Financial Accountant - Business Support

The University of Southampton is one of the world's leading universities. We are consistently placed in the top 100 universities in the world by the QS World University Rankings. There are currently in excess of 21,000 students on campus in the UK. Using conventional business metrics, the University is a large enterprise with an annual turnover of over £500m and a staff establishment in excess of 5,000 FTE. The University is classed as a Public Interest Entity following a highly successful public bond issue in April 2017 raising £300 million and we have an ambitious capital programme to invest £600 million in our infrastructure and facilities over the next decade.

The role

Working closely with the Financial Accounting Team, the Financial Accountant role is highly technical in managing the preparation of the University's annual Group Financial Statements, annual finance record return to Office for Students, pension accounts and drafting finance policies.

The University has eleven subsidiary companies, which form part of the consolidated Finance Statements, including subsidiaries based in Malaysia and China. The successful candidate will have experience in producing large/complex group Financial Statements and should be able to demonstrate significant knowledge of accounting standards. Previous experience in higher education accounting, leading accounting policy development and producing statistical returns would be advantageous.

For a full list of the role tasks and responsibilities, please see the Job Description & Person Specification.

At present, in addition to some on-campus working where/if the business need requires, staff are currently expected to mostly work remotely in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This position is being reviewed on a regular basis, in line with government guidelines.

What we can offer you

The University of Southampton is a member of the prestigious Russell Group committed to attracting and supporting exceptional staff to deliver at the highest levels in all activities. In return, the University can offer an excellent package for staff. The University offers a highly attractive Defined Benefits pension scheme with employee and employer contribution. The University also offers a generous holiday allowance of 30 days annual leave, plus 6 University closure days and 8 bank holidays, on-site Sports facilities, arts and culture facilities and a wide range of discounts from national & international shops and services.

Our financial statements can be found on our website.

We aim to be an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all sections of the community.