Student Finance and Research Contracts Officer

Contract type: Fixed-term (until 30th September 2026)

We are looking for a highly motivated, organized, and efficient individual to join the Department of Physics Grants Office.

The Student Finance and Research Contracts Officer is a member of the Grants team within the grants and finance office, and works closely with the Graduate Student Finance Officer and the Graduate Administrators to support student finances and with the Research Grants Manager and other grants officers to support academics in post-award financial management of their research grant portfolios.

The role reports to the Research Grants Manager, with overall responsibility to the Deputy Head of Administration and Finance. The Grants team, under the management of the Research Grants Manager, provide an invaluable support to academics, principal investigators and other grant holders to effectively manage the finances of active research grants and to liaise with external sponsors, colleagues and central University teams over expenditure reporting.

Given the multiple responsibilities, the post holder should be able to manage their time and prioritise tasks without supervision, as well as coordinate work with others in the team.

The post holder is responsible for the timely and accurate management of a broad range of duties relating to graduate student finance, activities include line management of the Graduate Student Finance Officer; liaising with the Graduate Studies Administration team regarding the confirmation of student funding arrangements for current and incoming students to the department; setting up new grant codes for departmental studentships, the allocation of departmental studentship funds and the preparation of final expenditure statements; ensuring effective liaison with Finance, Grants and Graduate Studies Administration teams within the Department, and in the broader collegiate university, in relation to graduate funding processes; preparing quarterly and ad-hoc bursary payment reports for the Graduate Studies Administration team and processing of all bursary payments; and liaising with the Divisional Office and Head of Student Administration to manage administration of graduate students for Doctoral Training Programs, Scholarships, Sponsorships or industrially-funded studentships.

The successful candidate should possess a degree or equivalent experience, with a background in administration within a research, public sector, or similarly large and complex organization. Additionally, they should demonstrate strong financial acumen, a high level of attention to detail, and the ability to produce clear and concise financial reports. The post holder will have excellent communication skills, both written and oral, with the ability to convey financial and legal matters in simple and understandable terms, good inter-personal skills including the ability to develop effective and cooperative working relationships with academic and non-academic colleagues at all levels. High level of IT skills including advanced use of Excel, and be highly organized with the ability to priorities work and produce consistently accurate, detailed work and meet deadlines.

How to Apply

The University of Oxford is committed to equality and valuing diversity. All applicants will be judged on merit, according to the selection criteria.

This post is fixed term until 30th September 2026.

Applications for this vacancy are to be made online via our e-recruitment system (via the above 'Apply' button), and you will be required to upload a supporting statement and CV as part of your online application.

The closing date for applications is 12.00 noon on Tuesday 17 March 2026. Interviews are scheduled for Tuesday 31 March 2026.

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