Durham University
Post-Award Finance Manager (Job Number: 26001212)
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Research and Innovation Services
Grade 7: £38,784 - £46,049 per annum
Open-Ended/Permanent - Full Time
Contracted Hours per Week: 35
Working Arrangements: To be arranged when appointed
Closing Date: 07-Oct-2026, 11:59:00 PM
The Role and the Department
Research and Innovation Services (RIS) provides Durham’s academic and professional services community with guidance, expert advice, and hands-on support for all aspects of research and research-related work, including securing funding, working with partners, undertaking knowledge exchange, demonstrating impact, commercialising outputs, ensuring good research practice, and supporting professional development.
Within Research and Innovation Services (RIS), our Research Operations Team provides support and services for our academics working across the research and innovation life cycle, focusing on applying for and managing funding and providing professional advice on collaborations and contracts.
The Research Operations Team is comprised of three sections: Pre-Award, Contracting, and Post-Award. These sections work together to deliver a service to support, advise, and provide expertise to our academic community for our extensive and varied portfolio of externally funded projects.
The Research Operations Post Award team is responsible for providing specialist support, oversight and quality assurance for research, knowledge exchange and expert services post-award financial activity. This includes the financial management of live grants, provision of management information to grant holders and senior leadership, financial reporting to funders and external bodies, support for studentship management, and the administration of research grants.
We are seeking an experienced post-award professional with strong research finance expertise to join the Post Award management team. Reporting to a Senior Post Award Finance Manager, you will play a key role in the leadership and delivery of post-award support across the University's externally funded research portfolio.
The role combines specialist post-award knowledge with operational and people management responsibilities. You will be responsible for supporting a portfolio of complex and high-value research awards, providing expert advice on funder requirements and research finance matters, and line managing a team within the Post Award function. Working closely with colleagues across Research Operations and the wider University, you will ensure compliance, promote best practice, support continuous service improvement, and contribute to the development of post-award processes, systems and ways of working. Through this work, you will help deliver a high-quality, customer-focused service that supports the University's growing and increasingly complex research portfolio.
You will have the following key responsibilities;
- Line manage staff within the Post Award function, providing leadership, guidance, support and pastoral care to ensure high levels of performance, engagement and professional development
- Provide training to new and existing staff members as appropriate and mentor team members to ensure a thorough understanding of university financial regulations, research related policies and external funders.
- Manage a portfolio of high-value, complex and strategically important research awards, ensuring effective financial and project management throughout the award lifecycle.
- Provide advice on project set-up, start certificates, recruitment and appointment approvals, project reviews, virements and change requests, funder claims and invoices, final claims, project closure activities, and complex funder and academic queries, ensuring compliance with funder and University requirements.
- Provide a senior check, where appropriate, of the team’s work to ensure accurate calculations and reporting.
- Develop and deliver training sessions to relevant university staff on Post-Award procedures.
- Contribute to the design, implementation and monitoring of new policies and quality standards, procedures and systems for the post award management of Durham’s externally funded research activities to ensure effective working and continuous improvement.
- Actively participate in regional and national networks and working groups to represent Durham and share best practice across the sector in research project management, ensuring that Durham is actively engaged in relevant consultations and well positioned to understand and, where appropriate, influence funder policy.
- Deputise for the Senior Post Award Manager as required
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The base location for this role is Boldon House, our exciting new professional services hub. Boldon House is situated on the outskirts of Durham near the Arnison Centre in Pity Me. Boldon House brings a number of professional services teams together in a vibrant office environment which supports collaborative working and is designed to embrace hybrid working.
What you need to demonstrate when you apply/Person Specification
Your application should cover the following criteria:
Essential Criteria
Qualifications/Experience
- Full AAT or equivalent finance qualification or relevant experience
- Significant demonstrable experience in supporting the post award financial management of large complex research awards within a UK HEI
- Experience of implementing policies and procedures and supporting change and service improvements.
- Experience of providing specialist advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues, including more senior colleagues.
- Experience of participating in internal or external networks to share and discuss good practice, develop strong and productive working relationships and positively influence the University’s reputation.
- Experience of managing and developing a team or teams and/or a line management qualification.
Skills/Abilities/Knowledge
- Excellent spoken and written communication skills including the ability to develop effective working relationships, both internally and externally.
- Strong digital competence across a range of digital devices and apps including digital communication tools, Microsoft 365 applications, finance and research management systems
- Committed to continuing professional development to maintain professional recognition.
- Knowledge and experience of ensuring compliance with regulatory and organisational policy and guidelines.
- Ability to solve problems and decide on and plan appropriate solutions.
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What you need to submit
- A CV:
- A supporting statement or covering letter which outlines how you meet all of the criteria within the Person Specification.
Typical Role Requirements
Service Delivery/Development
- Contribute to equality, diversity and inclusion and the University’s values.
- Review and look for ways to improve systems and procedures that are relevant to your area of work in line with the University’s frameworks and regulations.
- Manage a portfolio of high-value, complex and strategically important research awards, ensuring effective financial and project management throughout the award lifecycle.
- Provide the best possible service by continually reviewing what is required from staff, students and others who you work with and contribute to ideas and service improvements.
- Work with your team to look for ways to improve processes and ways of working across all areas of your work.
Planning and Organisation
- Manage the delivery of operational activities carried out by the post award function which you are responsible for.
- Contribute to progressing the strategic and operational priorities of the post award function Service, School and/or Department.
- Review data on the level of service provided by your area to recommend areas for future improvement.
- Point of contact for escalation of issues relating to post award administration from within the team or from Departments.
- Working with Assurance to assist in the implementation of agreed Assurance/audit actions.
Team Development
- Manage and monitor the performance, workload and expected outcomes of your team and take action to respond to anything that impacts the service level provided.
- Ensure that your team can deliver the required services by devolving and delegating responsibilities to appropriate team members.
- Carry out regular performance reviews to provide feedback on objectives and expectations and to identify any development needs.
- Ensure that your team continues to develop by coaching and mentoring team members and responding to any training or development needs, as appropriate.
- Support the welfare and wellbeing of your team referring more complex issues to specialist services.
Communication/Liaison
- Provide advice and share guidance with your stakeholders to ensure that the University’s policies, procedures and regulations are complied with.
- Use your operational expertise to participate in business meetings, working groups and sub-committees.
- Coordinate and oversee committees and other business meetings, dealing with any related complaints.
- Update policies and procedures in response to any internal or external changes.
- Create positive working relationships, including internal and external networks, using your networks to increase your knowledge and skills and swap information with peers.
- Any other reasonable duties.
Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Job Applicants/Potential Job Applicants - Privacy Notice which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.
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