Finance Placement

Job details

Department

Finance

Responsible to

Payroll Team Leader

Salary

£20,337 to £20,641 per annum (For exceptional performers, there is scope for further progression up to £23,518 per annum)

Closing date

Wednesday 3 April 2024

Contract type

Fixed term contract

Post type

Full-time

Adaptive working type

Hybrid
This role will be based on site, primarily in the named location with the opportunity to work remotely available in line with our Adaptive Working Framework .

Reference

0117-24

About the role

Challenging, interesting and constantly changing, the University of Derby is an exceptional place to learn and an incredibly rewarding place to work.

Ours is an extraordinary educational environment and because we specialise in identifying and developing individual potential, you can be confident you’ll receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to progress. 

Our combined higher and further education offering is spread over campuses in Derby, Buxton, Leek and Chesterfield and we have some of the best university facilities in the UK, investing more than £200 million in facilities in the last 10 years. 

We achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and with more than 34,000 people choosing to study with us every year, we depend on the dedication of a team of 2,200 academic and professional services staff. 

Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees a family-friendly, rewarding career with lots of opportunities to progress.

About the role

The University of Derby’s Finance team is looking to recruit a genuinely enthusiastic, confident and capable student to undertake a years’ placement working within the Payroll Team

They will play a part in helping the Finance Department achieve its mission statement of ‘being a leading-edge service provider, helping the organisation achieve its goals by providing quality advice on financial matters and implementing necessary financial strategies’

The University of Derby is TEF Gold rated and one of the UK’s most ambitious and progressive institutions, as highlighted by our National Student Survey scores and League Tables rankings.

Your role will be varied; you can expect to be involved in all areas of Finance service delivery, particularly in the areas of month end, payroll support services, administration of the online non-pay budgets, maintenance of the system controls over the Nominal Ledger and process continuous improvement. 

We are looking for someone who can hit the ground running and make an instant impact, by calling upon their confidence and initiative.     
 
 This opportunity is ideal for a go-getting, enthusiastic student looking to gain varied and valuable experience of working in a finance department.  This experience would benefit a student wishing to commence professional accountancy qualifications post degree.  

Please note that you must be a current second year student in Accounting/Finance (or similar) in order to be eligible for this role.

For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Pay-roll Team Leader – Andrea Musson via insert email [email protected]  

For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via [email protected]

Principal accountabilities

To assist with the month end processes with regard to internal recharges including communication with providing departments and monthly reconciliations of income/charges

Assist in managing the month end timetable; ensuring that deadlines are adhered to

To assist in the reconciliation of the system sub-ledgers to the GL

To use, reconcile and update areas of the finance system, such as Budgetary Control, Chart of Accounts Hierarchy Maintenance and other General Ledger areas

System journal entry input for routine month end transactions

To administer the creation and collation of information around additional payroll preparation information including those relating to associate lecturers, other ad-hoc staff and hours for submission to payroll

To contribute to systems and procedures that drive quality and continuous improvement.

To assist in the production of Annual Budget and interim Forecasts to specified deadlines.

To include development of tools and reports along with reconciliations and controls in line with Financial Reporting Standards and to ensure audit requirements are met throughout the year.

Point of contact for System users regarding finance queries

To provide assistance where necessary to the Business Accounting Team regarding any of the above.

Person specification
Essential Criteria
Qualifications

• Studying relevant Accounting / Finance-related degree at the University of Derby
• Educated to A Level standard or equivalent work experience.
• GCSE Maths and English Language at Grade C or above (or equivalent)

Experience

• Experience of contributing collegiately towards the achievement of team goals
• Experience of delivering Customer focussed requirements.

Skills, knowledge & abilities

• IT Literacy and excellent Excel skills. Able to manipulate data sets and present information in different formats.
• Excellent communicator, both verbal and written.
• High level of professionalism, enthusiasm, engagement and self-awareness
• Having the ability to be future focussed and adapt to changes.
• Working with accuracy and attention to detail Team working within and beyond the immediate team, contributing collegiately towards the achievement of team goals, with a desire to be part of a high performing team.

Business requirements

• Flexible approach to working hours when occasion demands.
• Inter-site travel as required.
• Ability to travel to other sites in a timely and cost effective manner.

Desirable Criteria
Qualifications
Experience

• General accounts experience – including the following: – reconciliations, customer telephone queries/problems, accounts receivables or payables.
• Experience of working in a busy office environment
• Evidence of working with and following procedures
• Experience of financial operations in a compliance focused business being risk and fraud aware
• Strong customer focus and service delivery achievements

Skills, knowledge and abilities

• Proven track record in translating data into intelligent information and formats to influence and assist Management.
• Highly proactive and organised; attention to detail; persistent in pursuing QTEC principles
• Able to build positive and mutually beneficial relationships with colleagues, customers and stakeholders.

Benefits

As well as competitive pay scales, we offer generous holiday entitlement. We also offer opportunities for further salary progression based on performance, and the opportunity to join a contributory pension scheme.

Find out more about pay and benefitsFind out more about pay and benefits

How to apply

You can apply by submitting an online application. Once you have signed in or registered with us you will be able to begin your application. If you are creating an account for the first time, please ensure you provide an email address that you access regularly as this will be our main means of contacting you regarding your application.

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If you require any assistance, including the provision of any documentation in an alternative format, please contact the Recruitment team at [email protected] .

Please note all applications must be submitted online by Midnight GMT on the closing date of the vacancy.

Important information

Please note that unfortunately, this role will not attract sufficient points to obtain a sponsored Skilled Worker visa under the UK Visas & Immigration points based immigration system; however, applications are welcome from candidates who do not currently have the right to work in the UK, but who would be eligible to obtain a valid visa via another route..

Please consult the Home office website for further information.

What is Adaptive Working?

Adaptive working is about enabling a high-performing, flexible, and responsive work culture where the place, time, and manner of working are tailored to the specific work activity. This approach ensures that the working environment, including both physical and social surroundings, supports employees to perform at their best and meet the university’s evolving needs.

In addition, adaptive working involves intentionally designing workspaces to support a range of activities and disciplines, providing the right environment for meaningful in-person connections and effective collaboration. This includes ensuring that employees have access to the necessary equipment and resources from their first day at the university.

Adaptive working encompasses different modes of working such as site-based, remote or hybrid working. It is a broad framework within which all staff can operate effectively according to their role.

Equity, diversity and inclusion

The University of Derby is committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion. However you identify, we actively celebrate the knowledge, experience and talents each person brings. Our students come from a wide range of backgrounds; therefore we are particularly interested to hear from applicants who will help our leaders and teams be more reflective of our student population.

A university that celebrates youA university that celebrates you

Further details

Download Finance Placement job descriptionDownload Finance Placement job description

Why join Derby?

Challenging, interesting and constantly changing, the University of Derby is an extraordinary place to learn and an incredibly rewarding place to work.

Find out more about working at the UniversityFind out more about working at the University

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expect everyone who works for us to also share this commitment and to treat people with courtesy and respect.