Head of Operations and Finance

London School of Economics and Political Science

• Location: London
• Contract: Contract
• Type: Full-time
• Posted: 12 hours ago

LSE is committed to building a diverse, equitable and truly inclusive university. Lifelong Learning at LSE is entering an ambitious new chapter. As the School sharpens its focus on executive education and online non-degree programmes, this newly established division is central to LSE's vision to lead in innovative, flexible and high-impact learning for professionals and global learners.

We are seeking a strategic and commercially astute professional to lead Finance and Contracting Operations in the Lifelong Learning Division. This pivotal role will serve as the bridge between revenue-generating teams and central Finance, ensuring that forecasting, reporting, and financial planning processes are aligned with divisional growth objectives. You will lead the development of financial insights that inform pricing strategies and operational agility across sales, marketing, and delivery functions.

The role also oversees the use and evolution of finance and contracting systems and processes, ensuring they are fit for purpose, user-friendly, and enable business development. You will contribute to business case development for new initiatives and ensure compliance with institutional policies and external regulations through close collaboration with central teams including Finance, Legal, Procurement and HR. You will also manage contracting and payroll processes for academic and external contributors, and act as a key point of support for internal stakeholders on finance systems and procurement best practice.

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:

• Experience in financial planning, forecasting, and reporting within a complex organisational or commercial environment.
• A proven track record of aligning financial operations with strategic business goals, particularly in revenue-generating or growth-focused contexts.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, including the ability to liaise confidently with senior academic and professional services colleagues.
• The ability to be commercially astute and solutions-focused, balancing compliance and agility.
• A collaborative and inclusive leadership style, fostering shared accountability and cross-team alignment.

You will be expected to work on campus three days per week, with the option to work remotely two days per week. We offer an occupational pension scheme, generous annual leave, hybrid working, and excellent training and development opportunities.

The closing date for receipt of applications is 21st September 2025 (23.59 UK time). Regrettably, we are unable to accept any late applications.

Please note: this vacancy is for internal applicants only. We are willing to consider it as a secondment opportunity.