Financial Accountant

British Geological Survey

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTANT

Grade: UKRI Pay Band D

Salary: £34,905 per annum

Agreat benefits package is offered!,including an outstanding pension scheme (with an extremely generous employer contribution on average 27% of your pay), 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays, and access to flexi-time

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: Full-time 37 hours a week

Location: BGS headquarters in Keyworth in Nottingham or BGS offices in Edinburgh

Closing date: Monday 7 October 2024

About the role

The BGS Finance Team has an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated individual to join as a Financial Accountant based either at our Nottingham (Keyworth) or Edinburgh offices.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Reporting to the Senior Financial Accountant, responsible for the financial management of all projects within specific science and support areas.
• Reconciliations of control accounts, review of revenue generation, income analysis, month end accruals, calculation of overhead/charge rates, reporting, as well as provision of advice and support in sophisticated accounting issues to the BGS Finance and Project Support Teams.
• Using a Business Partnering approach, provide a financial service including advice, reporting/analysis, guidance and support to BGS Chief Scientists/Directors, Programme Managers and Project Managers.
• Provide financial input on an ad-hoc basis, e.g. corporate and external reports and audits, either based on projects within specific science areas, or with a wider remit.
• Report on specific projects to required timescales, working closely with auditors as required.
• Work as part of the BGS Finance Team including input into financial exercises for business planning, outturn, as well as interim and year-end accounts.
• May be required to deputise for the Senior Financial Accountant.
• Involvement in finance training of keys users within BGS.
• Undertake revenue calculations adhering to relevant financial standards (e.g. IFRS15).
• Ensure correct VAT applications and interpretations.
• Provide specialist support and knowledge to BGS colleagues in a key policy or knowledge area.
• Become involved in cross-BGS projects or working groups.

About you

We are seeking a highly skilled individual and you should either be qualified AAT or part qualified to CCAB/CIMA or have significant relevant finance experience working within a complex financial environment as well as evidence of working at a high level with a computerised finance system.

Working flexibly within a small team, you have excellent communication skills as part of the role will require you to be able to explain and present financial information in an understandable way to non-finance professionals.

Experience of using Microsoft Office applications including Excel to at least an intermediate level is an essential requirement of this post and ideally, you should also be capable of generating new ideas for the development of new business systems and reporting.

Some occasional travel to the other BGS and UKRI offices will be required in this role.

Please note you will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role.UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during your employment.

The specific essential and desirable skills criteria for this post will be assessed at Shortlist (S) stage, interview (I) stage, or both (S&I).

Essential

• Part qualified Accountant (CCAB or CIMA or equivalent) or significant relevant finance work experience (S)
• Experience of working within a complex financial environment, with an appreciation of project accounting (S)
• Experience of working at a high level with a computerised finance system including production of reports and exporting to Excel/Word and manipulating and analysing large and complex data sets (S&I)
• Very good working knowledge of basic financial accounting functions, such as accruals, prepayments, debits, credits etc as well as control accounts (S&I)
• Ability to manage work and meet tight timescales and adapt to regularly changing priorities including the ability to work unsupervised and under own initiative to problem solve and identify solutions (S&I)
• Strong numeracy and analytical skills with the ability to interpret and effectively present accurate and complex financial information, applying excellent attention to detail (S&I)
• Evidence of being able to apply professional knowledge to carry out and communicate detailed financial analyses and to develop trend and other management reporting (S&I)

Desirable

• Fully qualified accountant (CCAB or CIMA) and evidence of your own Continuing Professional Development (S)
• Experience of working in not for profit and/or science research organisations (S)
• Knowledge of relevant accounting standards and principles (S&I)
• Knowledge of VAT legislation and application and the OBIEE reporting system (S&I)

About us

The British Geological Survey (BGS) is an applied geoscience research centre that belongs to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and is affiliated to the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). It is a world leading geological survey whose core mission is to advise government of science related to the subsurface and to undertake applied research to solve earth and environmental issues, both in the UK and globally. It is funded directly by UKRI, as well as through research grants and private sector contracts.

We strive topromote equality and diversity across our organisationin order to continuously improve our scientific and organisational efficiency! As such, we aim to have a workforce with employees from all backgrounds with people who are passionate about earth science and who share our dedication to work for the good of the environment and the benefit of society. BGS became a signatory of theTechnician Commitmentin July 2022.

How to apply

Applicants are required to include a CV and covering letter outlining their suitability for the role. We would stress the importance of this paperwork in our selection process.

A well thought through application providing evidence and examples of how you meet the advertised essential and desirable criteria for the post will be considered far more favourably than a generic covering letter and CV.

If you experience any issues applying for this role, please contact.

The closing date for receipt of applications isMonday 7 October 2024. Interviews are expected to be held in mid-October 2024 in Nottingham.

AboutThe British Geological Survey (BGS)

The British Geological Survey (BGS) is an applied geoscience research centre that is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and affiliated to the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). It is a world leading geological survey that provides a core science mission to inform government of science related to the subsurface and its interfaces and also undertakes applied research for solutions to earth and environmental processes, both in the UK and globally. It is funded directly by UKRI as well as through research grants and via private sector contracts.

BGS has an annual budget of approximately £60 million and employs 650 people. It has two main sites, a head office in Keyworth near Nottingham and the Lyell Centre, which is a joint collaboration with Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh. BGS works with more than 150 private sector organisations as well as having close links with 40 universities and sponsors approximately 100 PhD students each year.

How to Apply

Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit your CV and a covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for?BGS?and the role youre applying for. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit your application without a covering letter may result in your application not being considered. You will only be assessed on the content of your CV and covering letter and not the experience section of the application.

About UKRI

UKRI launched in April 2018, UKRI is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

Our organisation brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England, which is responsible for supporting research and knowledge exchange at higher education institutions in England, and the UKs innovation agency, Innovate UK to create an independent organisation with a strong voice for research and innovation, and a vision to ensure the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation. More information can be found atwww.ukri.org.

Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme.For more details, visitBenefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role.UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.

How we support EDI in the workforce

At UKRI we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to flourish and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community.For further information, please visitHow we support EDI in the workforce

Disability Confident Employer

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

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