Durham University
Senior Finance & Procurement Transformation & Change Manager (Job Number: 26001276)
Get notified of more jobs like this · No spam, ever
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Grade 8: - £47,389 - £56,535 per annum
Appointment may be made above this range for exceptional candidates with significant relevant experience
Open-Ended/Permanent - Full Time
Contracted Hours per Week: 35
Working Arrangements: Mon - Fri 9am to 5pm, Hybrid
Closing Date: 11-Oct-2026, 11:59:00 PM
Please note that we reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive a high volume of applications. Applications may also be reviewed and assessed as they are received. We therefore encourage interested candidates to apply as early as possible.
The Role and the Department
The Senior F&P Transformation & Change Manager will support the Head of Finance & Procurement Systems and Transformation in delivering the Finance transformation agenda, providing leadership and coordination across a portfolio of change initiatives that improve processes, technology, data, customer experience and organisational capability.
The postholder will act as the operational lead for Finance transformation activity, ensuring projects are effectively prioritised, governed and delivered whilst building Finance's capability in digital improvement, automation and AI.
Working across Finance, CIS, HR and wider Professional Services, the role will provide the bridge between strategic ambition and successful delivery.
The role will also help identify and develop opportunities for digital innovation, automation and AI, supporting the advancement of a modern, efficient and increasingly data-driven Finance function.
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. To find out more, visit the project webpage: Boldon House – Durham University.
What you need to demonstrate when you apply/Person Specification
Your application should cover the following criteria:
Essential Criteria
Qualifications/Experience
- Educated to degree level (or equivalent experience).
- Professional practitioner with significant experience leading portfolios, programmes or complex business change initiatives, with the ability to influence strategic service delivery and organisational outcomes.
- Experience of providing specialist programme, project and change-management advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues, including more senior colleagues.
- Experience of developing and 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 implementing policies and procedures and supporting service improvements.
- Strong programme and project management capability, including managing multiple concurrent workstreams and competing priorities.
- Experience translating strategic objectives into deliverable plans, milestones and measurable outcomes.
- Excellent stakeholder engagement, influencing and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across business and technical teams.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
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 Oracle Fusion, Power Platform, Microsoft 365 applications.
- Committed to continuing professional development to maintain professional recognition.
- Extensive knowledge and experience of ensuring compliance with regulatory and organisational policy and guidelines.
- Ability to contribute to planning at operational and strategic levels.
- Ability to solve problems and decide on and plan appropriate solutions.
Desirable Criteria
- Experience within Finance, Higher Education or another complex professional-services environment.
- Experience of enterprise systems, digital transformation and automation initiatives, including platforms such as Oracle Fusion, Microsoft Power Platform or similar technologies.
- Knowledge of data governance, information management and benefits realisation principles.
- Experience of continuous improvement and business process optimisation, including Lean and/or other improvement methodologies.
What you need to submit
- A CV
- A supporting statement which outlines how you meet all of the criteria within the Person Specification.
Typical Role Requirements
Finance Transformation Portfolio Management
Lead the planning, coordination and governance of the Finance transformation portfolio, ensuring initiatives are aligned to strategic priorities and delivered effectively.
Responsibilities:
- Maintain the Finance Transformation Roadmap and portfolio plan.
- Coordinate delivery across multiple projects and workstreams.
- Manage portfolio governance, risks, issues, dependencies and reporting.
- Support prioritisation and resource planning decisions.
- Track delivery progress, outcomes and benefits realisation.
- Support development of business cases and investment proposals.
Change, Simplification and Service Improvement
Lead the people and organisational aspects of transformation, helping Finance simplify services, improve processes and successfully embed change.
Responsibilities:
- Develop stakeholder engagement and change-management approaches.
- Facilitate workshops and service-design activities.
- Lead process reviews and identify opportunities for simplification.
- Promote continuous improvement across Finance.
- Support training, adoption and embedding of new ways of working.
- Ensure operational teams are engaged in transformation and service redesign activities.
Digital Transformation and Innovation
Support Finance's digital transformation agenda, identifying opportunities to improve services through technology, automation and AI.
Responsibilities:
- Develop and maintain a pipeline of digital improvement opportunities.
- Identify opportunities for automation, AI and process optimisation.
- Support delivery of Finance's digital and AI roadmap.
- Work with colleagues across the University to ensure appropriate governance and controls.
- Evaluate emerging technologies and their relevance to Finance.
- Track benefits delivered through digital transformation initiatives.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Service Delivery/Development
- Contribute to equality, diversity and inclusion and the University’s values.
- Develop and promote an in-depth understanding of university policy and external developments relevant to your role.
- Ensure that policy and regulatory standards are met by activities, processes and transactions that are carried out in services you are responsible for.
- Use your professional knowledge and experience as a programme manager to resolve problems, shape processes and activities, develop systems and provide subject matter expertise and advice.
- Provide specialist advice on the analysis and interpretation of complex data and information relevant to your area.
- Look for ways to continually improve services and take a lead role in the development and implementation of assigned policies, processes and standards.
- Instigate and manage business process reviews to improve the service in your area.
- Meet the professional development needs of your stakeholders, providing training when required.
- Ensure data (commercially sensitive and/or personal) is appropriately stored and managed.
- Manage quality and regulatory audits of systems and procedures.
- Support the welfare, wellbeing and employment of your staff by providing professional guidance.
Planning and Organisation
- Contribute to operational leadership teams to influence the type and level of services that are provided by your area.
- Contribute to the development of operational and strategic-level plans relevant to your area.
- Scope, plan and implement large-scale/University-wide initiatives.
- Oversee projects to deliver agreed objectives while solving any problems which are encountered.
- Provide oversight for short term/temporary project teams.
- Analyse data about the service levels provided by your area and make recommendations for improvement in reports to senior managers and committees.
- Allocate and monitor designated budgets, expenditure and resources.
Communication/Liaison
- Use your professional knowledge to identify and recommend priorities for long-term business plans.
- Provide professional guidance and advice when managing Finance services.
- Design creative and innovative communications to promote and increase engagement relating to Finance Service.
- Influence University policy and standards by leading operational business meetings, working groups and sub-committees.
- Design and deliver training to your stakeholders to support their development and information needs.
- Create strong working relationships, including internal and external networks, using your networks to increase your knowledge and skills, swap information with peers and positively influence the University’s reputation.
- Represent Finance Service and University at promotional events.
- Identify opportunities to develop and increase participation in special interest groups.
- Any other reasonable duties.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Location