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Executive Director of Finance

Shape our success 

The University of Southampton is a leading research-intensive University, a founding member of the prestigious Russell Group, and one of the top 100 universities worldwide with an annual turnover of £750M. We deliver excellent educational experience and world-leading research, and we are known for successfully commercialising and making an impact with our research through knowledge exchange and enterprise.

This is an exciting time to join the University of Southampton due to our ambitious and dynamic growth plans. Our Strategy, with people at its heart, encapsulates the Triple Helix of excellence that is research-education-knowledge exchange and enterprise, which makes the Southampton offer distinctive.

We seek an exceptional and experienced strategic finance leader to join us as Executive Director of Finance who will play an essential part in championing our University Strategy and who shares our commitment to making a tangible difference in teaching and research activities that benefit future generations.

About the role

This key leadership role drives, develops, and implements a strategic approach to the University and its subsidiary companies’ financial management.

Reporting directly to the President and Vice-Chancellor and partnering with the executive and senior leaders at the University, the Executive Director will have responsibility for delivering the strategic financial direction of the University, delivering and partnering in multi-year business planning, leading the development of the financial framework, and maintaining a sound system of internal financial control environment.

About you

As an inspiring, innovative leader who will further develop and coach a highly effective team of experts, you will be able to establish and embed strategic financial management and business partnerships supporting the faculties and professional services to deliver their objectives. With the ability to manage a high-profile growth strategy, you will become a strategic partner to the business.

With strong commercial acumen and strategic thinking skills, you will also be able to identify opportunities to increase the University’s income and overall productivity.

Along with membership of CCAB, you will have a successful record of operating at the Executive Board level, leading and managing a large financial department with a multi-faceted operation in a complex organisation, and have a proven ability to develop innovative and practical solutions for strategic change.

You will have highly developed project management skills and confidence in understanding complex technical issues. You will be adept at identifying financial risks and options while developing strategies to manage and mitigate them. You will also be at ease thinking and operating strategically to maximise opportunities and articulating and pursuing a long-term vision while meeting daily demands.

What we can offer you

We support a flexible approach to work and additional benefits that will make your life easier, such as access to private dental and/or healthcare insurance and a generous holiday allowance. We will support your long-term future with access to the University’s Superannuation Scheme (USS), subsidised health and fitness facilities, and various discounts.

We welcome applications from all walks of life and champion a uniquely diverse working environment where every colleague can excel, regardless of their background or life choices. We believe that we can only truly meet our objectives if we are reflective of society, so we are passionate about creating a diverse environment. Therefore, we particularly encourage applications that will continue to strengthen the diversity of our executive management team.

We are a Stonewall Diversity Champion and are immensely proud to have our institutional Athena SWAN silver award renewed, which underpins our pledge to improve equality for women. We are also delighted to have received the Race Equality Charter bronze award from Advance HE, which recognises that we have a solid foundation for eliminating racial inequalities and developing an inclusive culture that values all staff and students. We work with our people to ensure their ideas are always heard, and we invite you to share your background and life experiences with us to help us create a truly unique working environment.

If you want to take your career to new heights and believe you have the skills, experience, and drive to help shape the future of the University of Southampton, then we look forward to receiving your application.

Join us and make your mark on the world at the University of Southampton: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_RC-ukjqhA

Important dates  

The closing date for receipt of applications is midnight (GMT) on Monday, 11 September.