Job title: Finance Director/Chief Finance Officer
Band: 8
Salary/ Rate: Competitive dependent on experience
Bonus: Discretionary Bonus 20% of Salary
Responsible to: Chief Executive Officer
Responsible for: Financial Controller / Head of Finance / Procurement and Risk
Contract Type: Permanent
Hours per week / FTE and Location: Full time (37.5 hours) based in Manchester  

Job purpose   

The Finance Director/Chief Finance Officer is accountable for the administrative, financial,  procurement, and risk management operations of UA92.

You will have primary responsibility for planning, implementing, managing and controlling all financialrelated activities. Acting as a true business partner to the CEO and working in partnership with other members of the Strategic Leadership Team, the Board and shareholders, you will have direct responsibility for leading and managing accounting, finance, forecasting, strategic and operational financial planning, procurement, deal analysis and negotiations, investment management, investor  relations, administration, and as company secretary, corporate governance.

You will provide broad financial leadership and direction in order to drive, deliver and support UA92’s  strategy for rapid, yet sustainable growth in an ever-changing and competitive environment. You will partner with other leaders to offer sound commercial leadership to UA92’s revenue-generating activity,  identifying new opportunities to accelerate and enable strategic priorities, whilst managing and  mitigating risk.

As a key member of the Strategic Leadership Team, you will report to the CEO and assume a strategic  role in the overall management of UA92, deputising for the CEO where appropriate. You will also play a critical role advising and delivering at board level. You will be a true UA92 role model and a visible, values-driven leader, highly mission-driven, passionate about positively impacting culture, and leading a high-performing, motivated and engaged Finance team. You’ll create agile, efficient, and effective processes, working collaboratively across the  organisation to champion and foster a cost-conscious and commercial mindset. You’ll have the ability  to think and lead creatively, aligning to UA92’s game-changing and deliberately different approach.

Role Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Senior Management   

• Provide strategic leadership for the Finance domain and give professional advice and operational support to the CEO in order to ensure UA92’s strategic objectives are achieved.
• Play an active role in the senior leadership and management of UA92, working with and supporting other members of the strategic leadership team, and deputising for the CEO, as required.
• Act as an ambassador for, and senior representative of UA92 internally and externally, demonstrating organisational values and acting with the highest levels of integrity and professionalism.
• Inspire, engage, and bring all colleagues along with you on the journey of growing and  developing a contemporary, modern, and accessible higher education institution, with the  confidence to be deliberately different, challenge convention and transform higher education.
• Work with the leadership team and wider team to develop a commercial mindset.

Portfolio Delivery   

• Provide high-level advice and guidance to the CEO, Shareholders, UA92 Board, and Strategic Leadership Team in the areas of financial strategy, financial risk and strategic deployment of resources, ensuring compliance with institutional, legal and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure the integrity of UA92’s financial, procurement, and corporate governance systems and  procedures.
• Take overall responsibility for UA92’s finance, business and resource planning, ensuring forecasts and budgets are produced to meet the requirements of UA92’s long and short-term
  business needs, making recommendations to the CEO and providing support for the UA92 Board.
• Ensure the production of UA92’s annual statutory accounts and other returns, ensuring compliance with all necessary accounting and reporting standards.
• Ensure cash flow, funds, treasury management and lending arrangements are well managed  and controlled, developing a constructive working relationship with UA92’s bankers, shareholders, investors, auditors, and regulators.
• Develop entrepreneurial revenue-generating activities to increase and diversify sources of income, supporting creation and evaluation of business plans for new ventures, projects and activities, in line with UA92’s strategic objectives.
• Lead on the effectiveness and integrity of procurement across the business, maintaining a watching brief on operational efficiency across the organisation and proposing efficiency improvements where necessary.
• Ensure effective corporate governance and management through the development and  implementation of robust planning, monitoring and review frameworks which provide  confidence in the leadership and management of UA92.
  
• Lead on risk monitoring and management, maintaining organisational risk registers, and  ensuring effective mitigation strategies are deployed. Manage internal and external audit plans for the institution, ensuring regular compliance checks are made and reported on.
  
• Ensure UA92, its Board and its CEO are fully supported in discharging their statutory and financial responsibilities, ensuring compliance with all necessary legal, regulatory and reporting requirements, engaging positively with all bodies to which UA92 is accountable and ensuring timely reporting where necessary.
• Produce papers, management briefing notes and other documentation for Board, Leadership Team and other committees.
  
• Assume responsibility for the delivery of major institutional projects relating to areas of responsibility as designated by the CEO.

People, Team and Resource Management 

• Lead, motivate and manage colleagues, ensuring high levels of productivity and standards of performance with a constant focus on core business to achieve business plan targets.
  
• Champion a ‘one team’ collaborative approach, engaging colleagues in all aspects of business activity and leading a truly connected, supportive one team culture and practice.
  
• Set clear objectives, undertake reviews and provide constructive individual and team feedback.
  
• In partnership with the People Team, deal with any performance issues in line with appropriate policies and procedures, ensuring colleagues are supported as they work to resolving these issues.
  
• Ensure colleagues and teams are empowered and supported to achieve their full potential, encouraging creativity, proactivity, innovation and personal and team development.
  
• Manage budgets in accordance with financial and resource plans, aiming to maximise value for money

General Duties and Responsibilities

• Champion the UA92 brand and foster a culture of innovation, growth, shared responsibility and individual accountability, always putting provision of an excellent student experience in primary focus.
• Be a pro-active, effective and supportive team member and leader, acting as a strategic partner to the CEO and a thought leader.
  
• Maintain a cost-conscious and efficient approach when undertaking all aspects of the role in order to manage resources effectively, optimise performance and contribute to the future success of UA92. Lead with a commercial mindset.
  
• Comply with national legislation, UA92 policy and best practice in respect of confidentiality and information governance and security.
  
• Contribute to and lead a safe and healthy learning and work environment, always ensuring  awareness of individual responsibilities and compliance with Health and Safety and Safeguarding policies and procedures.
  
• Participate in objective/target setting and review/appraisal of your own performance to inform personal development aligned to the role and progression/remuneration decisions.
  
• Participate in and lead mandatory and other training and development opportunities.
  
• Promote equality of opportunity and diversity for students and colleagues, ensuring an inclusive and supportive learning and work environment.
  
• Provide high-quality reports and presentations for internal and external audiences, including but not limited to: Board finance papers, Finance Committee papers, Risk Register, banks review papers.
  
• Preparation and sign-off of the OFS planning submissions.
  

Demonstrate flexibility and undertake any other duties for which the post holder has the necessary experience and/or training, when required.

This job description is intended as a general guide to the duties attached to the post. It may therefore be altered from time to time, in consultation with the role holder, to reflect the changing needs of
UA92.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

All of the following criteria are considered essential unless otherwise noted.

Qualifications
All of the following will be assessed by Application form / Certificate unless otherwise noted

• A relevant degree, or relevant commercial experience.  
• Fully qualified accountant: recognised professional accountancy qualification (CCAB) or equivalent.  
• Evidence of sustained and continuous professional development. (Application Form) 

Experience and Knowledge
All of the following will be assessed by Application form / Interview 

• Significant post-qualification experience and achievement as a leader in a key financial leadership role. Start-up experience highly desirable.  
• Experience of success in achieving challenging targets, project deliverables and of effective management of resources and budgets. 
• Experience of leading, or working knowledge of best practice corporate governance.  
• Experience and knowledge of working within a regulated environment, outside of financial and corporate regulation.  
• Experience of and ability to represent the Finance directorate to internal and external stakeholders including at Board level.  
• Significant experience of the development, implementation and evaluation of business and strategic plans.  
• Demonstrable experience and ability to analyse and explain complex information, through effective design and collation of relevant, well presented financial analysis and reports (text and numeric).  
• Significant demonstrable experience in influencing and effecting change through collaboration, negotiation and problem-solving.  
• Experience of using and developing enterprise level financial systems and process.  
• Experience of HE / Education sector. (Desirable)
• Experience of working with private investors (ongoing), including ideally negotiating (conducting thorough due diligence) and securing new investment to accelerate growth or activate projects. (Desirable)  
• Experience of dealing with leading a Finance team in an organisational with international operations/activity. (Desirable)

Skills and Abilities
All of the following will be assessed by Interview 

• Excellent relationship development and collaborative working skills with a track record of success in building productive partnerships and teams.  
• Ability to think and lead with a highly commercial, cost-conscious, yet people centric and values driven mindset.  
• An ability to inspire and take others on a journey.  
• Ability to transition from strategic discussions / planning to operational detail and delivery.  
• Ability to negotiate, influence and win the confidence of senior HE, private sector and public sector representatives.  
• Excellent planning, prioritisation and organisation skills with the ability to work under pressure, manage competing demands and meet challenging deadlines.  
• Innovative and creative thinker with the ability to problem solve and overcome challenges or obstacles.  
• Excellent oral and written communication skills including the ability to deliver engaging presentations, to develop strategies and business plans and to write reports, adapting style to suit the needs of the audience. (Application Form / Interview) 

Values
All of the following will be assessed by Interview

• A passion for and a desire to provide an outstanding student experience.  
• A commitment to equality and diversity and the safeguarding and wellbeing of young people, vulnerable adults, children and colleagues.  
• A high level of integrity with a personal style that inspires trust and confidence.  
• Innovative, creative and resourceful, with a commitment to continuous improvement.   
• Enthusiastic and self-motivated with the ability to work proactively and autonomously with minimum supervision and a commitment to continuous professional development.  
• A strong and resilient team player with drive, determination and a natural desire to work collaboratively and flexibly, including evenings and weekends and to travel both domestically and internationally to meet the needs of the role, as required.  
• A role model of UA92’s values.

*Application Form – assessed against the curriculum vitae and supporting letter. Normally used to evaluate factual evidence e.g. award of a qualification, level of experience, skill or ability and scored, as appropriate for shortlisting purposes. 

* Certificate – copy of qualification certificate is required as proof of attainment upon appointment.