility for ensuring transparency, accountability, and compliance with the requirements of key oversight bodies such as the Office for Students (OfS) and the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). The ideal candidate will have experience in the higher education sector, strong financial acumen, and a collaborative leadership style.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement financial strategies aligned with the College’s strategic plan.

• Lead budgeting, forecasting, financial planning and analysis.

• Oversee financial operations, including accounting, reporting, audit, payroll, and procurement.

• Ensure full compliance with regulatory frameworks, including those set by the Office for Students (OfS), HMRC, and other relevant accrediting bodies, with particular responsibility for the accurate management, reporting, and oversight of public funds received through the Student Loans Company (SLC), ensuring appropriate use and adherence to all associated funding conditions.

• Manage financial risk, investment portfolios, and capital development planning.

• Provide financial insight to the Board of Governors and senior leadership team.

• Lead the finance team, fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

• Support income diversification strategies, including grant funding, commercial opportunities, and partnerships.

• Lead on organisational risk management as a member of the Audit Committee, planning and facilitating external audits to provide assurance of standards to the Board of Governors

• Maintain sector knowledge and skills relating to HE, with particular reference to regulatory bodies.

• Lead the strategic financial planning of the College, with a particular focus on higher education funding, including adapting to sector changes such as the implementation of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) and the increased emphasis on modular enrolments.

• Oversee the accurate claiming, tracking, and financial management of tuition fee income, ensuring compliance with internal policies, and external regulations and guidance from the Student Loans Company (SLC) and other relevant bodies.

• Develop and maintain robust systems and processes to manage the financial implications of modular delivery, including forecasting, income recognition, and reconciliation.

• Ensure that all public funds — including those accessed through the SLC, OfS, and ESFA — are used in line with funding rules, delivering value for money and maintaining institutional compliance and audit readiness.

• Work closely with academic and operational teams to align financial models with curriculum planning, particularly around the modularisation of provision and its funding implications.

• Provide regular financial analysis and advice to the executive team and governors to support strategic decision-making and institutional sustainability.

• Build strong working relationships internally with key campus and centre UKGC staff as well as with external bodies, partners and staff

• Work effectively, diligently and with attention to detail, while meeting deadlines

• Any other duties linked to the role allocated by the Managing Director or Dean.

*This job description is provided as a guide to the role. It is not intended to be an exhaustive description of duties and responsibilities and may be subject to periodic revision.

***Please note the deadline to apply for this role is the 11th of June but we will undertake regular shortlisting and interviews, therefore we may appoint for the role before the deadline. Anyone interested is encouraged to apply early.

UKGC is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults. All UKGC employees are subject to enhanced DBS check.