Management Accountant (Parental Leave)

Job summary

Join Us in Shaping the Future of UK Science & Innovation.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) brings together some of the most exciting and impactful research and innovation activity in the UK. As one of UKRI’s nine councils, the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) is home to world class facilities and pioneering scientific programmes.

We are now looking for a Management Accountant to join our Finance Directorate and provide essential financial insight and support to one of our dynamic science or technology departments based at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.

This is an excellent opportunity to grow your finance career in a unique environment that supports groundbreaking research, multi million pound projects, and cutting edge innovation.

Job description

As a key member of the Finance team, you will:

• Play a central role in preparing departmental budgets, forecasts, and month end reporting for both programme and capital expenditure.
• Support the preparation of FEC (Full Economic Costing) for projects and grants—helping to secure funding for major scientific initiatives.
• Build strong working relationships with colleagues, stakeholders, and project teams, becoming a trusted finance advisor.
• Provide clear and insightful management information to support effective decision making across the department.
• Ensure cost centre and project structures are set up and maintained to enable accurate, transparent financial management.
• Advise project managers on costing and pricing proposals, ensuring alignment with UKRI policies.
• Contribute to continuous improvement by suggesting enhancements to financial processes and procedures.
• Line manage and support the development of a Level 4 Finance Apprentice.
• Uphold the professional standards of your accounting body and UKRI’s policies.

You’ll have the opportunity to shape and develop the role as part of a supportive and collaborative team.

Person specification

The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).

Essential

• AAT qualified or part qualified and actively working towards CIMA or ACCA (S).
• Experienced in budget management with the ability to meet deadlines and prioritise effectively (S&I).
• Confident working independently as well as part of a wider team (I).
• An effective communicator—both written and verbal—and able to work closely with colleagues across technical, operational, and scientific disciplines (S&I).
• Motivated by contributing to a mission driven organisation that delivers real world impact (I).

Benefits

We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package. We are committed to supporting employees' development and promote a culture of continuous learning!

A list of benefits below:

• An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme.
• 30 days' annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent).
• Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities.
• Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice.
• Flexible working options.

Plus many more benefits and wellbeing initiatives that enable our employees to have a great work life balance!

For further information on our benefits please see:

Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

UKRI is an Equal Opportunity & Disability Confident Employer.

Please apply online, if you experience any issue applying, please contact Recruitment@ukri.org

Please note, if you will require sponsorship to work in the UK, as part of your sponsorship application, you and any dependants travelling with you, will be required to pay costs directly to The Home Office for the application before you start your role with us. UKRI is normally able to reimburse some, or all of these fees after you have become an employee and this can be discussed with the Hiring Manager. For more information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/how-much-it-costs or contact Recruitment@ukri.org

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,841, UK Research and Innovation contributes £10,962 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

1st interview incl presentation

Interviews will either take place in person face to face or remotely via Teams.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Recruitment Team
• Email : recruitment@ukri.org

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitmement@ukri.org