Research Finance Manager

Cedar is partnering with a well-established higher education institution based in London to recruit an Interim Research Finance Manager for a 3-month contract. The post holder will be imperative in assisting in the development and implementation of strategies and processes to deliver the department's research and enterprise administration and to enhance research income and outputs.

Hourly rate: £22 - £28 per hour

Working pattern: 2-3 days in office per week

Location: London

Duties

• Develop and maintain a thorough understanding of the department and main research sponsors' financial regulations.
• Organise the provision of financial data to inform costings for funding and proposals.
• Prepare funding applications in conjunction with principal investigators including providing costing for proposed projects.
• Assess proposal budgets to ensure financial viability and report to senior colleagues for approval as needed.
• Work alongside academic and research staff to set and adhere to proposal deadlines as well as meet the sponsor's funding guidelines.
• Organise contract set-up for newly awarded research projects.
• Oversee the smooth and timely transfer of grants, contracts and associated resources of academics joining or leaving the department.
• Maintain post-award support, advising grant holders as needed.
• Monitor expenditure against grant budget, ensure compliance with funders' T&Cs and alert relevant people on under and over-spends.
• Support the preparation of cost statements and management reports, ensuring they are complete, accurate and backed up by the appropriate documentation (timesheets, invoices, etc).
• Assist central finance departments in closing expired accounts, dealing with under or over spends.
• Serving on the departments working groups and attending meetings, user groups, workshops and conferences relating to research procedures and governance.

Person Specification

• Experience of working as a Finance Manager in a higher education or similar research environment.
• Knowledge of research funding processes and regulations within a higher education or research environment.
• Experience of managing budgets for research projects.
• Knowledge of contemporary strategic issues and challenges facing both higher education and the research.
• Microsoft Suite proficiency at an intermediate level in Word, Excel, Email, Outlook and the internet.