About the team/job
We are excited to offer a brand new role for an experienced Accountant with a flair for both management and financial accounting within the ELIXIR Administration and Operations team, located in Hinxton, near Cambridge.
Within this varied position you will add value, overseeing ELIXIR’s budget and financial reporting requirements, while managing a complex mixture of funding streams from its member states, external grants and a broad portfolio of activities across Europe.
The ELIXIR Financial Officer is a broad, hands-on, role that will develop over time and involves formulating and producing strategic financial plans, improving, and developing reporting approaches and systems to support decision-making.
Your role
Reporting to the Head of Operations, you will head up the finance function for the ELIXIR hub and focus on the following:
- Implementing budgeting, financial planning and forecasting across ELIXIR by providing insightful accurate information, data analyses and data that tracks financial risks
- Preparing monthly, quarterly and annual budget updates and financial statements for ELIXIR Management
- Supporting financial processing of internal projects: raising purchase orders with European partners, managing invoicing, preparing reports, and providing supplementary analysis
- Representing ELIXIR in the implementation of the new finance system implementation (ERP)
- Supervising all finance and budget related work in the Operations team, interacting closely with Commissioned Services portfolio manager, Legal Services and Heads of Units in ELIXIR Hub to produce reports on budget execution as well as forecasting scenarios for decision making
- Contributing to ELIXIR-funded projects (Commissioned Services) as these relate to administration in general and finance in particular
- Interface with the EMBL Heidelberg and EMBL-EBI Finance teams to ensure effective financial controls and appropriate policies and practices are followed
- Evaluating the overall efficiency and effectiveness of funding allocation, identifying, and developing approaches for optimising value for money
Considering ELIXIR’s rapid pace of growth, an important part of this position will be to ensure that the finance operations and support functions, continue to scale and remain effective going forward. With this in mind, your ability to review existing practices and develop effective approaches to meet current and future business needs, will have a major impact, enabling ELIXIR to continue developing invaluable life science resources across Europe, into the next decade.
You have
- A degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. accounting)
- Significant relevant experience in dealing with multiple income streams and complex reporting requirements
- Strong reporting and analytic abilities and an advanced knowledge of Excel and financial management systems (SAP or Workday).
- Experience in handling deadlines and a heavy workload by actively managing priorities.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, and an ability to talk to people who have a research and technical background, adapting the messages to the differing audiences as necessary.
- A high level of literacy with excellent verbal and written English
You might also have
- Professional accounting qualifications (such as ACCA, ICAEW or CIMA) would be highly advantageous
- Understanding of governance processes and principles in public and international bodies
- Working knowledge to a professional level of additional European language/s
- Relevant experience supporting multiple teams in a matrixed environment finances-related activities and services
- Experience of working within research and or academic environment
Why join us
Do something meaningful
ELIXIR unites Europe’s leading life science organisations in managing and safeguarding the increasing volume of data being generated by publicly funded research. It coordinates, integrates and sustains bioinformatics resources across its member states and enables users in academia and industry to access services that are vital for their research.
Our values
The ELIXIR Hub has a strong organisational culture which is defined by our core values. To ensure a good fit with our team, we look to recruit candidates who share our five values:
- We work to benefit everyone
- We are trusted
- We work with a spirit of openness
- We strive for excellence
- We work in an environment of respect
Enjoy lots of benefits:
- Financial incentives: Monthly family, child and non-resident allowances, annual salary review, pension scheme, death benefit, long-term care, accident-at-work and unemployment insurances
- Flexible working arrangements
- Private medical insurance for you and your immediate family (including all prescriptions and generous dental & optical cover)
- Generous time off: 30 days annual leave per year, in addition to eight bank holidays
- Relocation package including installation grant (if required
- Campus life: Free shuttle bus to and from work, on-site library, subsidised on-site gym and cafeteria, casual dress code, extensive sports and social club activities (on campus and remotely)
- Family benefits: On-site nursery, 10 days of child sick leave, generous parental leave, holiday clubs on campus and monthly family and child allowances
- Benefits for non-UK residents: Visa exemption, education grant for private schooling, financial support to travel back to your home country every second year and a monthly non-resident allowance.
For more details please see our employee benefits page
What else you need to know
- Contract duration: This position is a 3 year contract, renewable to a maximum of 9 years.
- International applicants: We recruit internationally and successful candidates are offered visa exemptions. Read more on our page for international applicants.
- Diversity and inclusion: At ELIXIR, we strongly believe that inclusive and diverse teams benefit from higher levels of innovation and creative thought. We encourage applications from women, LGBTQ+ and individuals from all nationalities.
- Job location: This role is based in Hinxton, near Cambridge, UK. You will be required to relocate if you are based overseas and you will receive a generous relocation package to support you.
- How to apply: To apply please submit a cover letter and a CV through our online system. We aim to provide a response within two weeks after the closing date: 26th November 2023.