Job Description

Finance Core Support Assistant

Advert Reference Number:

1259

Job Location:

Milton Keynes

Department:

Accounting Services

Salary:

27,319 to 30,378 pro rata

Closing Date:

2 January 2026

Weekly Working Hours:

18

Contract Type:

Fixed Term Contract

Fixed Term Contract: End Date:

31 August 2026

Welsh Language:

Not Applicable

Change your career, change lives

The Open University is the UK's largest university, a world leader in flexible part-time education combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education. Find out more about us and our mission by watching this

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About the Role

This is a varied role within a busy team who provides high quality financial services within the Finance Shared Service / Core Support function of the Business Partnering team, at The Open University.



The role supports collation of financial information for external and internal reporting, as well as projects. It assists with the preparation and organisation of relevant data, allocating to the correct reports, and coordinating submissions to the relevant external or internal stakeholders when complete.



The focus is around transactional entry and processing, ensuring the smooth support to units, faculties, and BP hubs (services include answering queries, entering journals, and general mailbox management), so accuracy and attention detail are key attributes for success. This includes running and distributing routine financial reports to other Finance colleagues, running reports on fee income, tuition, staffing, SCF (Salary Cost Forecast) and projects, as well as the preparation of financial analysis and tables for external returns and documents.



Problem solving, accuracy and attention detail are key attributes for success as the role also covers the collation of necessary information for financial due diligence, credit checks, and maintaining the register tracker.

Key Responsibilities

Ad hoc and scheduled transactional queries, triaging when needed. Journal processing for Management Accounting team. Resolving transactional audit queries. Monitoring mailboxes and triaging as required. Set up and checking of Finance / systems access, using identification and forms. Cost centre and Profit centre maintenance and mapping. Completing project and donation set up, monitoring, maintenance, and closure. Raising sales orders / invoices. Running of various reports when needed. Document and updating financial processes, principles, and approaches. Keep up to date on funder terms and conditions as required. Proactive engagement with stakeholders to resolve queries. Familiar with latest process and systems guidance, advising colleagues when required.

About You

Essential:


Relevant experience of working in an accounting environment, ideally within management accounts. Experience of costing /budgeting / forecasting, as well as basic accounting principles such as debit and credits. Sound knowledge of MS Excel (creating tables and charts, using financial Excel functions such as formulas and pivot tables, managing / manipulating large data sets). Experience of adhering to accounting conventions, financial regulations, and procedures. Ability to manage a wide variety of tasks and prioritise accordingly. Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to deal confidently with a range of people at all levels. Can demonstrate how they successfully maintain attention to detail. Able to demonstrate strong team working and adding value to the team. Ability to build and maintain good working relationships within the team and the key stakeholders. Balanced approach to hybrid working, both in person and virtually, using varied communication channels as appropriate.

Support with your application

If you have any questions, or need support or adjustments relating to your application, the recruitment process, or the role, please contact us on 01908 541111 or email

careers@open.ac.uk

quoting the advert reference number.

What's in it for you?

At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work life balance. Get all the details of what benefits we offer by visiting our

Staff Benefits page

(clicking this link will open a new window).

Flexible working

We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it's a job share, part time, compressed hours or another working arrangement. Please reach out to us to discuss what works best for you.

This is a part-time, fixed-term position until 31 August 2026. The role is for 18 hours per week, working on-site on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday

Next steps in the Recruitment process

Interview are expected to take place on site week commencing 26 Janaury 2026.

Early closing date notification

We may close this job advert earlier than the published closing date where a satisfactory number of applications are received. We would therefore encourage early applications.

How to apply

To apply for this role please submit the following as separate documents:

CV Supporting statement, up to 1,000 words, you should set out in your statement why you're interested in this role and provide examples of where your skills and experience meet the required competencies for this role as detailed in the job and person specification.




You can view your progress and application communications when you are logged into our recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folders if you do not receive associated email updates.