The University of Warwick is one of the UK’s great success stories. In just over fifty years since being founded we’ve become one of the country’s best universities, consistently in the top 10 of UK league tables, with an ambition to be one of the world’s exceptional universities by 2030.
With a reputation for entrepreneurial spirit and a group turnover in excess of £600m, the University offers exciting career opportunities. Warwick is a member of the Russell Group of research intensive Universities, and our teaching is research-led. Research income has grown by 50% over the last 5 years to £126.5 m in 2017/18.
We are looking for a Research Finance Compliance Officer to act as the primary University-wide contact for all finance-related compliance for funded projects. The post holder will offer advice and instruction to a range of key stakeholders, from administrators to academics.
You will be a graduate with an honours degree or equivalent with experience of complex contracts or funding body rules.
You will have highly developed IT skills, with the ability to use computerised and web-based administrative systems and data sources effectively and with ease, with a commitment to contribute to further systems development to support improved communications, information and data dissemination.
Job Description
JOB PURPOSE
The Research Finance Compliance Officer will act as the primary University-wide contact for all finance-related compliance for funded projects. The post holder will offer advice and instruction to a range of key stakeholders, from administrators to academics. The post holder will act as the primary departmental conduit for all administrative management matters, as prescribed by the research funding bodies.
With broad management from the Research Finance Manager, the Research Finance Compliance Officer will manage their own workload and tackle a range of competing priorities. This post is central to the mitigation of the financial risk associated with research funded projects. As such, the post holder will take a lead role in identifying risks and opportunities across the University with an aim of improving success at reporting periods and during audits.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Project Communication: the post holder will be responsible for effective communication across the University, communicating essential information and advice tailored to the specific needs of each project, funder and department.
This will require the post-holder to:
• Investigate, review, interpret and disseminate the main funder’s terms and conditions and supporting documents, i.e. Q&A’s, funder crib sheets, Intranet guidance, and training sessions.
• Raise the awareness of key stakeholders (including R&IS, Research Finance, and Departments), of funder rules (in particular cost eligibility) and, as appropriate, any associated administrative burden.
• Meet with lead Academic/s and Departmental Administrators, when a new high risk project has been awarded, to discuss and raise awareness of:-
– Project reporting requirements.
– Audit evidence requirements.
– Funder terms & conditions.
• Liaise with Departments, the Research Finance Team and leading Academics to ensure timesheets are submitted accurately and on a monthly basis to ensure that this key KPI is kept to a minimum.
• Learn from previous EC audit outcomes, identify and implement systems to resolve any issues identified.
• Network with external organisations to gain knowledge of best practice i.e. UKRO, EC, UKRI and other HE institutions. This could involve travelling to Brussels where the EC is based.
• Work alongside Project Managers of large collaborative projects, providing advice and offering support, also pooling and disseminating any best practice observed.
• Respond to compliance queries.
• Hold regular meetings with PIs and Departments to discuss EC reporting and audit requirements.
• Follow up requests made to financial regulations, consider project eligibility, or any special circumstances i.e. events to be held off-campus.
• Keep up to date with external policy or legislation developments that could impact Research Finance, e.g., GDPR, UKRI, and Brexit. Then assist the Research Finance team in being compliant.
• Support the Research Finance team on complex project matters, e.g., project disputes, conflict, recovery of funds, negative audit outcomes.
• Lead and manage external audits e.g. RCUK assurance visit and H2020 EU audits.
• Inducting new staff on funder requirements.
• Assist PI’s and departments with the submission of reports (e.g. continuous reporting and financial reporting)
System Improvements: the post holder will be responsible for identifying and systematically implementing various necessary improvements to the way in which research grants are administered.
The post holder will:
• Work with Departments to ensure systems and procedures are put in place to guarantee all audit evidence and information for reports is captured on a timely basis.
• For EC projects, implement systems to capture proof of attendance to any external events such as workshops, project meetings, and conferences etc.
• Consider an electronic web based timesheet system or develop improvements to the current paper based system.
• Improve and maintain the Research Finance website guidance notes and procedures.
• Work with the SAP team and Research & Impact Services (R&IS) – Pre Award Team to fully utilise these system capabilities and where possible automate routines.
Training: the post holder will be accountable for undertaking all relevant funder training and acting as a focal point for its dissemination by:
• Providing training and delivering presentations to departments or groups, i.e. Departmental Administrator forum and delivery of regular Finance Office Skills Sessions on financial rules and audit requirements for EC funded projects.
• Training new members of staff on funder requirements i.e. newly appointed departmental administrators and Research Finance staff.
• Attending external training events and discussions and then disseminating any lessons learnt to internal staff involved in these types of projects.
Document Retention: the post holder will take the lead in ensuring all vital project documentation is stored and retained after the project’s lifecycle has ended.
• When a project has ended, and key project members have left, when preparing for an audit it can sometimes be difficult to find and retrieve key audit evidence. The post-holder will work with the Departments to ensure all audit evidence is maintained for the contract time required after the project end date, ensuring that the location of this evidence is documented and recorded in a document register.
• Work towards capturing all electronic audit evidence in one accessible central place.
• Manage Research Finance archives, with Finance Clerk support
Any other ad hoc duties as required.