UHI is the United Kingdom’s leading integrated university encompassing both further and higher education. Based in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, our distinctive partnership of 12 independent colleges and research institutions is locally based and rooted in communities, but with national and international reach, as part of a regional university structure.
To support our work we are recruiting to the following role:
Executive Director of Finance
| Salary range | £Competitive |
|---|---|
| Duration | Permanent |
| Working hours | Full-time |
| Location | Inverness |
| Closing Date | 5 January 2024 |
UHI is a unique and globally recognized tertiary institution providing innovative further and higher education for over 36,000 students across a campus which includes 70 teaching and learning centres. Delivered by 12 academic partner colleges across the Highlands and Islands, Moray and Perthshire, UHI offers much more than a traditional university and its mission is to provide transformational impact on the people, communities, and economy of the region through a rich blend of academic programmes from access level to PhD studies. With an income of c£135 million, UHI is a complex business of education with a devolved finance structure that requires progressive financial stewardship in a highly competitive and fast-paced international market for education. The University has an ambitious corporate strategy to 2030 which focuses on growth and success built around 5 themes including teaching, research and innovation impact, enterprise and growth, environmental sustainability, and operational excellence.
Reporting to the Principal and Vice Chancellor the new Executive Director of Finance will work with and support the senior executive team of UHI, providing strategic financial direction, harnessing financial, resources and performance data to create and deliver the best financial conditions to ensure financial sustainability allowing the University to achieve its corporate ambitions articulated in the 2030 strategic plan. A key part of the role will be to deliver a 5-year group financial strategy linking financial systems, forecasting, business planning, cost allocation, funding model, asset management and risk management on behalf of the group supported by sophisticated reporting, performance management and KPIs. Working with group academic partner finance functions, the new Executive Director will also have management responsibilities for a central team of finance professionals and be expected to liaise with group committees, non-executives and a wide range of internal and external stakeholders and partners.
The successful candidate will be a clear strategic thinker, a graduate and a professionally qualified accountant with extensive successful management experience of equivalent services in large and complex multi-site organisations. You will also have proven experience of developing and delivering successful financial strategies and have delivered significant financial change and transformational projects in similarly complex organisations. Balancing strategic and operational imperatives you will also have an ability to work at macro and micro levels to be effective. Understanding the issues faced by tertiary education would be advantageous but more important will be your experience of delivering excellent financial management and governance in complex high-quality customer facing environments. As a technical expert you will also possess excellent interpersonal skills and be able to work collegiately with all internal and external partners.
To find out more about this exceptional opportunity with one of the country’s most unique tertiary education providers please contact our recruitment consultant Alan Walter, Dixon Walter Ltd on 07876 766972, email alan@dixonwalter.co.uk or visit https://dixonwalter.co.uk/opportunities/executive-director-of-finance
Interviews will be held from Monday 08 January .
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