Senior Financial Accountant

Salary: £60,000 - £65,000 per annum

Employment type:6 month FTC

Hours per week: 37

Reporting into: Head of Accounting

Department: Finance

This role operates on a hybrid working arrangement that will require 1 day per week in our Coventry head office. This may fluctuate in line with business requirements. Our working model arrangements are a non-contractual benefit so please note that an Arden work location is added to our employment contracts.

We are an aspirational and multi-award-winning university, delivering rapid growth with ambitious plans to disrupt the HE sector through our passion for innovation and digital education. Our vision is to become the first-choice university for career-focused lifelong learners worldwide, ensuring that everyone, everywhere can access higher education.

There has never been a more exciting time to join Arden University, as we expand into new disciplines, forge worldwide partnerships, and expand our locations.

The Finance Department at Arden University plays a pivotal role in supporting our ambitious growth and innovation agenda. As trusted partners across the University, we ensure that every financial decision underpins Arden’s mission to make education more accessible, affordable, and impactful for learners worldwide.

Our department is structured around excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement — providing strategic insight, robust financial management, and efficient transactional services that enable the University to deliver on its goals. From managing core financial operations and student finance to driving digital transformation across systems and processes, we are committed to achieving best-in-class financial stewardship and service delivery.

The Senior Financial Accountant plays a pivotal role within the Accounting team, taking ownership of key technical accounting areas and safeguarding the integrity and accuracy of the University’s financial reporting. As Arden University continues to grow, this role is central to ensuring financial processes, reporting standards, and governance frameworks evolve in line with business expansion.

The role leads on accounting entries for new legal entities under the remit of the Accounting team, ensuring full compliance with relevant accounting standards and regulatory requirements. It also supports the delivery of the year-end audit and the preparation of statutory accounts, contributing to robust and transparent external reporting.

A key aspect of the position is driving continuous improvement across the Accounting function, supporting process enhancements and the ongoing review and development of accounting policies as the organisation evolves.

In addition, the Senior Financial Accountant contributes to strengthening the capability of the wider team by providing technical guidance, sharing best practice, and supporting the development of professional standards across the function.

• Professional qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) /relevant degree, plus experience in a similar role

• Clear understanding of the accounting standards under UK GAAP/FRS 102.

• Working in a complex Group structure and preparing consolidated financial reporting.

• Management of audit processes and liaison with key stakeholders.

• Suggesting and implementing new processes and policies and communicating impact assessments with key stakeholders.

• Mentoring or supporting the development of junior finance colleagues.

• Analytical and problem solving capability.

• Communication, presentation and interpersonal skills.

• Proven planning and organising skills.

• Advanced technical expertise in excel and spreadsheet management.

At Arden, you will become a part of a passionate and dedicated team who are committed to removing unnecessary barriers to learning and making education more accessible. Our people work hard to ensure our students journeys are the best they can possibly be, as such we want to reward our people with fantastic benefits. Employees benefit from:

• 30 days holiday + bank holidays on-top, and even a Christmas closure!

• A generous Aviva pension plan, company…