Management Accountant

Company Description

With a total budget of approximately £550 million a year, LGC’s Grant Management Group (GMG) are experts in managing research funding and we’re looking for a Management Accountant to join our team.

GMG provides Central Commissioning Facilities (CCF) for the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), managing a number of major health research programmes and related services for NIHR, DHSC (Department of Health and Social Care) and UKRI-MRC (Medical Research Council).

Job Description

About you
We are seeking a dedicated and detail-oriented Management Accountant with experience in accounting systems and processes. With a proven track record of working within finance departments, you bring a wealth of knowledge in financial operations, reporting, and compliance. Your expertise in managing accounting systems ensures accurate financial data management and streamlined processes. You excel in environments where precision and efficiency are paramount, and you're ready to contribute to the financial stability and growth of our organisation.
The job
To support the Finance Team in management of the collection of income due to UKRI-MRC, including forecasting and monitoring and with accounting and reporting for DHSC award finances and GMG operational finances. The postholder will assist in a wide range of areas of finance from preparing reports and processing transactions to assisting answering queries from diverse sources and maintaining process documentation.

Key accountabilities:

• Supporting the Senior Finance Manager in the day-to-day management of the UKRI-MRC contract
• Representing the Finance team to the UKRI-MRC programme team and other programme teams, including attending their team meetings 
• Manage the collection of income due to the UKRI-MRC, including forecasting, monitoring, and taking action to prevent or redress breaches 
• Assessing funding applications against pre-defined eligibility criteria and supporting finance contract negotiations 
• Analysing financial data to create timetabled and ad-hoc reports
• Finance contract monitoring, including payment profiling, maintaining schedules in a timely manner, and resolution of data quality issues
• Timely and reliable response to queries from programme staff, contractors, customers and other stakeholders on financial aspects of applications and funded research
• Effective business partnering to obtain relevant information for forecasting purposes
• Assisting research funding and committee expense payment processes as required
• Maintenance of Excel-based tools, relevant accounting schedules and systems 
• Opportunities to support a varied range of internal finance processes, projects and continuous improvement activities
• Ad-hoc support to finance management and any other reasonable tasks required by line management

Qualifications

Required Knowledge, Experience and Technical Skills 
Essential Criteria

• Experience in financial planning & analysis in a project and contract context
• Experience of working within a finance department 
• Good experience of accounting systems and processes
• Excellent computer skills: fully conversant in MS Office (Excel in particular)
• Ability to establish and maintain strong, productive working relationships, building trust and credibility with internal stakeholders at all levels
• Ability to organise own workload effectively, working to multiple prioritised tasks, targets and deadlines
• Ability to work flexibly, proactively and independently, showing initiative in tackling allocated tasks
• Ability to plan for changing volumes of work as well as changing business needs, anticipating the requirement for support from the business in critical periods

Desired Criteria 

• Worked in a finance department within a grant management organisation

Additional Information

Salary & Benefits 
£39,200 to £41,400 PA 
25 days annual leave, plus public holidays (UK)
Contributory pension scheme
Benenden Healthcare
Season Ticket Loan
Laptop, IT equipment and remote IT support

This is a Twickenham office based, hybrid role, with an expectation for all employees to attend our offices a minimum of three to four days per week for for the first two months, thereafter one to two days per week. 

Application
If you are excited about the prospect of joining our team and believe you possess the relevant skills and background, we invite you to apply. Please submit your CV along with a 'Statement of Suitability' that showcases your key skills and experiences in relation to the 'Essentail Criteria' outlined in the job description. Additionally, share your enthusiasm for working with NIHR. 

NB: Closing date for applications is 23rd August. Interviews to be held from 27th August. 
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES 
LGC strongly believes that every job applicant and employee should be valued for their individual talents regardless of age, disability, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion, or belief. Short listing, interviewing and selection will always be carried out without regard to gender, sexual orientation, marital status, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, age, or trade union membership.