JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE:
Faculty Management Accountant
GRADE:
V
DIRECTORATE:
Finance & Planning
SECTION:
Finance & Procurement
REPORTS TO:
Head of Finance
__________________________________________________________________
JOB SPECIFIC INFORMATION AND CHALLENGES
The Finance & Planning Directorate of the University is responsible for the institution’s
financial affairs and sustainability, compliance, management information systems, data
intelligence and institutional statutory report, audit and returns.
The directorate has three distinct teams: Finance & Procurement, Management Information
Systems (MIS) and Registry & Planning each of which reports to the Director of Finance &
Planning who has the responsibility to ensure that the teams work together to provide
accurate reports and deliver a customer focussed service.
The Finance & Procurement team ensures that all purchases are compliant with the
University’s Financial Regulations and procurement policies. It facilitates the collection of
student fees, funding council grants and services income. It has the responsibility of
ensuring that the annual financial statements obtain a clear audit report.
The post holder is responsible for the production of the monthly management accounts for
the academic areas of the University’s business. This responsibility extends to supporting
budget holders in the development of their budgets within the context of the University’s five
year financial forecasts. The post holder will also advise budget holders on the financial
aspects of their activities and ensure that they comply with the University’s financial
regulations and policies.
The University has invested significantly in its management information systems in the last
five years including the implementation of a new accounting system Access Dimensions in
2009. The post holder has a critical role to play in the further development of this system to
include the roll out of web based features into the academic community.
The post holder has responsibility for the overview of payroll related issues and their impact
in both academic and professional service areas, especially in relation to the pension
arrangements across two schemes; and determining the best solution towards reimbursing
external contributors to the university’s various projects.
The position demands that the role holder keeps abreast of financial reporting requirements
and takes a proactive approach to identifying the areas that require review and recommend
the appropriate accounting treatment.
The University provides financial reports for several different constituencies: individual
budget holders, faculties, senior management, Governors, funding councils, external bodies
and each must be prepared within the relevant (sometimes statutory or regulatory)
guidelines.
The post holder is directly responsible for 0.5 permanent staff members.
Faculty Management Accountant – JD – May 2015
JOB DESCRIPTION
The most challenging aspects of the post will be the necessity to complete management
accounts and returns that have strict and often tight deadlines. The academic accounts
include a high volume of project cost centres which have a short term life cycle; typically an
academic term to a year-long, calculating and monitoring academic contact time resources
by course and subject as well as being involved with the continuous development of
accounting and IT systems to improve business efficiency and enhance the services which
will benefit the internal staff in relation to financial and payroll issues.
The postholder will need to deal with change and its effects on staff and on systems and
procedures and deal with relevant financial matters in a complex organisation, including
three operating companies, two funding council systems and a full range of financial
functions. They will need to be fully conversant with current accounting regulations,
approaches and systems; payroll regulations especially pensions; to have a thorough
understanding of both HE and FE funding methods and an understanding of academic
frameworks; and an appreciation of the VAT partial exemption impact. They will also need to
enforce and explain all these sensitively within an academic environment which includes
many non-financial colleagues at all levels of the organisation.
_________________________________________________________________________
JOB PURPOSE



To lead and manage the accounting of the payroll and pension activities of the
University, prepare the management accounts for the University’s faculties and to take
a lead in financial system developments.
To independently provide specialist management accounting support and advice
based on considerable depth of knowledge, skills, experience and expertise.
To oversee and manage work of the payroll administrator, providing coaching and
support as required.
Specialist:
KEY DELIVERABLES
 To produce professionally informed, reliable and accurate financial and
management accounting information and data for inclusion in reports,
handbooks, and other publications e.g. month end reporting package.
 To produce professionally informed management accounting information for
reports, including recommendations which are relevant to the section and
University context.
 To demonstrate a thorough analysis and interpretation of relevant data and
information.
 To demonstrate the ability to draw on professional management accounting
experience and expertise to design practical solutions to problems, which result
in the desired outcome e.g. reimbursement of external contributor.
 To ensure professional expertise is updated through CPD activities e.g.
attending pension conferences and meeting their annual professional
qualification requirements.
 To be an experienced professional, providing professional, reliable and
accurate advice, recommendations and support to the payroll administrator to
help problem solve and support their professional development.
 To demonstrate an ability to help the payroll administrator to problem solve
independently whilst knowing when to escalate matters for policy decisions e.g.
if staff wish to opt out of the automatic pension enrolment.
 Manage payroll and pension responsibilities.
Faculty Management Accountant – JD – May 2015
JOB DESCRIPTION
Customer / Teamwork:





Planning & Organisation:






Resource Planning:




To deliver a high level of customer service to internal or external bodies using
own initiative and specialist knowledge and experience.
To contribute to the work of the Finance & Procurement team in support of the
achievement of team deliverables, coordinating and supervising work as
appropriate.
To review customer satisfaction to ensure that service is delivered to internal or
external bodies to the standard of quality identified by service objectives,
identifying future improvements to maximise effectiveness e.g. working with HR
to ensure the accuracy and the timeliness of the payroll.
To liaise with the wider University as required to support and represent the
activities of the team or, more broadly, of the directorate/section.
To demonstrate a willingness and flexibility to take on such other duties as may
reasonably be requested e.g. attendance at Open Days, Graduation.
To demonstrate a strong understanding / knowledge of management
accounting its related activities and developments.
To ensure that procedures are followed by the Finance and management
accounting (sales/income) team and that section objectives are met e.g. month
end procedures.
To demonstrate an application of best practice in the contribution towards, and
delivery of, management accounting and finance strategy, policies and
procedures e.g. Finance Regulations.
To apply knowledge of customer/user requirements, professional expertise and
the working of the AUB, to identify where management accounting policy and
service changes may be required, and implements these changes effectively.
To ensure all procedures adopted within the management accounting team are
reliable, efficient, effective and legally compliant, and appropriate to the
University requirements e.g. in line with HMRC payroll / pension requirements.
To plan activities and personal workloads within the team, aligned to University
and section priorities.
To deliver a high level of customer service to internal or external clients using
own initiative and specialist knowledge and experience.
To contribute to the work of the Finance & Procurement team in support of the
achievement of team deliverables, coordinating and supervising work as
appropriate.
To review customer satisfaction to ensure that service is delivered to internal or
external clients to the standard of quality identified by service objectives,
identifying future improvements to maximise effectiveness.
To liaise with the wider University as required to support and represent the
activities of the team or, more broadly, of the directorate/section.
Faculty Management Accountant – JD – May 2015
JOB DESCRIPTION

Staff Management





To contribute to the effective recruitment of staff in accordance with AUB policy
and procedure, against relevant job description and person specification e.g. the
replacement of team members as the need arises.
To ensure staff are managed and supported effectively through regular review of
performance, including, for example, regular meetings, and the annual Staff
Performance Review process.
To ensure staff are developed creatively in accordance with professional need
and Finance strategy e.g. use of systems such as Access Dimension and
Northgate; and an awareness of payroll changes and developments.
To ensure tasks are delegated effectively in delivery of the management
accounting team and Finance section objectives.
To deputise effectively for Head of Finance and other senior staff within the
section as required.
To ensure University policies and procedures are implemented effectively within
the Finance section e.g. Financial Regulations applied.
ORGANISATION CHART
Director of Finance &
Planning
Head of Finance
Management Accountant
Senior Student
Accounts Officer
Faculty Management
Accountant
Payroll & Finance
Administrator
Sales Ledger
Administrator
Sales Ledger
Administrator
Faculty Management Accountant – JD – May 2015
Financial Accountant
Accounts Officer
Accounts
Administrator
JOB DESCRIPTION
CONTACTS
Internal
Head of Finance, Director of Finance & Planning, HR, the University’s academic budget
holders; Deans, Course leaders, Course staff, Faculty Offices and Students in relation to
payroll related issues, and budget expenditure needs including their projects. Additionally
with reference to payroll related issues contact is extended to include the University’s nonacademic budget holders and staff.
External
Dorset County Council who processes the payroll data, main pension providers, auditors,
and system consultants from Enhanced and Northgate.
Faculty Management Accountant – JD – May 2015