Deputy Director of Finance

Birkbeck, University of London, has an excellent opportunity for a permanent Deputy Director of Finance. This is a broad, senior finance leadership role with genuine depth of technical responsibility.

Working alongside the Director of Finance, the Deputy Director has leadership of a well-established Finance Department of around 25 staff across seven teams — Income, Finance Business Partnering, Payroll and Pensions, Financial Accounting, Payments, Systems and Procurement at Birkbeck.

The role carries technical accountability - including responsibility for the preparation of the annual financial accounts - alongside a wider leadership agenda covering financial planning, regulatory compliance, treasury oversight, committee reporting and external relationship management. The Deputy Director presents papers at Audit Committee and the Investment Committee and works closely with the Senior Leadership Team on financial matters. 

There is a clear improvement agenda in the department, particularly around efficiency and effectiveness in the transactional space. We are keen to explore AI in a considered way, working within appropriate risk and governance frameworks. Candidates who have experience of driving technology-enabled change in finance functions will find plenty of scope to apply it here.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for a fully qualified accountant (CCAB) who combines strong technical foundations with the leadership capability to get the best out of a team and the credibility to operate effectively at senior level. Specifically, we are looking for:

• Proven, hands-on experience of preparing statutory accounts, including consolidated group accounts, to a high standard and within statutory deadlines
• Sound knowledge of FRS102 and UK GAAP, with working knowledge of VAT, Corporation Tax and PAYE compliance
• Strong cash flow management and forecasting skills, with a track record of keeping a close eye on liquidity in a complex organisation
• The ability to build, interrogate and stress test financial models, with strong data manipulation skills and a rigorous approach to reconciliation and accuracy
• Experience of leading finance teams, with a genuine interest in developing people and building a positive team culture
• Clear, confident communication with non-finance stakeholders at all levels
• The confidence to challenge and advise at senior level, and the judgement to know when to escalate.

Experience of higher education is desirable but not essential. So if you are a dynamic leader with a passion in higher education, apply to become our Deputy Director of Finance and contribute to Birkbeck's continued success.

Salary and benefits:

Competitive salary. Benefits of working at Birkbeck: 31 days paid leave, flexible working arrangements, a competitive salary and pension scheme, generous benefits in the HE sector, and being located in the heart of Bloomsbury, Euston, London.

Contract:
This is a permanent, full-time role, 35 hours per week, Mon-Fri 9-5pm, with at least 2 days in the office. Candidates are expected to be flexible and attend site as and when needed which may be more than 2 days. Please submit an application form for consideration. Closing date: Sunday 31 May, interview date: w/c 8 June 2026.  

Enquiries:

If you would like to know more about the role, please click on apply below or contact Aarti Rayrella, Director of Finance, at a.rayrella@bbk.ac.uk

If you have technical issues or difficulties using the recruitment portal, please contact jobs@bbk.ac.uk providing your name and the job reference number of the position. While we are happy to respond to all informal enquiries, only formal applications through the online system will be considered.

We welcome applicants from all sections of the community www.bbk.ac.uk/jobs. The College is committed to improving the gender and cultural diversity of its workforce, holding a bronze Athena SWAN award and operating Disability Confident & Mindful Employer schemes.