Deputy Head of Faculty and Professional Services Finance

You will be a fully qualified accountant (CCAB or CIMA) with post-qualification experience and a strong track record in financial leadership within a complex organisation.

You will combine excellent technical financial knowledge with the ability to influence senior stakeholders, lead high-performing teams and translate complex financial information into clear, practical advice.

You will also bring:

• Strong technical knowledge in budgeting, forecasting, financial control and risk management.
• A thorough understanding of financial governance, compliance and policy frameworks.
• Proven experience leading teams and managing competing priorities across multiple business areas.
• The ability to build credibility and effective relationships with senior stakeholders.
• A continuous improvement mindset, with experience strengthening processes, controls and ways of working.
• Strong analytical, communication and influencing skills, alongside excellent financial systems and advanced Excel capability.

Experience within higher education or a similarly complex public sector organisation is highly desirable as understanding of research and teaching funding would be advantageous.

Please read our job description, paying particular attention to the Essential and Desirable criteria, and ensure these are covered in your application.

As London's Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world's talent.We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL's workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women.

Reporting to the Head of Faculty and Professional Services Finance, you will lead the delivery of front line finance services across an allocated portfolio of Faculties and/or Professional Services, providing senior financial expertise, strategic insight and operational leadership.

Working closely with academic and professional services leaders, Finance Managers and central finance teams, you will be responsible for delivering effective financial management support across operational finance activity and the provision of accurate reporting, planning and analysis that enables effective financial performance and decision making.

You will also play a key role in embedding new ways of working following the consolidation of devolved finance teams, driving greater consistency, improving data quality and strengthening financial controls across UCL.

• Strategic financial leadership: Provide expert advice on financial planning, resource allocation, performance and risk, helping senior stakeholders make informed decisions.
• Operational leadership: Lead finance service delivery across your portfolio, supporting Finance Managers, developing team capability and ensuring resources are deployed effectively.
• Financial performance: Oversee budgets, forecasts and management accounts, ensuring robust reporting, meaningful financial insight and effective performance monitoring.
• Governance and control: Strengthen financial compliance, risk management and internal controls, ensuring adherence to UCL's financial regulations and policies.
• Continuous improvement: Lead initiatives to improve finance processes, service consistency, data quality and operational effectiveness.
• Strategic stakeholder engagement: Build trusted relationships with senior academic and professional services leaders, representing finance in institutional initiatives and governance discussions.

A full job description is attached to this advert.