Salary: £46,485.00 - £49,250.00 per annum
Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.
Closing Date: 19 January 2025
The Role
Within its Vision and Strategy, the University has made clear its commitment to put people in the centre of all it does. We aim to provide an environment that enables our people to flourish and develop. Continuous improvement at the forefront of our vision we are excited to be able to appoint a Financial Systems Manager,
This is a key post within the Financial Control team, leading financial systems and financial business processes maintenance, development, and transformation. You will maintain, evaluate and develop effective financial systems, processes and controls, and work closely with key stakeholders from IT (NUIT).
To be successful in the role you will be an experienced finance professional, with robust technical skills and analytical mind-set. You will have a high degree of self-motivation, a proactive approach with excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with clear focus on customer service and continuous improvement.
This role will report to the Head of Financial Systems and Services and will engage with the senior management across the University on a regular basis.
To apply, please upload an up-to-date CV and letter of application outlining specific examples around how you meet the requirements set out in ‘The Person’ section below.
To understand more about this opportunity please feel free to contact Anna.Munro@Newcastle.ac.uk for an informal discussion.
Interviews will be held 27th & 28th January 2025
Key Accountabilities
* To take responsibility for the operation of the core financial modules of the SAP system and to ensure that key validations and reconciliations are complete on a timely basis (e.g. period cut off).
* To lead on the review and update of key financial business processes, identify areas of weakness or inefficiency, recommend, and subsequently implement resolutions.
* To play a key role in the identification, development, planning and implementation of system improvements and enhancements that will transform the current ways of working.
* To take responsibility for the co-ordination of testing, validation and sign off in relation to the upgrade of financial modules of SAP.
* To constantly review, maintain and update relevant master data to ensure the continued integrity of the general ledger and associated interfaces, including user authorisations and approval hierarchies.
* To provide a key interface between Finance and IT (NUIT) in respect of financial systems functionality, performance, planned downtime and future developments in relation to finance processes.
* To support the continued development of financial / non financial reports to enable more accurate analysis of data across the whole University.
* To work with NUIT in the continued development of appropriate training documentation for end users and the configuration of support to end users.
* To support the Head of Financial Systems and Services, and wider University senior management team, to provide critical thinking on financial system implications of new strategic initiatives and projects.
* To provide leadership and deputise for the Head of Financial Systems and Services at relevant meetings and committees and to represent the University’s financial interests, as appropriate, taking the lead role in influencing and informing internal and external stakeholders.
* To perform other appropriate duties as required by management from time to time.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
* Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to engage and influence senior stakeholders and external contacts.
* Proven analytical and problem-solving capability.
* Ability to receive, understand and convey ideas and information clearly and accurately which may at times be complex, highly detailed, technical or specialist, both in written and verbal form.
* Advanced level of IT skills (SAP, Microsoft Office), and understanding of financial systems and controls.
* Excellent working knowledge of SAP or similar large ERP is essential.
* Experience of transforming finance related processes is essential.
* Excellent organisational skills and ability to work under pressure and to strict deadlines.
* Experience of working with senior management from a range of disciplines.
* Understanding of the Higher Education sector in general and research-intensive universities would be beneficial (desirable).
Attributes and Behaviour
* Promotes and actively drives change within own area and across the organisation.
* High drive and initiative, able to demonstrate professional resilience.
* Places significant importance in the development of individuals and teams.
* Strong track record and desire in working collaboratively with colleagues at all levels across the organisation.
* Strong track record of building strong working relationships with external stakeholders and external advisors.
* Proactive, organised with a keen attention to detail.
Qualifications
* Educated to degree level and/or qualified to equivalent standard by relevant experience.
* Qualified CCAB accountant (desirable).
Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.
We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.
At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.
In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.
Requisition ID: 27841
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