Reporting Accountant

Role:Reporting Accountant

Grade and Salary:Grade 8 (47389 - 58225)

FTE and working pattern:1 FTE 35hrs per week Monday-Friday

Holiday Entitlement:33 days annual leaveplus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday)

Purpose of Role

This role reports to the Head of Financial Planning and Analysis. The role is to assist with the delivery of various planning budgeting and reporting exercises required by the University. These include:

• Monthly Management Information Reporting
• The rolling 5-Year University Financial Plan
• Ongoing Financial budgeting and monitoring timetable and outputs
• Delivery of the annual TrAC
• Production of the annual University Financial Performance Review

These are delivered under the strategic direction of the Head of Financial Planning and Analysis.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

FINANCIAL PLANNING

The role-holder has responsibility for assisting with the planning and management of the following key exercises:

• The rolling 5-Year University Financial Plan
• Ongoing Financial budgeting and monitoring timetable and outputs.

For these exercises the role-holder produces appropriate timetabling templates and guidance and ensures that the relevant stakeholders are aware of the required inputs. The role-holder oversees and collates returns from all University areas and ensures consistency and quality of response/ final output adding value-add commentary to the final product for onward consideration.

FINANCIAL REPORTING

The role-holder is responsible for assisting with co-ordinating inputs to and completing various statutory and internal reporting processes such as:

• Delivery of the annual TrAC reporting
• Production of the University Annual Financial Performance review
• Scottish Funding Council (SFC) Return
• Ad hoc management information requests

As with planning exercises the role-holder ensures that all relevant inputs are received in a timely manner ensures inputs are consistent and accurate and produces the final outputs for internal Finance review (including their value-add commentary) before approval and then issue to relevant stakeholders.

The role-holder is responsible for maintaining and explaining the methodology and figures driven by TRAC (Transparent Approach to Costing) both internally and externally. TRAC is a UK wide methodology used by University Management Funding Councils Banks/Funders and Governments to assess financial performance It allows institutions to operate sustainably by understanding the full economic cost of their activities. This in turn enables institutions to make more informed pricing decisions and to access increased funding.

FINANCE PROJECT SUPPORT

The role-holder provides support for major and minor University projects as required. These can include production of financial models to support business cases and government grant requests. Examples could include new University building construction and construction of financial models for proposed new business or teaching activities. This is the primary responsibility of the Head of Projects but the role-holder may be required to assist in this area in their absence.

RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT

The role-holder assists the team leader in influencing and challenging the decision-making of senior colleagues by providing persuasive financial expertise. He/she assists with the management of the complex matrix elements of the various planning and reporting exercises by maintaining strong working relationships with stakeholders and by demonstrating technical expertise through challenge and support.

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

The role-holder is responsible for understanding the needs of internal and external customers to ensure that planning and reporting processes are fit for purpose. This involves embedding a continuous improvement ethos across the processes and stakeholders directly and indirectly controlled by the role-holder.

Essential Criteria

1. The role-holder must be educated to degree level and hold a recognised UK accounting qualification (e.g. ICAS ICAEW CIPFA CIMA ACCA)
2. Advanced excel skills
3. Knowledge of Oracle finance system preferable
4. Experience of working within a similar environment as outlined above
5. Well-developed understanding of relevant legal statutory and governance applications and turning them into good practice
6. Ability to persuade motivate and influence
7. Demonstrable excellent customer service
8. Experience of working closely with stakeholders across all levels of the organisation
9. Ability to research analyse and present complex information effectively with good attention to detail
10. High level planning and organisational skills with the ability to prioritise major developments and to function effectively in a pressured environment
11. Demonstrable professional and proactive approach

How to Apply

Applications can be submitted up to midnight(UK time)on22nd April 2026

Pleasesubmit your CV via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment.

We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g.; part-time working and job share options.

About the Team

The Finance team is one of the Professional Services supporting the Universitys mission and its strategic priorities.

On a day-to-day basis it does this by delivering a range of financial operations:

• routine financial transactional processing in payroll accounts payable and accounts receivable
• sound management accounting including ensuring the availability of accurate and timely financial management reporting; and effective budgeting and planning
• effective operation of financial systems
• effective and timely delivery of statutory financial reporting

In addition the Finance department supports the delivery of the Universitys strategic plan through effective financial planning including capital investment planning project appraisal and identification of sustainable funding streams.

About Heriot-Watt University

Heriot-WattUniversity is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected trained promoted appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

Heriot-WattUniversity values diversity across our university community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information please see our website also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers our total rewards calculator: see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.

Heriot-Watt University has established a reputation for world-class teaching and leading-edge relevant research which has made it one of the top UK universities for innovation business and industry.

Heriot-Watt University has five campuses: three in the UK (Edinburgh Scottish Borders and Orkney) one in Dubai and one in Malaysia. The University offers a highly distinctive range of degree programmes in the specialist areas of science engineering design business and languages. Heriot-Watt is also Scotlands most international university boasting the largest international student cohort.

At Heriot Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.

Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.