Deputy Director of Finance

Birkbeck, University of London, has an excellent opportunity for a permanent Deputy Director of Finance. This is a broad, senior finance leadership role with genuine depth of technical responsibility.

Working alongside the Director of Finance, the Deputy Director has leadership of a well-established Finance Department of around 25 staff across seven teams — Income, Finance Business Partnering, Payroll and Pensions, Financial Accounting, Payments, Systems and Procurement at Birkbeck.

The role carries technical accountability - including responsibility for the preparation of the annual financial accounts - alongside a wider leadership agenda covering financial planning, regulatory compliance, treasury oversight, committee reporting and external relationship management. The Deputy Director presents papers at Audit Committee and the Investment Committee and works closely with the Senior Leadership Team on financial matters.

There is a clear improvement agenda in the department, particularly around efficiency and effectiveness in the transactional space. We are keen to explore AI in a considered way, working within appropriate risk and governance frameworks. Candidates who have experience of driving technology-enabled change in finance functions will find plenty of scope to apply it here.

We are looking for a fully qualified accountant (CCAB) who combines strong technical foundations with the leadership capability to get the best out of a team and the credibility to operate effectively at senior level. Specifically, we are looking for:

• Proven, hands-on experience of preparing statutory accounts, including consolidated group accounts, to a high standard and within statutory deadlines
• Sound knowledge of FRS102 and UK GAAP, with working knowledge of VAT, Corporation Tax and PAYE compliance
• Strong cash flow management and forecasting skills, with a track record of keeping a close eye on liquidity in a complex organisation
• The ability to build, interrogate and stress test financial models, with strong data manipulation skills and a rigorous approach to reconciliation and accuracy
• Experience of leading finance teams, with a genuine interest in developing people and building a positive team culture
• Clear, confident communication with non-finance stakeholders at all levels
• The confidence to challenge and advise at senior level, and the judgement to know when to escalate.

Experience of higher education is desirable but not essential. So if you are a leader with a passion in higher education, apply to become our Deputy Director of Finance and contribute to Birkbeck's continued success.