The role of the Senior Finance Officer will be based within the European Grants & Major Projects team (Research Grants & Contracts section) of the University's Research and Innovation Services Department with responsibly for the financial administration of externally funded large scale research projects. The European Grants & Major Projects team covers both pre and post award management of finances from European Union sources such as Horizon Europe plus a limited number of certain large-scale, complex and match-funded awards from schemes such as UKRI's Strength in Places Fund. The role will include the preparation of financial reports, monitoring budgets, account reconciliation and advising of cost eligibility and funder requirements, both internally to the University and external partners. The role holder will work closely with Project and Programme Managers who will be responsible for all aspects of Cardiff University's day-to-day management and administration of the project to ensure the programme successfully delivers its aims.,

• Provide professional advice and guidance on processes and procedures Internally to the University and External partners, using judgement and creativity to suggest the most appropriate course of action where appropriate, and ensuring complex and conceptual financial issues are understood.
• Responsibility for the completion of the University's quarterly claims for allocated projects, ensuring that all costs charged are in line with the relevant University and Funder Financial Regulations.
• Manage the audit and verification processes.
• Responsibility for monitoring financial progress of the various work packages within and influencing budget decisions.
• Manage partner quarterly payments, ensuring reconciliation between payments made and expenditure declared.
• Produce regular financial forecast reports, prepare quarterly budgets, schedule expenditure, analysing and highlighting deviation/variations and initiating corrective action.
• Support the early identification of financial risks, and investigate and analyse specific financial issues, creating recommendation reports for the Programme Manager.
• Attendance at project meetings involving partners, presenting administrative and financial guidance and ensuring that the financial plan of the project is running to schedule.
• Ensure that the programme financial records are maintained in line with University Accounting regulations, programme cost eligibility and Subsidy Aid requirements.
• Develop and maintain an effective working knowledge of the rules and terms and conditions of the project and support colleagues and Academic staff in their contractual obligations in relation to the management of their projects.
• Line management of Financial Administrator to ensure they are supported and that their key objectives are achieved
• Support Project Managers with the provision and collation of financial reporting data and evidence to inform programme evaluation activities.
• Work with the Project Manager to develop and deliver training on financial and compliance matters relating to allocated projects.
• Undertake a variety of administrative duties to support the department.
General Duties
• Ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties.
• Abide by University policies on Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity.
• Perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role.
  
  1. Degree/NVQ 4 or equivalent Professional membership/experience.
2. Substantial experience of working within a financial administrative role. 3. Able to demonstrate professional knowledge within financial administration to give advice and guidance to internal and external customers. 4. Ability to set up standard office systems and procedures and make improvements as appropriate. 5. Ability to analyse, interpret and report on high level data. 6. Ability to communicate conceptually detailed and complex financial information effectively and professionally with a wide range of people at all levels, in different types of organisations. 7. Evidence of ability to explore customers' needs and adapt the service accordingly to ensure a quality service is delivered. 8. Evidence of ability to solve expansive problems using initiative and creativity; identifying and proposing practical solutions and resolving problems with range of potential outcomes. 9. Evidence of ability to work unsupervised to deadlines, planning and setting priorities for own work and monitoring progress. 10. A willingness to undertake further training and development. Desirable Criteria 1. Postgraduate/Professional qualification. 2. Experience of financial administration of large scale collaborative projects. 3. Experience of working in a Higher Education environment. 4. Fluency in Welsh, written and oral.

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds. We therefore welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements., Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English., Cardiff is an ambitious and innovative university located in a beautiful and thriving capital city. Our world-leading research was ranked 5th for quality amongst UK universities in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework and we provide an educationally outstanding experience for our 30,000 students. With an annual budget in excess of £500 million and around 6,000 staff, Cardiff is a member of the Russell Group of the 24 leading UK research-intensive universities. The University has 24 academic schools grouped into three colleges: Biomedical & Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering and Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences. The University's ambition is to rank consistently among the top 100 universities in the world. Cardiff is also developing its Innovation System through a focused programme of investment in people and infrastructure. Research funding secured from competitive, external sources exceeds £100 million annually and the University aims to grow this further through winning grants from a wide range of national and global sources. The Research Service supports the University's research community in initiating and delivering research and innovation activities. Led by the Director, Vanessa Cuthill, we provides services via over 100 expert staff organised in five specialist teams: Research Grants Office; Research Integrity, Governance and Ethics; Research Development; Research Commercialisation and Impact; Research Strategy and Operations and Business Engagement and Partnerships. The Department works closely with academic and professional services staff from all areas of the institution.

This post is full-time and fixed term for 12 months. Salary: £33,482 - £36,130 per annum (Grade 5) This role is eligible to be offered on a blended working basis, meaning that as well as spending time working on campus you can also choose to spend some time working from another location, e.g. your home. The University is committed to offering this flexibility, wherever the role and business need allows, supporting work-life balance.