Job Description

Grade UE07: £41,064 to £48,822 per annum

CSG / Financial Information, Reporting and Strategy Team

Full-time: 35 hours per week

Open-ended (permanent)

FIRST are looking for a well-versed Financial Accountant to work within busy financial accounting team.

The successful candidate must have experience with the preparation of financial statements and accompanying notes, have a proven track record in financial or management accounting and lead and support on month-end and year-end processes and reconciliations.

The postholder will be collaborating with colleagues at all levels and across all areas of the University, offering guidance on financial accounting and control matters, and fostering strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.

The postholder must be comfortable with working with large datasets and ideally would have experience with an Oracle based accounting system or similar.

The postholder must be a qualified accountant or in the final stages of the qualification process.

As the role is hybrid-based, the postholder is expected to be in the office two days a week minimum.

The opportunity:

In this role, you will play a key part in maintaining the financial integrity of the University by supporting a number of our key financial accounting functions, and providing guidance in financial reporting and control, including:

• working as a Financial Accountant within the Financial Information, Reporting and Strategy Team (FIRST), with responsibility for supporting monthly, quarterly, and annual financial accounting processes;
• supporting the preparation and audit process for our statutory financial report, ensuring accurate and timely production of the core financial statements and supporting notes;
• collaborating with colleagues at all levels and across all areas of the University, offering guidance on financial accounting and control matters, and fostering strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders; and
• promoting the consistent application of financial policies and procedures across the University to ensure alignment with external standards and internal institutional policies.

The successful candidate will:

• be a qualified accountant or in the final stages of the qualification process;
• have experience with preparation of financial statements and accompanying notes for a complex organisation;
• have experience of the preparation and oversight of complex balance sheet reconciliations; and
• have excellent communication and relationship-building skills to effectively partner with stakeholders and promote collaboration.

Championing equality, diversity and inclusion

The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter and we are also Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBT equality.

Prior to any employment commencing with the University you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK.

Key dates to note

The closing date for applications is 22nd October 2025.

About Us

As a world-leading research-intensive University, we are here to address tomorrow's greatest challenges. Between now and 2030 we will do that with a values-led approach to teaching, research and innovation, and through the strength of our relationships, both locally and globally.

About the Team

The Finance Department is responsible for the effective financial management, stewardship and long-term financial health of the University, which has a turnover in excess of £900m per year.