We are the original ?redbrick? University, part of the prestigious Russell Group; our thriving student population enjoys a wide range of courses, and exceptional campus and research facilities.

People are at the heart of what we are and do.

The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.

We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.

The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.

Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of Birmingham

Background

The University of Birmingham is a global institution working within a diverse and vibrant City, offering an inspiring education to our students, and undertaking critically important research. We are a place of open, critical thinking, and the creation, sharing and dissemination of knowledge. Professional Services put students at the heart of all they do and enable an exceptional educational experience. They provide outstanding support to our researchers and help the University to grow its influence regionally, nationally, and globally. They ensure the University?s resources are used wisely, manage and improve the infrastructure which sits at the heart of the institution, and support decisions to be made quickly and based on sound evidence. Our Birmingham Professional programme operates across the University, supporting colleagues to network and collaborate, offering opportunities to learn and develop, contributing to the delivery of the University?s objectives, and helping everyone to understand the broader context within which we work.

Department Overview

Over the next decade, our aspiration is to establish Birmingham in the top 50 of the world's leading universities. That is a big aspiration, and high-quality digital services and infrastructure are crucial to achieving it. In recognition of that, our Digital Strategy combined with significant investments in technology mean this is an exciting time to join IT Services, ?making IT happen? at the University of Birmingham.

We want to attract outstanding, inspirational, and talented people, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success. It is our role to ensure that our community has access to accessible, responsive, resilient, and secure systems and support. What we do enables our students, staff, researchers, visitors, and partners to confidently and creatively use digital services, technology, and data for the benefit of their learning, teaching, research, or work.

The culture of IT Services is one of innovation, collaboration, excellence, and inclusivity, and we apply the principles of customer focus and continuous improvement to everything we do. We have an active People and Culture network, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Women in IT group, bi-annual making IT happen awards recognition programme, and a superb Social Committee which arranges regular activities and events.

The ITS Finance team sits within the Portfolio and Project Management Office within IT Services at the University of Birmingham. This team works with colleagues in IT Services, with the University?s central Finance and Procurement departments, and has regular contact with various stakeholders across the University.

The ITS Finance team supports all IT strategic and operational finance activity, including financial planning, forecasting, spending, monitoring, and reporting. The team provides end-to-end support to the ITS project portfolio from idea stage through to the management of any ongoing or recurrent spend beyond the implementation stage and into business as usual.

The University currently uses Oracle for its Finance and HR management systems and ServiceNow for its IT, Finance, and HR Service Desk activities as well as other aspects of IT enterprise and resource management. Microsoft M365 applications are in embedded use across the University and MS Teams as well as Zoom are used for collaboration both on and off campus (hybrid working is in place at the University).

Role Summary

The Senior Finance Officer role in IT Services reports to the IT Finance and Procurement Manager and provides reporting, tracking and the analysis of financial information to assist with day-to-day financial management and strategic decision making in IT Services. This role also provides consistent support and guidance to IT Services staff needing to raise purchase orders for a wide variety of IT and digital resources regardless of value, technology or platform.

This role works with the University?s Finance and Procurement teams and has close working relationships with operational managers and budget holders within IT Services and with the ITS Supplier Relationship Management team.

This role contains a significant element of advisory decision-making, as the post-holder will analyse (sometimes confidential) information and provide advice. The post-holder will also have the authority to progress journals and financial corrections with oversight.

This is an exciting opportunity to be involved in the implementation of some key digital initiatives that will transform our staff and student experience and contribute to the delivery of our university strategy.

Main duties

Provide ?best practice? and consistent knowledge, advice and learning resources relating to all aspects of ITS financial processes and the understanding of management information.
Organise work independently, but ensure the inputs required for the University?s financial year are met, including governance and business planning cycles, though advice and support will be available from the line manager for this role and from colleagues in Finance.
Carry out activities in IT Services to support the University?s financial cycle and the IT Finance and Procurement Manager including updating trackers, journaling, quarterly forecasting, annual budgeting, month end, year end activities and Five Year Plan activities.
Review the financial position of specific areas of ITS capital, pay and non-pay activity using reports available from the Finance system and local trackers.
Trouble-shoot and reconcile complex and sometimes multiple data sets in order to correct, simplify and improve the presentation of data.
Analyse information, investigate queries and communicate findings in a clear way to budget holders and stakeholders.
Provide one-to-one and small group financial support, reporting and guidance to ITS budget holders and teams on both a regular and ad hoc basis.
Provide support and assistance for any aspect of the order processing and invoicing workflow when required (this may include supplier liaison).
Support IT Services? screening of proposed digital goods and services to enable alignment to IT Services? strategy, technology standards and best practice guidance.
Respond to issues and queries as they arise and handle unforeseen demands, prioritising and adjusting the workload accordingly.
Identify and make recommendations to budget holders, project leads and the IT Finance and Procurement Manager for the management of identified risks in terms of project timelines and budget/resource implications.
Contribute to the on-going improvement of budgeting, spending, monitoring and forecasting processes within IT Services and in line with the University requirements and processes.
Develop and maintain close and effective working relationships with the central Finance and Procurement teams and with the ITS Supplier Relationship Management team, understanding the role played by all areas for any given activity.
Support the relationship between the IT project portfolio and the University?s wider processes and workflows.
Actively understand and keep up to date with the University?s financial and procurement rules, training and guidance.
Any other duties commensurate with the grade including deputising for the IT Finance and Procurement Manager when required.
Promotes equality and values diversity, acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.
Supports the University?s sustainability agenda through resource efficient working.
Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

Educated to Degree level (or equivalent qualifications) plus relevant practical experience in a finance and/or purchasing role, preferably in the public sector. Where no equivalent qualification is held significant practical relevant experience and expertise will be required.
Experience of working in a large and complex organisation.
Excellent IT skills with experience in specific areas such as reporting and complex data sets.
Numerate with experience of using finance software and with strong MS Excel skills - at an intermediate level as a minimum with an enthusiasm to develop skills further.
Ability to organise and prioritise own workload and work to deadlines.
Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day to day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.
The ability to work independently and to also work with multiple teams.
Eligible to work in the UK.
Desirable Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

Experience of using Oracle financial management and Oracle HR systems (training will otherwise be provided).
Familiarity with ServiceNow or other IT service desk solutions.
Role context

Roles at this level will require in-depth specialist technical/specialist/IT expertise. Role holders may have supervisory responsibility for a technical service or team, where the primary focus will be on planning, overseeing and reviewing the work of the team and/or will operate as individual technical, specialist or IT experts either supporting service delivery or contributing directly to local project implementation or problem solving through the provision of specialist support activity.

Core competencies/transferable skills

Working at this level you will be able to develop and successfully demonstrate the core competencies/transferable skills outlined in each of the areas shown below. As appropriate for the level, our Birmingham Professionals will take ownership for getting things done. You will be expected to be flexible as required in supporting your department and wider University.

Planning and organising

be responsible for the provision of a technical service through the day to day organisation and technical supervision of a work area;
manage the prioritisation, allocation and quality of work, developing the technical capability in the area;
manage a combination of technical and (where required) non-technical staff
progress several initiatives concurrently and to plan effectively;
contribute to developments of the service and in policies, procedures and plans in own area;
ensure compliance with all legal, health and safety standards as applicable;
lead, if required, on project work.
and/or

advise on the development and application of specialist techniques/experiments and/or procedures and the analysis and interpretation of results (may run an advanced specialist service);
act as a recognised source of technical and/or specialist expertise in own area;
generate original ideas and innovative solutions and/or new techniques/experimental designs.
Problem solving and decision making

resolve high level problems with specific techniques/applications, or in the implementation of services and technical support;
provide specialist advice and recommendations to support decision?making of others;
respond to changing priorities and differing situations.
Organisational understanding

understand their own and closely-related working areas and how they contribute to the success of the University.
has an understanding of how the University operates; actively seeks to share this knowledge with others.
developing empathy with the academic endeavour.

Job Title Senior Finance and Procurement Officer IT Services Job Description People are at the heart of what we are and do. The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success. We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University. We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work. Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries. The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens. Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of Birmingham Background The University of Birmingham is a global institution working within a diverse and vibrant City, offering an inspiring education to our students, and undertaking critically important research. We are a place of open, critical thinking, and the creation, sharing and dissemination of knowledge. Professional Services put students at the heart of all they do and enable an exceptional educational experience. They provide outstanding support to our researchers and help the University to grow its influence regionally, nationally, and globally. They ensure the University?s resources are used wisely, manage and improve the infrastructure which sits at the heart of the institution, and support decisions to be made quickly and based on sound evidence. Our Birmingham Professional programme operates across the University, supporting colleagues to network and collaborate, offering opportunities to learn and develop, contributing to the delivery of the University?s objectives, and helping everyone to understand the broader context within which we work. Department Overview Over the next decade, our aspiration is to establish Birmingham in the top 50 of the world's leading universities. That is a big aspiration, and high-quality digital services and infrastructure are crucial to achieving it. In recognition of that, our Digital Strategy combined with significant investments in technology mean this is an exciting time to join IT Services, ?making IT happen? at the University of Birmingham. We want to attract outstanding, inspirational, and talented people, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success. It is our role to ensure that our community has access to accessible, responsive, resilient, and secure systems and support. What we do enables our students, staff, researchers, visitors, and partners to confidently and creatively use digital services, technology, and data for the benefit of their learning, teaching, research, or work. The culture of IT Services is one of innovation, collaboration, excellence, and inclusivity, and we apply the principles of customer focus and continuous improvement to everything we do. We have an active People and Culture network, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Women in IT group, bi-annual making IT happen awards recognition programme, and a superb Social Committee which arranges regular activities and events. The ITS Finance team sits within the Portfolio and Project Management Office within IT Services at the University of Birmingham. This team works with colleagues in IT Services, with the University?s central Finance and Procurement departments, and has regular contact with various stakeholders across the University. The ITS Finance team supports all IT strategic and operational finance activity, including financial planning, forecasting, spending, monitoring, and reporting. The team provides end-to-end support to the ITS project portfolio from idea stage through to the management of any ongoing or recurrent spend beyond the implementation stage and into business as usual. The University currently uses Oracle for its Finance and HR management systems and ServiceNow for its IT, Finance, and HR Service Desk activities as well as other aspects of IT enterprise and resource management. Microsoft M365 applications are in embedded use across the University and MS Teams as well as Zoom are used for collaboration both on and off campus (hybrid working is in place at the University). Role Summary The Senior Finance Officer role in IT Services reports to the IT Finance and Procurement Manager and provides reporting, tracking and the analysis of financial information to assist with day-to-day financial management and strategic decision making in IT Services. This role also provides consistent support and guidance to IT Services staff needing to raise purchase orders for a wide variety of IT and digital resources regardless of value, technology or platform. This role works with the University?s Finance and Procurement teams and has close working relationships with operational managers and budget holders within IT Services and with the ITS Supplier Relationship Management team. This role contains a significant element of advisory decision-making, as the post-holder will analyse (sometimes confidential) information and provide advice. The post-holder will also have the authority to progress journals and financial corrections with oversight. This is an exciting opportunity to be involved in the implementation of some key digital initiatives that will transform our staff and student experience and contribute to the delivery of our university strategy. Main duties Provide ?best practice? and consistent knowledge, advice and learning resources relating to all aspects of ITS financial processes and the understanding of management information. Organise work independently, but ensure the inputs required for the University?s financial year are met, including governance and business planning cycles, though advice and support will be available from the line manager for this role and from colleagues in Finance. Carry out activities in IT Services to support the University?s financial cycle and the IT Finance and Procurement Manager including updating trackers, journaling, quarterly forecasting, annual budgeting, month end, year end activities and Five Year Plan activities. Review the financial position of specific areas of ITS capital, pay and non-pay activity using reports available from the Finance system and local trackers. Trouble-shoot and reconcile complex and sometimes multiple data sets in order to correct, simplify and improve the presentation of data. Analyse information, investigate queries and communicate findings in a clear way to budget holders and stakeholders. Provide one-to-one and small group financial support, reporting and guidance to ITS budget holders and teams on both a regular and ad hoc basis. Provide support and assistance for any aspect of the order processing and invoicing workflow when required (this may include supplier liaison). Support IT Services? screening of proposed digital goods and services to enable alignment to IT Services? strategy, technology standards and best practice guidance. Respond to issues and queries as they arise and handle unforeseen demands, prioritising and adjusting the workload accordingly. Identify and make recommendations to budget holders, project leads and the IT Finance and Procurement Manager for the management of identified risks in terms of project timelines and budget/resource implications. Contribute to the on-going improvement of budgeting, spending, monitoring and forecasting processes within IT Services and in line with the University requirements and processes. Develop and maintain close and effective working relationships with the central Finance and Procurement teams and with the ITS Supplier Relationship Management team, understanding the role played by all areas for any given activity. Support the relationship between the IT project portfolio and the University?s wider processes and workflows. Actively understand and keep up to date with the University?s financial and procurement rules, training and guidance. Any other duties commensurate with the grade including deputising for the IT Finance and Procurement Manager when required. Promotes equality and values diversity, acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture. Supports the University?s sustainability agenda through resource efficient working. Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience Educated to Degree level (or equivalent qualifications) plus relevant practical experience in a finance and/or purchasing role, preferably in the public sector. Where no equivalent qualification is held significant practical relevant experience and expertise will be required. Experience of working in a large and complex organisation. Excellent IT skills with experience in specific areas such as reporting and complex data sets. Numerate with experience of using finance software and with strong MS Excel skills - at an intermediate level as a minimum with an enthusiasm to develop skills further. Ability to organise and prioritise own workload and work to deadlines. Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day to day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly. The ability to work independently and to also work with multiple teams. Eligible to work in the UK. Desirable Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience Experience of using Oracle financial management and Oracle HR systems (training will otherwise be provided). Familiarity with ServiceNow or other IT service desk solutions. Role context Roles at this level will require in-depth specialist technical/specialist/IT expertise. Role holders may have supervisory responsibility for a technical service or team, where the primary focus will be on planning, overseeing and reviewing the work of the team and/or will operate as individual technical, specialist or IT experts either supporting service delivery or contributing directly to local project implementation or problem solving through the provision of specialist support activity. Core competencies/transferable skills Working at this level you will be able to develop and successfully demonstrate the core competencies/transferable skills outlined in each of the areas shown below. As appropriate for the level, our Birmingham Professionals will take ownership for getting things done. You will be expected to be flexible as required in supporting your department and wider University. Planning and organising be responsible for the provision of a technical service through the day to day organisation and technical supervision of a work area; manage the prioritisation, allocation and quality of work, developing the technical capability in the area; manage a combination of technical and (where required) non-technical staff progress several initiatives concurrently and to plan effectively; contribute to developments of the service and in policies, procedures and plans in own area; ensure compliance with all legal, health and safety standards as applicable; lead, if required, on project work. and/or advise on the development and application of specialist techniques/experiments and/or procedures and the analysis and interpretation of results (may run an advanced specialist service); act as a recognised source of technical and/or specialist expertise in own area; generate original ideas and innovative solutions and/or new techniques/experimental designs. Problem solving and decision making resolve high level problems with specific techniques/applications, or in the implementation of services and technical support; provide specialist advice and recommendations to support decision?making of others; respond to changing priorities and differing situations. Organisational understanding understand their own and closely-related working areas and how they contribute to the success of the University. has an understanding of how the University operates; actively seeks to share this knowledge with others. developing empathy with the academic endeavour. Post Details

Job Start Date Salary from 0.00 Salary to 0.00 Number of Vacancies 1 Location Job Location -> UAE Dubai Location City Dubai

Desired Candidate's Profile Gender No Preference Nationality Candidate Current Location Work Experience 1-2 Years Candidate Profile Description Job Classification Job Type Job Type -> Full-time Industry Type Job Industry -> I T and Services Job Function Job Functions -> IT Project Management Employers Details Company Birmingham Contact Person HRM Designation Telephone +441214143344 Email socialmediacontacts.bham.ac.uk