Finance and Administration Officer

Job Purpose

To work closely with the Head of Sport, the UU Finance Department, and the UU Sport Management Team on strategic and operational planning issues; assisting with the development and implementation of the UU Sports Action Plan and providing support to the management of people, finance, administrative, and physical resources across the department. The postholder will contribute significantly to the provision of high-quality leadership for key support functions, including overall responsibility for Finance and Administrative issues.

Responsibilities

• Financial management, reporting, and support to budget forecasting (including Outline Business Case development)

• Business Improvement Support

• Support to the UU Sport team on administrative, people, and operational matters.

Main Tasks

Finance – Management, Reporting and Forecasting

• Preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial information for the business area, including monitoring and analysing financial performance.

• Provide a support service by working with the UU Finance Management Accountant and UU Sport management to assist in making financial decisions and advise on the financial implications of business decisions.

• Assist in the interpretation and communication of financial data to managers across UU Sport and provide financial training and development for budget holders.

• Assist in the production of financial analyses to support proposed developments for areas of potential income generation and cost savings.

• Assist with monitoring and evaluating financial processes, KPIs, and suggesting improvements where needed.

• Assist in the preparation of financial and other information relevant to the operating section for regulatory and external bodies as appropriate.

• Maintain the business area cost centre structure on the University’s finance system.

• Ensure compliance with accounting policies and procedures, thereby confirming the University has sound systems of financial control.

• Carry out planned projects as directed by UU Sport senior management.

Administration

• As a member of the Management Team, the Finance and Administration Officer has overall responsibility for the effective coordination and integration of the administrative support function and will act as the liaison for the department’s administrative team.

• Have a thorough understanding of the XN Leisure Management System, Cascade, and its operations, including the set-up of memberships, courses and sessions (classes), finance, bookings, online memberships (OLM), online bookings (Horizons), kiosks, self-service, and recurrent card payments.

• Work closely with the President, Student Sports Management, and the AU Executive to ensure that administrative systems and processes are effectively integrated (from UUSU Sport) and focused to support the needs of UU students.

• Train/mentor and advise the newly elected student executive to ensure that the administration processes are effective and lean to support student sport delivery.

• Integrate and line manage the Student Sport Admin Officers once the UU Sport integration process is complete.

• Review and report on holidays, absences, and associated patterns of all other UU Sport staff.

Business Improvement Support

• Work with the Head of Sport and the wider management team to produce the annual Operating and Business Plan for UU Sport.

• Stay up to date with strategic growth phases and project plans and contribute as and when necessary to UU Sport Business Improvement Plans.

• Work with the Business Improvement Manager to identify areas for growth i.e. membership growth/retention, new income-generating initiatives, sponsorships, and extended facility usage.

• Help manage a ‘digital first’ approach to the improvement of all processes and transactions.

Personnel Support

• Be responsible for the development of the equal opportunities agenda, not only in terms of staff but also students and customers.

• Manage departmental continuing professional development and analyse and report on staff training needs.

• Oversee the processes and support managers in the review of fixed-term and casual/bank contracts, temporary changes in hours or grades, probationary periods, etc., for staff in conjunction with P&C, Head of Sport, and the UU Sport team.

• Undertake ongoing continuous professional training to ensure a quality service is provided to Faculties and Departments, as appropriate.

Other Information

This list of duties is not intended to be fully comprehensive; any other duties will be commensurate with the nature and level of the post.

We may create a 12-month waiting list for same or similar roles within the Department / Faculty. The University reserves the right to extend the waiting list across the University if required for certain posts.

The University is committed to developing all employees and operates a Developmental Appraisal Review (DAR) which is mandatory. You will be required to meet with your manager at least once every two years as part of the DAR process. If you have line management responsibility for other staff, you will be required to conduct a DAR meeting with your staff at least once every two years.

All staff in the University have a responsibility to comply with the University’s Equal Opportunities Policy and Health and Safety Policy. Line Managers have particular responsibility for ensuring compliance with these Policies within their own area.

Essential Selection Criteria

Education and Professional Qualifications

• Degree and/or higher degree in a relevant subject.

• Part-qualified accountant in one of the following bodies – CIMA, ACA, ACCA, CIPFA, CPA – or fully qualified ATI.

Previous Experience / Training

• Relevant experience in an accounting environment within a large organisation.

• Practical experience of a complex financial accounting IT system.

• Relevant experience of financial planning, budget-setting and management accounts preparation, and cost control for a large organisation.

• Experience in the provision of information and financial advice to senior management, including advice on financial planning and/or development of financial policies and procedures.

• Experience of monitoring and reporting on financial performance and providing financial management information and advice to inform financial plans.

Other Factors

• Willingness to travel to meet the needs of the post.

Desirable Criteria

The desirable criteria below are in ranked order of importance/relevance to the role and may be used in the shortlisting process:

Experience in the higher education sector.

Experience of Cognos reporting.