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CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

APPOINTMENT BRIEF

NOVEMBER 2019

ROYAL HOLLOWAY, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON

Royal Holloway, University of London, is one of the UK’s leading universities. Through world-class research and the dedication of our teaching and professional services staff, ours is a community that inspires individuals to succeed academically, socially and personally. Royal Holloway compares favourably to research intensive universities of a similar size in offering an exceptional student experience alongside excellence in teaching and research.

Royal Holloway was formed in 1985 through the merger of Royal Holloway College and Bedford College, founded in 1886 and 1849 respectively. Both colleges were established by social reformers who championed academic excellence and inclusivity by establishing two of the first higher education institutions for women.

In 1900, Royal Holloway College and Bedford College became part of the University of London and became the first institutions in the UK to award degrees to women. Both Bedford College and Royal Holloway College admitted male undergraduates for the first time in 1965, and the university continues to be committed to its founding principles of excellence and inclusivity today. In 2017/18 Royal Holloway had an income of £174m and operated at a surplus. The majority of this income came from tuition fees however a significant proportion consists of funding grants, for research and otherwise, and income generated by commercial or service-based activities. The most recently published annual report can be accessed by clicking here.

As one of the UK’s leading research-intensive universities, Royal Holloway is home to some of the foremost authorities in the sciences, arts, business, economics and law. It is strengthened by diversity and welcomes students and staff from all over the world. Royal Holloway has recently achieved two major milestones set out in its 2013-2020 strategy – to become a top 20 UK university and to grow the student population to around 10,500. These achievements set the foundations for the development of a new ambitious strategy for 2020 and beyond.

The National Student Survey 2019, published 3 July 2019, shows that Royal Holloway, University of London, has again exceeded the sector average score for overall satisfaction.

KEY FACTS

• Royal Holloway is ranked 19th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020. It is ranked in the top 300 universities in the world and scored 88% in the National Student Survey (NSS) 2019, higher than 21 out of 22 Russell Group Universities which appear in the Survey and 15th out of the 151 institutions which took part.

• Royal Holloway sits within the top 25% of universities in the UK for research rated ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ by the Research Excellence Framework, 2014. Its research continues to address global challenges, including the development of treatments and therapies for rare diseases and life-limiting conditions, the rapid decline of bees, and protecting the UK’s national infrastructure from cyber-attack.

• The university has six schools which reach across the humanities, social and life sciences, creative arts, STEM subjects, management and law. Royal Holloway was awarded ‘Silver’ ranking in the most recent Teaching and Student Outcomes Excellence Framework.

• The current student population is around 10,500. The university has met student number growth targets in recent years despite a very competitive environment. It has a student body which is 57% female, with 80% of students coming from the UK, EU or Islands and the remainder for the rest of the world.

• The university has 1,660 (FTE) members of staff across academic, administrative and support areas. In addition, it has visiting teachers, student interns and student staff who work across campus.

• The university benefits the UK economy by about £480m a year, with an estimated £167m directly benefitting the Borough of Runnymede and supporting more than 4,000 jobs in the surrounding county of Surrey.

• There are over 90,000 alumni of Bedford College, Royal Holloway College, and Royal Holloway and Bedford New College worldwide. Notable alumni include novelist George Elliot, suffragette Emily Wilding Davison, the first woman doctor in the west Dr Elizabeth Blackwell, actor Mark Strong, politician Baroness Ashton of Upholland, and Paralympian triple gold medallist Sophie Christiansen CBE.

THE PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE

Head of Financial Control

Head of Procurement, Payables

and Financial Systems

Head of Financial Performance

Deputy Principal (Academic) and

Senior Vice-Principal

(Research)*

Vice-Principal (Research Impact)

Deputy Principal (Operations)* Chief Financial Officer* Senior Vice-Principal

(Education)*

Vice-Principal (Innov. and Regional Affairs)

School of Business and

Management*

School of Law & Soc.

Sciences*

Vice-Principal (Quality and Standards)

School of Digital and

Performing Arts*

School of Humanities

School of Eng, Physical and

Mathematical Sciences*

School of Life Sciences and

the Environment*

Academic Services

Commercial Services

Estates

Governance and Legal

Services

Human Resources*

Marketing and

Communications*

Research and Innovation

Strategic Planning and

Change * Member of Executive Board

Principal*

Senior Vice-Principal (Academic

Strategy, Partnerships &

Resources)*

Vice-Principal (Student Exp. & Attainment)

IT Services*

THE ROLE

This is an opportunity to join an ambitious institution, with a progressive heritage and a diverse student and staff body, as it seeks to embed its recent impressive rise in the national league tables and establish itself as a preferred destination for aspiring young people. Royal Holloway requires a CFO capable of delivering a major new building project while providing best-in-class leadership to its finance team and improving its internal functioning in the wake of a recent major reorganisation.

Reporting into the Principal and working closely, as a member of the Executive Board, with senior colleagues and the Chair of the university’s Finance Committee, the CFO is a crucial leader within Royal Holloway.

The CFO has responsibility for the provision of financial services across the university, ensuring there is a sound financial control environment, and provides strategic and policy advice to the Principal, members of the university Executive and other senior managers. The CFO will develop relevant institutional policy in relation to the challenges faced by the Higher Education sector as well as engage proactively with relevant external stakeholders, build and maintain effective relationships with the academic and professional service leaders of the university, and develop the existing finance team.

As a member of the Executive Board and Principal’s Advisory Group, the CFO will be expected to play a major role in finalising Royal Holloway’s new, ambitious strategy and helping to develop the policies, processes and

resource allocation to deliver the new strategy.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES WILL INCLUDE

Strategy and Leadership • Contribute to the overall leadership of the university, particularly through membership of the

Executive Board

• Put in place appropriate financing for the capital development plan

• Take a leadership role in selected major projects

• Develop and implement appropriate resource allocation models

• Work with the Executive team to drive diversification of income across the university

• Establish and manage effective relationships with senior university staff, including Deputy Principals, Senior Vice-Principals and Heads of School and their direct reports such as Heads of academic

departments and Directors of professional services, offering financial advice and guidance

• Prepare financial forecasts and plans for the university’s operating units

• Support arrangements for the appropriate investment of university funds

Financial Systems and Control • Develop structures and processes to monitor, report and communicate financial performance across

the university to a variety of stakeholders (Executive, staff, students, governors)

• Maintain, develop and implement financial planning, reporting, policies, and systems that meet the changing needs of the university and requirements laid down by external bodies

• Maintain, develop and implement financial systems that meet the changing needs of the university; ensuring these are understood and followed throughout the university

• Ensure financial risks are identified and managed

• Maintaining Treasury Management policies and practices

Enterprise and External Relations • Develop a stronger entrepreneurial culture within the university, particularly with reference to non-

core activities and, in partnership with relevant officers, develop approaches and plans for alternative methods of delivery

• To promote the university within the sector, especially through bodies such as BUFDG

PERSON SPECIFICATION

The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate evidence of the following skills, capabilities and experience:

Essential

• Educated at least to first degree level; Professional accounting qualification and substantial post-qualification experience, including experience of working at Board level

• Proven track record of success in senior management in a strategic financial role

• Commitment to customer-focused service delivery and ethos and experience in engendering such qualities in staff

• Experience in system design, implementation and upgrade, together with the wider use of technology to support financial management across an organisation.

• Ability to work effectively with Council to present financial data in appropriate ways, and to support governance processes leading to effective decision making

• Proven success in implementing innovative and entrepreneurial approaches to the financial management of large organisations

• Ability to motivate and encourage staff to deliver high levels of performance

• Demonstrable track record of effective teamworking

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and oral

• Ability to interpret financial data in appropriate ways in order to inform decision making, and to support accountable line managers in managing their budgets

• Ability to communicate effectively with external agencies

• Integrity and alignment with values of the university

• Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

Desirable

• Corporate and Higher Education experience at a senior level

• Demonstrate an understanding of, and enthusiasm for, the strategic and operational issues facing higher education

TERMS OF APPOINTMENT

The role is offered on a full-time, permanent basis.

Location: Egham

Remuneration will be negotiated with the preferred candidate.

The university is committed to equality and diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community. They are proud to have been awarded Bronze Award from Athena Swan, and are recognised as a Diversity Champion by Stonewall.

HOW TO APPLY

Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to Royal Holloway University London on this appointment.

Candidates should apply for this role through the website at www.saxbam.com/appointments, using code FAXFJ.

Click on the ‘apply’ button and follow the instructions to upload a CV and cover letter. The closing date for applications is noon on Wednesday 27 November 2019.

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