Project Accountant; Reporting and Compliance

Overview

Salary - £38,939 - £41,321

Location:

Bangor (Wales), Edinburgh, Lancaster, Wallingford (Oxfordshire)

Hybrid working (50/50)

1-year Fixed Term Appointment

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we find the right candidate, so we encourage you to apply early.

A 1‑year fixed‑term opportunity has arisen for a Project Accountant to join our Finance team  this role, you’ll play a key part in post award monitoring and submission of final expenditure statements for our UKRI‑funded research projects—supporting vital work that addresses some of the biggest environmental challenges of our time.

• Reporting to Head of Project Accounting; you’ll take the lead on implementing finance project reviews with project managers.
• Lead for UKRI grant reporting; act as UKCEH’s lead ensuring accurate and timely submission of Financial Expenditure Statements (FES) via the Joint Funding Service portal.
• Coordinate and schedule all UKRI reporting activity.
• Serve as the primary contact for audit documentation, managing queries from auditors and research councils on UKRI grants.
• Provide backup cover for JeS submissions and administration.
• Work collaboratively with the Project Reporting and Compliance Lead through weekly progress meetings.
• Support wider funder reporting and audits, including reviewing cost statements for external funders (e.g., UN, UNEP) and preparing funder reports where required (e.g., UNESCO) and supporting the EU Reporting Lead as needed.
• Lead on finance project reviews: schedule and deliver financial project reviews using existing tools, and develop and embed a formal project review framework (start-up reviews, pre-closure checks and risk-based scheduling).
• Empower Project Support Officers to perform reviews by enabling a consistent, standardised approach to project reviews.
• Drive continuous improvement: collaborate with Project Accountants to create clear, tailored reporting templates for a variety of funders; support the rollout of key finance policies (subcontracting and project manager finance task notes) to strengthen best practice across UKCEH.

• Accountancy training or qualification — trainee, part or fully qualified (we’ll also consider alternative professional qualifications or non-qualification based relevant experience).
• Experience with UKRI post‑award grant management, including familiarity with JeS or the Joint Funding Service.
• Proven experience in external funder reporting and audit processes.
• Strong financial systems experience (Workday desirable) and excellent Excel skills.

* This post can be equally performed based out of any of our four sites (Lancaster, Wallingford, Edinburgh or Bangor) with flexible hybrid arrangements.

• 27 days annual leave (rising to 29 days after 5 years’ service) plus 3 days for Christmas closure.
• 10% employer pension contribution.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements (role dependant).
• Peer reward and recognition scheme.
• Dental insurance, gym/fitness discounts, retail discount portal.
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave.
• 24-hour, 365-day support with physical, mental, social, health or financial issues and much more.

Apply today with a Supporting Statement. If this opportunity resonates with you and aligns with your personal career goals, the team would love to receive your application. Please answer the following questions below, providing up to 150 words per question. Use specific examples from your experience and focus on your personal contribution and impact (Please do not submit a cover letter — your responses to the questions below will be used in place of a cover letter).

• Give examples of where you have communicated financial information to non-finance colleagues, concentrating on academic/scientific colleagues where possible.
• Outline your experience of UKRI grant post‑award reporting e.g. use of JeS / joint funding service and submission of Final Expenditure Statements.
• What interests you about this role and working for UKCEH (we are keen to understand your motivation for applying to UKCEH).

At UKCEH, we are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable workplace where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, abilities, and circumstances. As a Disability Confident employer, we actively encourage applications from neurodivergent candidates and people with disabilities, and we’re happy to provide adjustments or support at any stage of the recruitment process - just let us know.

If you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we’d love to hear from you anyway. You may be just the right fit for this role or another within our wider team.