UK Research & Innovation
Salary: £58,589 per annum
Band: UKRI Band F
Contract Type: Fixed Term (12 months)
Hours: Full-time/ Part Time (minimum 0.8 FTE) (flexible working available)
Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire - Hybrid working available (Min 2/3 days per week in the office)
Closing Date: 12th April 2026
Employees applying for any opportunity which may mean being away from your substantive role for a temporary period of time, please refer to the Recruitment Policy for further information in the first instance. If you are made an offer, please ensure you liaise with your Line Manager and the designated HR Team as soon as possible in order that implications of any move are clear and understood, prior to a move taking place.
About the role
This role sits under the Cross Council Cluster (CCC) Finance Team. The role holder will provide effective insight, challenge, and support to a range of stakeholders including Directorate leads/budget-holders, senior finance and non-finance managers across UKRI, to deliver outcomes aligned with UKRI priorities. This role is being advertised initially on an interim basis, as UKRI finance will be undertaking a review of its operating model during 2026/27.
Your responsibilities:
Leadership / team-working:
Lead, develop and motivate a team to deliver high standards of service across several complex business areas or programmes.
Deputise for Head of function to ensure continuity of service.
Develop, lead, and maintain exceptional collective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Use sound commercial and business awareness and understanding to provide decision support, offering insight and challenges to relevant senior stakeholders as required to ensure robust financial decisions and processes.
Assist with the delivery of wider strategic Finance Directorate initiatives and projects as required.
Delivery / programmes / projects / process:
Perform a range of complex reporting and control functions, positioning Finance to work with the business and link budgets to delivery plans and business reasons.
Communicate the importance of Finance to stakeholders at all levels, and use business awareness to present insightful information and analysis to support effective longer-term decision-making and deliver outcomes in line with Council/UKRI priorities.
Lead annual and multi-year budget setting cycles, in year re-forecasting, understanding and communicating forecast risk and opportunities to stakeholders.
Develop the finance case and review figures (investment profile, financial risk and exit costs) within cases, this may include the development of new facilities and equipment.
Run applications for additional budget cover, this will be from various funding sources including core funding, other operating units and direct DSIT funding through a variety of schemes.
Ensure compliance with internal financial, DSIT and HMG controls across the CCC portfolio.
Support to the various Business Change Programmes as required.
Personal Specification
The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).
Essential
Qualifications:
Qualified Accountant (ACA/CIMA/ACCA/CIPFA) or QBE (S).
Experience and knowledge:
Strong understanding of accounting and finance and demonstrable experience of working in senior finance roles in large/complex organisations and delivering effective financial management (S).
High level competency of IT systems and applications including MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access, with focus on exceptional Excel skills (S).
Highly numerate with the ability to provide high quality oral and written insightful analysis on complex issues, communicating the key elements to effectively deliver projects and influence decision making at a strategic level (I).
Experience of working strategically to balance the conflicting demands of multiple stakeholders whilst protecting the integrity and ownership of financial processes. Including demonstrable experience of working as part of a wider-business, consulting with senior stakeholders, utilising an in-depth understanding of business priorities, and effectively collaborate' with stakeholders to meet organisational and financial objectives (I).
Demonstrable experience of managing month and year-end processes (S&I).
Benefits
We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package. UK Research & innovation are committed to supporting employees' development and promote a culture of continuous learning!
A list of benefits below:
An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme.
30 days' annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent).
Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities.
Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice.
Flexible working options.
Plus, many more benefits and wellbeing initiatives that enable our employees to have a great work life balance!
For further information on our benefits please see:
Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
Please apply online, if you experience any issue applying, please contact .
Please note, if you will require sponsorship to work in the UK, as part of your sponsorship application, you and any dependants travelling with you, will be required to pay costs directly to The Home Office for the application before you start your role with us. UKRI is normally able to reimburse some, or all of these fees after you have become an employee and this can be discussed with the Hiring Manager. For more information, please visithttps://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/how-much-it-costsor contact.
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