Head of Income

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Head of Income to join a leading London-based university on a contract basis. Reporting directly to the Director of Finance, this role will provide strategic leadership across the institution's income function, overseeing the full income lifecycle and ensuring robust financial controls, operational excellence, and continuous improvement across both student and commercial income streams.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage the University's income function, including student billing, accounts receivable, credit control, debt management, and non-student income activities.
• Provide strategic leadership and direction to the Student Fees and wider operational teams.
• Ensure resources are effectively deployed to deliver high-quality services and achieve operational objectives.
• Develop a high-performing, customer-focused income function that supports students and internal stakeholders.
• Oversee financial controls across the income lifecycle, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and effective governance.
• Monitor reconciliations, suspense accounts, debt provisions, bad debt management, and audit actions.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate operational and financial risks.
• Investigate historical issues and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Drive continuous improvement, standardization, and automation of income management processes.
• Work closely with Finance Systems and key stakeholders to improve efficiency, controls, and reporting capabilities.
• Lead operational change initiatives and support finance transformation programmes.
• Develop and monitor KPIs across billing, collections, debt management, and income processing activities.
• Produce meaningful management information and performance reports for senior leadership teams.
• Analyse trends, identify challenges, and recommend service improvements.
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders across Finance, Registry, Student Support, and wider University departments.
• Maintain policies, procedures, and controls to ensure compliance and financial best practice.
• Act as a senior point of escalation for complex income-related matters.
• Lead, develop, and motivate managers and operational teams to deliver excellent service outcomes.
• Review structures, workloads, and operating models to maximise efficiency and effectiveness.
• Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.