Requirements
Candidates must be professionally qualified accountants (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent) with substantial post-qualification experience in financial accounting and reporting. Applicants should demonstrate significant leadership experience, strong technical knowledge of accounting standards, and the ability to influence senior stakeholders in a complex organization.
Job Description
The University
At Durham University we are proud of our people. A globally outstanding centre of educational excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other. We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things professionally and personally. Across the University we have a huge variety of roles and career opportunities, which together make us a large and successful community, which is a key hub of activity within our region and nationally.
We would be thrilled if you would consider joining our thriving University. Further information about the University can be found here.
Find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Durham area on our Why Join Us? - Information Page.
The Role and the Department
The Head of Financial Accounting is a pivotal senior leadership role within the Finance Department, reporting directly to the Director of Finance and playing a critical part in safeguarding the University's financial integrity, regulatory compliance and reputation.
As the University's lead technical accounting expert, the postholder is responsible for leading the Financial Accounting function, encompassing financial reporting, treasury and cash management, balance sheet oversight, financial controls and the management of the external audit relationship. The role is fundamental to maintaining a robust financial control environment and ensuring compliance with all relevant accounting standards, regulatory requirements, governance obligations and sector-specific reporting frameworks.
As a member of the Finance Department Senior Leadership Team, the postholder provides strategic advice and expert guidance on complex accounting, financial governance and compliance matters, helping to support informed decision-making and effective risk management across the institution.
The role is particularly important in a period of increasing regulatory scrutiny and significant change within the higher education sector. The postholder will lead the University's response to evolving accounting and reporting requirements, ensuring the continued integrity, accuracy and timeliness of financial information used for statutory reporting, regulatory submissions, management decision-making and external stakeholder assurance.
This is a highly influential and business-critical role with significant responsibility for protecting the University's financial standing, supporting organisational success and ensuring confidence in its financial management and reporting.
The role offers hybrid working with a minimum of 40%25 office based per week however may increase to meet business needs, eg month end, audit etc.
The base location for this role is Boldon House, our exciting new professional services hub. Boldon House is situated on the outskirts of Durham near the Arnison Centre in Pity Me. Boldon House brings a number of professional services teams together in a vibrant office environment which supports collaborative working and is designed to embrace hybrid working. To find out more, visit the project webpage: Boldon House – Durham University.
Further information about the role and the responsibilities is at the bottom of this job description.
Working at Durham
A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University:
• You’ll receive 30 days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year – a total of 42 days per year. The University closes between Christmas and New Year.
• We offer a generous pension scheme, and as a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled into the University Superannuation Scheme (USS).
• No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have ample parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies. You can also take advantage of our cost-effective and environmentally friendly Tusker Car Benefit Scheme, allowing you to lease a brand-new electric or hybrid vehicle with savings on tax and National Insurance.
• We have a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally. There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University. All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities.
• We provide wide-ranging health and wellbeing support including discounted membership for our state-of-the-art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.
• Our on-site nursery is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and you can access holiday camps for children aged 5-16.
• Our family-friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).
• We offer all staff the opportunity to take part in volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community.
• You can access exclusive discounts via our benefits portal including money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, eating out and days out at various attractions.
• Various salary sacrifice schemes are also available to help you take advantage of tax savings on benefits.
• If you are moving to Durham, you may be eligible for help with removal costs, and we have a dedicated team who can help you with the practicalities such as house hunting and schools. If you need a visa, we cover most visa costs and offer an interest-free loan scheme to pay for dependant visas.
Discover more about our total rewards and benefits package here.
Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion
Our collective aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work. As a University equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive.
We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. If you have taken time out of your career, and you feel it relevant, let us know about it in your application. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.
What you need to demonstrate when you apply/Person Specification
When you apply it is important that you let us know what skills/experience you have from a similar role and/or what skills/experience you have which would make you right for this role. Further information about the role and responsibilities is at the end of this job description. Where a criteria has an asterisk* next to it, it may be given additional weighting when your application is considered.
Your application should cover the following criteria:
Essential Criteria
Qualifications/Experience
1. Professionally qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent) with substantial post-qualification experience.
2. Professional practitioner with significant specialist knowledge and expertise in financial accounting, technical accounting, financial reporting and financial control, with the ability to influence service delivery, strategy and organisational decision-making.
3. Experience of providing specialist technical accounting advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues, including senior leaders, executive colleagues, external auditors and governing bodies.
4. Significant experience of ensuring compliance with accounting standards, regulatory requirements, organisational policies, governance frameworks and financial control requirements within a large and complex organisation.
5. Experience of participating in internal or external networks to share and discuss good practice, develop strong and productive working relationships and positively influence the University’s reputation.
6. Experience of implementing policies, procedures and financial controls and leading service improvements that strengthen governance, efficiency and effectiveness.
7. Track record of leadership, management and development of professional finance teams and of delivering services across a large and complex organisation.
8. Significant experience of financial reporting, statutory accounts preparation, balance sheet management and external audit processes.
Skills/Abilities/Knowledge
9. Excellent spoken and written communication skills including the ability to develop effective working relationships and communicate complex financial information to both financial and non-financial audiences.
10. Strong digital competence across a range of digital devices and apps including Microsoft 365 applications, financial systems and business reporting tools.
11. Committed to continuing professional development to maintain professional recognition.
12. Extensive knowledge and experience of ensuring compliance with regulatory, statutory and organisational policies, procedures and guidelines.
13. Extensive knowledge of financial accounting standards, financial reporting requirements, internal controls, governance and risk management frameworks.
14. Ability to contribute to planning and decision-making at operational and strategic levels.
15. Ability to solve complex problems, exercise sound professional judgement and determine and implement and plan appropriate solutions.
15. Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex financial information and provide insight to support strategic decision-making.
16. Ability to influence, challenge and support senior stakeholders while maintaining effective professional relationships.
Desirable Criteria
1. Experience of working within the Higher Education sector or another large, complex and highly regulated organisation.
2. Experience of leading significant organisational change, financial transformation or systems improvement projects.
3. Experience of treasury management, cash management and investment activities.
4. Experience of developing and implementing financial policies and governance frameworks across a large organisation.
How to apply
To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification above. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria. Please don’t forget to check if there is any weighted criteria (see above).
While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.
Submitting your application
We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates.
What you need to submit
• A CV: and
• A supporting statement which outlines how you meet all of the criteria within the Person Specification.
Contact details
For a chat about the role or any further information please contact Sue Jarvis, Director of Finance on susan.jarvis@durham.ac.uk.
Typical Role Requirements
The Head of Financial Accounting is responsible for:
· Acting as the University's lead technical accounting adviser, supporting the Director of Finance in ensuring compliance with all relevant accounting standards, regulatory requirements and sector guidance.
· Ensuring the University maintains strong financial governance, effective internal controls and compliance with internal policies and delegated authorities.
· Providing strategic leadership as a member of the Finance Department Senior Leadership Team and contributing to the wider financial strategy of the institution.
· Maintaining the integrity, accuracy and relevance of financial information, statutory accounts, regulatory returns and balance sheet reporting.
· Leading the external audit process and fostering effective relationships with auditors, regulators and other external stakeholders.
· Developing and continuously improving professional, customer-focused financial accounting services, systems, processes and controls across the University.
· Delivering high-quality financial management, technical advice and assurance to support sound decision-making and institutional sustainability.
Service Delivery/Development
· Contribute to equality, diversity and inclusion and the University’s values.
· Oversee and manage professional and regulatory standards and policies relating to activities carried out by the Finance Service.
· Use your leadership and management expertise to implement any significant changes optimally, in collaboration with other senior managers and specialists.
· Lead on the development of new areas of work or activities including scoping, planning and implementing any changes to achieve the outcomes expected by senior colleagues.
· Look for innovative ways to continually improve the services provided to your stakeholders.
· Develop and implement new or improved policies, processes and standards.
· Use your professional knowledge and experience as a professionally qualified accountant to resolve problems, shape processes and activities, develop systems and to provide subject matter expertise and advice.
· Support quality and regulatory audits to ensure that systems and processes are operating in an optimal and compliant way.
· Meet the professional development needs of your stakeholders by ensuring that a programme of training and learning activities is designed and delivered by the Finance Service.
· Provide specialist insight that enables data-driven decisions to be made about the Finance Service.
Planning and Organisation
· Use your expertise to help develop strategic plans and business plans that cover a wide range of operational activities.
· Define what needs to be achieved so that other colleagues can scope, plan and implement large-scale/university-wide initiatives.
· Ensure your services are performing at the optimal level by setting clear standards and introducing measurable performance indicators.
· Use your leadership expertise to help project teams understand what needs to be achieved, solve any problems that are encountered and keep implementation plans on track.
· Allocate and monitor designated budgets, expenditure and resources.
Leadership and Team Development
· Set operational and strategic objectives and use your leadership and management skills, to develop the people in your team(s) and ensure high standards of performance.
· Help shape the skills and expertise needed to deliver a professional service by recruiting, inducting and training team members and structuring your team(s) in a way that will best meet operational and strategic priorities.
· Ensure that your team can deliver the required services by delegating responsibilities to appropriate team members and considering succession plans.
· Carry out regular performance reviews with colleagues to provide feedback on objectives and identify any development needs.
· Handle most HR issues and support the welfare and wellbeing of your team, taking advice on more complex issues from specialist services or senior managers.
Communication/Liaison
· Lead internal and external meetings and committees to influence University policy, standards and governance.
· Build and lead an influential network of internal and external contacts to increase your knowledge and skills, swap information with peers and use that information to improve and develop the Finance Service.
· Identify opportunities to build relationships with external organisations to support the delivery of strategic-level objectives.
· Research new approaches being taken by internal and external stakeholders such as governing bodies, professional bodies and other agencies so that you can take these insights into account when developing the Finance Service.
· Explore options to promote and increase engagement in being delivered by the Finance Service.
· Design and deliver a programme of professional development activities to your stakeholders to support their development and information needs.
· Any other reasonable duties.
Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Job Applicants/Potential Job Applicants - Privacy Notice which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.
Durham University is a UKVI sponsor. Applicants who require sponsorship to work in the UK should note that not all roles are eligible. Further information on visa requirements and eligibility can be found on the UKVI website.
Version 07-2026