Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Location: Singleton or Bay Campus, Swansea

About The Role

Swansea University is a research-led institution that thrives on exploration, discovery and innovation. With two stunning waterfront campuses, world-class facilities and a diverse, multicultural community, we attract students and staff from across the globe. Our reputation continues to grow: we are ranked the top university in Wales, 25th in the UK, and among the global leaders in multiple subject areas, while our student experience has been recognised with Top 10 national placings in teaching quality, career prospects and student life. Building on more than a century of impact, Swansea combines academic excellence with a friendly, collaborative culture that defines the “Swansea experience”, and we are ambitious to strengthen our position as a truly global university tackling the biggest issues of our time.

We are now seeking to appoint an outstanding Chief Financial Officer to play a crucial role in shaping the next chapter of our development during a period of significant change across the sector. Reporting directly to the Vice-Chancellor and serving as a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will provide strategic financial leadership, and expert advice and guidance across all aspects of the University’s operations, while contributing extensively to investment and capital decisions. You will lead high-performing, multi-disciplinary teams spanning financial control and performance, planning and analysis, commercial development and procurement. In doing so, you will ensure robust financial governance while fostering a culture of transparency, collaboration and innovation that enables Swansea to deliver its strategic ambitions. Central to your role will be optimising the University’s financial resources and maximising returns on investment, enabling Swansea to strengthen its resilience and realise its long-term goals.

This is a rewarding and challenging role, and we are seeking an exceptional leader who combines technical excellence with strategic vision. You will bring proven experience of financial leadership within complex, multi-stakeholder environments, ideally with exposure to research-intensive or innovation-driven organisations. Confident in shaping major investment decisions and resilient in the face of sector-wide challenges, you will be a collaborative leader who builds trust and transparency across the University community. With the highest levels of integrity, professionalism and emotional intelligence, you will excel at influencing diverse stakeholders, navigating complexity with assurance and leading transformational change. While experience in higher education is advantageous, we are equally open to candidates from other sectors who can demonstrate the right blend of strategic, commercial and financial expertise.

This is a pivotal moment for Swansea. The new CFO will play a defining role in strengthening our financial resilience while enabling the University to achieve its ambitious goals for academic excellence, research innovation and societal impact. If you have the ambition, insight and expertise to shape the next chapter of Swansea’s success, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Welsh Language Skills

The Welsh language level required for this role is Level 1 - A little. The role holder will be able to pronounce Welsh words, answer the phone in Welsh (good morning/afternoon) and use very basic everyday words and phrases (thank you, please etc.). Level 1 can be reached by completing a 1 hour course.

Closing Date: 12 October 2025

Interview Date: 24 October 2025

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