Scholarship Finance Manager - Association of Commonwealth Universities : Job Details

The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) is partnering exclusively with Robertson Bell to recruit a Scholarships Finance Manager on a permanent, full-time basis. The ACU is a global network of universities with a shared commitment to building a better world through international collaboration in higher education. As the world's first and oldest international university network, the ACU has been bringing universities together from across the Commonwealth for more than 100 years.

Working under the Finance Director, this newly created role will be responsible for overseeing the financial management of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC), a £28 million programme funded by the UK government. This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced finance professional to manage large-scale budgets, provide insightful analysis, and build strong relationships with senior stakeholders.

The key responsibilities of this Scholarship Finance Manager role include:

• Deliver clear, insightful monthly accounts with commentary to the CSC (Commonwealth Scholarship Commission)’s CEO and FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office), ensuring informed decision-making.
• Provide strategic financial advice to the CSC’s CEO on award numbers, risks, and opportunities, based on committed expenditure.
• Partner with CSC colleagues to validate and challenge payment accuracy, ensuring precise financial records in the scholarship CRM system.
• Design and implement robust financial models to drive scholar planning, budget allocation, and long-term financial sustainability.
• Provide expert financial support to the CSC’s CEO at regular CSC Finance Committee meetings, offering data-driven insights.
• Take the lead on the annual external audit of CSC accounts, ensuring compliance and financial integrity.
• Produce sharp income and expenditure reports, ensuring future commitments align with investment income.
• Oversee programme finances, managing cashflow drawdowns to secure timely funder payments.
• Control the financial aspects of the contract, ensuring ACU stays within budget while delivering efficient administration.
• Collaborate with the Programme Manager to refine financial models, ensuring accurate forecasting and scholar allocation.
• Manage programme finances effectively, keeping ACU within budget and providing clear income and expenditure reports for senior management.

More about the Association of Commonwealth Universities:

The ACU is an international network of over 400 universities across the Commonwealth, dedicated to advancing higher education through collaboration, grant-funded programmes, and scholarships. Our work supports academic institutions in addressing global challenges, enhancing teaching and research, and fostering international mobility.

The successful candidate will:

• Be a fully qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA or equivalent), although exceptional candidates qualified by experience will be considered.
• Have extensive experience in management accounting, financial planning, and data analysis within a complex organisation.
• Possess strong budgeting and forecasting skills, with the ability to manage large-scale budgets and high volumes of financial data.
• Be an advanced Excel user with expertise in financial modelling, pivot tables, and formula functions such as VLOOKUPs and SUMIFs.
• Have strong communication skills and the ability to build relationships with senior stakeholders and non-financial colleagues.

This opportunity is based in London, requiring one day per week in the office. The successful candidate will benefit from a competitive salary and an excellent benefits package, including 27 days annual leave (plus bank holidays and additional Christmas closure days), a generous pension scheme (10% employer contribution), and professional development opportunities.

Applications will be under constant review before the closing date so please submit your application to our exclusive agent Robertson Bell. Apply now to be considered!