Financial Assurance and Compliance Manager

Location: Great Clarendon Street, Oxford

Strengthening financial controls and protecting the University of Oxford from fraud are critical to our ability to manage risk responsibly. This influential role combines financial assurance with a University-wide counter fraud remit, giving you the scope to shape how risks are identified, managed and designed out. If this opportunity aligns with your skills and aspirations, we invite you to apply for the Financial Assurance and Compliance Manager position within the Finance Division at the University of Oxford, and make an impact across one of the world's leading universities. 

About Us

The Finance Division enables the University’s research and education through effective financial strategy, strong financial management and trusted professional services. Working across a large and highly devolved institution, we help departments manage resources responsibly, strengthen financial controls and protect the University’s long-term financial sustainability. 

About the Role

This is a broad University-wide role spanning financial assurance and counter fraud, with the opportunity to influence controls and risk management across a complex and highly devolved organisation. Counter fraud will be an important priority, while you will also shape the University’s developing second-line financial assurance programme and its longer-term approach to controls.

This is not a traditional Internal Audit role. Your impact will come through influence rather than formal authority: building credibility with departments, understanding the risks behind complex issues and helping colleagues find proportionate solutions. Alongside strengthening fraud prevention and detection, you will identify where individual issues point to wider weaknesses and use assurance, data and insight to improve controls, systems and processes.

You will lead and develop a maturing Financial Assurance and Compliance team and work with senior stakeholders across Finance and the wider University. The scope is significant: from developing the University’s counter fraud and corruption strategy and advising on complex or sensitive fraud matters, to providing assurance to senior management and the Audit & Scrutiny Committee. It is an opportunity to shape a trusted, influential service with lasting impact across Oxford.

About You

• Degree-level education or equivalent work experience, together with a professional accounting qualification such as ACA, ACCA or CIMA, or equivalent work experience.
• Significant experience of second-line assurance, governance, risk management, internal control or audit within a complex organisation.
• Strong understanding of governance, internal control frameworks, financial assurance methodologies and fraud risk management, including relevant standards and good practice.
• Demonstrable practical counter fraud experience, including fraud risk management, risk assessments and approaches to the prevention, detection and response to fraud.
• Practical knowledge and experience of fraud investigations, with the judgement to provide informed advice, support and constructive challenge in complex or sensitive cases.
• A proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and improve controls without relying on formal operational authority.
• Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills, with the ability to distinguish isolated issues from systemic risks and identify practical opportunities for control improvement.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to build trust, explain complex issues clearly and influence people at different levels.
• Strong leadership skills, with experience of developing teams, managing competing priorities and leading change in complex organisational environments. 

Application Process

To apply, please upload:

• A covering letter/supporting statement
• Your CV
• The details of two referees

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on 8 September.

Interviews will take place on 17 or 18 September, and will be held face-to-face in Oxford.

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