Head of Finance

Are you an experienced finance professional with a passion for driving financial excellence?

A unique opportunity has arisen for a full-time, permanent Head of Finance in the Bodleian Libraries.

The Bodleian Libraries, a network of 26 academic libraries across Oxford, is the largest academic library service in the UK and one of the largest library services in Europe, providing an excellent service to support the learning, teaching and research objectives of the University of Oxford. The famous Bodleian Library, the cornerstone of this network, has been acquiring items from around the world for over 400 years. Collectively the libraries now hold over 13 million items.

Applications are invited for the post of Head of Finance, a pivotal senior position within the Libraries that plays an important part supporting the strategic agenda of Bodley’s Librarian, having overall responsibility for the day-to-day functions of the finance team.

The Head of Finance will work closely with the Chief Operating Officer to develop a financial strategy and will be responsible for preparing the annual budget, in excess of £55m, using effective financial modelling and costing tools.

This is a permanent, full-time post working 37.5 hours per week. This role supports working from home up to 2 days per week.

Due to the nature of this post, the successful candidate will be required to undertake a Standard Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check. The possession of a criminal record will not necessarily prevent an applicant from obtaining this post, as all cases are judged individually according to the nature of the role and information provided.

As a highly skilled, Qualified Accountant (ACA, CIMA, ACCA, CIPFA), you will have significant post-qualification experience at a senior management level in a large complex organisation and proven management accounting, budgeting, forecasting and reporting skills. You will have a strong desire and ability to maintain a high level of accuracy, to ensure that the financial position is closely monitored and that timely, accurate management information is provided to the Senior Management Team, Managers and Stakeholders.

You will be an experienced team manager with strong interpersonal and people management skills, with the ability to work in an inclusive way.

IT skills including advanced Excel spreadsheet skills and expertise in using and enhancing financial systems to improve efficiency and data quality are also essential.

As an employer, we genuinely care about our employees’ well-being, and this is reflected in the range of benefits that we offer including:

More information is available at https://hr.admin.ox.ac.uk/staff-benefits

Our staff and students come from all over the world, and we proudly promote a friendly and inclusive culture. Diversity is positively encouraged, through diverse groups and champions, as well as a number of family-friendly policies, such as the right to apply for flexible working and support for staff returning from periods of extended absence, for example, shared parental leave.

You will be required to upload your CV and a supporting statement as part of your online application. Your supporting statement should list each of the essential and desirable selection criteria, as listed in the job description, and explain how you meet each one. CVs alone will not be considered.

The Chair of this recruitment panel will be Laura How, Chief Operating Officer who can be contacted with enquiries relating to the role ( [email protected]). General queries about the recruitment and application process should be directed to the Recruitment team ( [email protected]).

Only applications received online by 12.00 midday (BST) on Friday 29 August 2025 can be considered. Interviews are expected to take place on Monday 15 September, in person.