Department Finance and Grants Manager

The Institute of Astronomy is an internationally recognised centre of excellence for research and teaching in astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology. We are seeking an experienced and collaborative finance professional to join our senior professional services team as Department Finance and Grants Manager.

This is a varied and influential leadership role, combining strategic financial management, oversight of research funding, operational leadership and responsibility for the Institute's facilities. Working closely with the Department Administrator, Head of Department and senior academic colleagues, you will help ensure the Institute is well positioned to deliver its research, teaching and strategic ambitions.

The role offers the opportunity to make a significant contribution to one of the University's leading research institutes, shaping financial strategy, supporting major research programmes and leading services that are central to the Institute's success.

About You

You will be educated to degree level (or equivalent experience) and be a qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent), with substantial experience of financial management within a complex organisation such as higher education or the public sector.

You will be able to demonstrate:

• Experience of leading, managing and developing teams.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• The ability to communicate complex financial information clearly and effectively to non-financial audiences.
• A collaborative approach and the ability to build productive working relationships with stakeholders at all levels.
• Sound judgement and the ability to provide trusted advice to support strategic and operational decision-making.
• Experience of research grants management and an understanding of the research funding environment would be advantageous.

We welcome applications from candidates who meet the essential criteria and can demonstrate relevant knowledge, skills, and experience outlined in the person specification. We recognise that expertise may be gained through a variety of career pathways and are committed to supporting ongoing professional development.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Further Information

We welcome informal enquiries about the role, including discussions about secondment arrangements.

Informal enquiries: Please contact Angela Macharia at am2730@cam.ac.uk

For application queries: HR@ast.cam.ac.uk

Closing Date: 27th July 2026

We encourage early applications as they will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The vacancy may close before the advertised deadline if a sufficient number of suitable applications are received.

To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, please click the 'Apply' button above.

Provisional Interview Date: 6 - 7 August 2026

Intended Start Date: September 2026

Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a basic disclosure (criminal records check) check and a security check.

Please quote reference LG50102 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

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