Financial Controller

Application Deadline: 12 July 2026

Department: Finance

Location: Bath, Somerset - Newton Park

Compensation: Spot salary - up to £72,000

Description

Bath Spa University is seeking an experienced finance leader to join us as Financial Controller. This is a pivotal senior role, responsible for supporting the university’s strategic need to be financially sustainable by creating and managing the financial control environment to ensure that all financial information and reporting produced is accurate, timely and relevant in order to ensure effective data led decision making.

About the Role

Reporting to the Finance Director, the Financial Controller will oversee the Finance Services, Management Accounts & Finance Business Partnering and Financial Accounting teams in order to ensure the reporting and control environment for these responsibilities is effective and efficient.

About You

You will be a technically strong qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or CIPFA) with significant experience in financial control, including cash forecasting, within the higher education sector or a similarly complex environment. You will bring strong leadership experience, a track record of successfully leading and managing teams with a proven track record of developing and enhancing management accounts and associated processes.

Essential:

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or CIPFA)
• Significant experience in financial control, including cash forecasting
• A proven track record of developing and enhancing management accounts and associated processes.
• Strong leadership experience with a record of successfully leading and managing teams

Desirable:

• Worked within the higher education sector
• Previous experience in a similarly complex environment.

For more information about the criteria for the role, please see the attached job description.

Additional Information

Salary Grade - Spot salary - up to £72,000

Staff Benefits

We offer a wide range of great benefits at BSU, including

• Generous pension scheme (Local Government Pension Scheme/Teacher's Pension Scheme). This is a defined benefit pension scheme which pays members a secure income for life, post-retirement
• Enhanced paid leave - 41 - 46 days depending on the role (Full Time) - more details here: https://apphub.bathspa.ac.uk/StaffBenefits
• Family friendly policies including hybrid working, flexible work environment, on-site nursery, and a sector-leading enhanced maternity scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme which offers access to on-demand GP appointments, wellbeing support and advice, and access to counselling
• Transport schemes including Electric Vehicle Scheme and Cycle to Work
• Wide range of discounts and financial benefits, accessed through and easy-to-use app

For further details about all our staff benefits, have a look at our rewards page: https://www.bathspa.ac.uk/work-at-bath-spa/rewards-and-benefits/

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.