Assistant Finance Manager

Support impactful research through expert financial management

We’re looking for an Assistant Finance Manager to join the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Coordinating Centre in Southampton. This is a key finance role where you’ll contribute to the smooth and effective financial operations that underpin vital health and care research across the UK and beyond.

Who are we?

The NIHR funds, enables and delivers world-leading health and social care research that improves people's health and wellbeing and promotes economic growth. We are also a major funder of applied health research in low and middle-income countries.

Further information can be found at: www.nihr.ac.uk. You are encouraged to review our operational priorities and watch this introductory video.

What will you be doing?

As an Assistant Finance Manager, you’ll play a central role in ensuring financial processes are efficient, accurate, and compliant. Working closely with the Finance Manager and supporting the wider team, you’ll oversee the day-to-day delivery of finance operations, support month-end and year-end processes, and provide timely advice and information to colleagues and partners.

You’ll also line manage the Finance Administrator and help maintain a culture of service, accuracy and continuous improvement across the finance function.

Key responsibilities include:

• Managing daily financial processing and ensuring compliance with University and NIHR policies
• Responding to finance queries and offering clear guidance to colleagues and external partners
• Supporting the preparation of monthly financial reports and assisting with year-end activities
• Helping to improve financial procedures and ensure consistency across programmes and contracts
• Analysing data to support financial decision-making and reporting requirements
• Leading and supporting a Finance Administrator, including workload planning and performance development

Who are we looking for?

You’ll be a reliable, organised, and detail-focused finance professional with experience in a similar role. You’ll be confident working with financial data and systems, with a strong understanding of how good financial management supports wider organisational goals.

You’ll bring:

• Substantial experience in a finance or accounting role
• Ability to interpret financial data and present it clearly and concisely
• Strong IT skills, including confidence with spreadsheets and financial software
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to explain finance matters to non-specialists
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks effectively
• Experience in supervising or line managing staff is desirable
• Studying towards a relevant finance qualification (e.g. AAT) is an advantage

Why join us?

Our people are at the heart of what we do. To look after them we offer:

• A generous benefits package (see full details here)
• Hybrid working (typically 20% office-based)
• A culture of wellbeing and support – we’ve proudly been signatories of, and working to, the 6 standards of Mental Health at Work commitment since 2019
• A commitment to personal development, with opportunities for growth

The role is offered at 35 hours per week, but we will consider part-time (minimum 28 hours). Please indicate your preference in your application.

To learn more about working in our teams, visit our website or watch the video (accessed via the ‘Apply’ button above).

Further details:

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcome applicants who supports our mission of inclusivity.

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