Job Description

Head of Finance and Student Funding (Ref: WCS0001209)

Finance:

Salary 67,963.46 per annum, Pay Award Pending

(and generous staff benefits package)

Hours: 35 hours

Temporary to 7th July 2026

Location: Paisley

West College Scotland is modern, inclusive, ambitious and innovative. Winners of multiple awards, including The Herald's Top Employer Award for our pioneering use of Digital Technologies, we are one of the largest Regional Colleges in Scotland with campuses in Clydebank, Greenock and Paisley. We deliver exceptional learning and vocational training opportunities to the West of Scotland region.

We are seeking an accomplished and forward thinking CCAB qualified Accountant (CIMA, ACCA, ACA, or CIPFA) to take on a senior leadership role, providing strategic oversight of the College's Finance and Student Funding functions.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a confident and astute professional with a proven track record in delivering financial excellence and supporting operational priorities within a complex and dynamic environment.

Reporting to the Director of Finance and Estates, the successful candidate will be responsible for leading the provision of core financial services, including management and financial accounting, procurement, student funding operations, and oversight of the full internal and external audit cycle. The post holder will also oversee the preparation of statutory financial statements, ensuring full compliance with regulatory requirements and safeguarding the integrity of the College's financial reporting framework.

The role requires close collaboration with the Senior Management Team and Heads of Service, contributing to the delivery of key strategic objectives and supporting effective financial stewardship across all areas of the College. As the College undertakes a significant change programme, the successful candidate will provide high level oversight of associated financial workstreams, ensuring robust planning and resource management.

Candidates must have significant experience of working in middle or senior financial management within a complex organisational environment, along with clear evidence of their ability to build and maintain strong relationships with both internal stakeholders and external partners. They will be expected to drive efficiencies, introduce service enhancements.

At West College Scotland we are ambitious about Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion. If you've got the right skills and qualifications for the job, we want to hear from you. We encourage applications from all candidates regardless of age, disability - visible and non-visible including neurodiversity, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. Click here to find out more.

This is an excellent opportunity to join one of Scotland's sector leading colleges. The College offers an outstanding benefits package including:

Generous holiday entitlement - 49 days holiday (including bank & public holidays). Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme. Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave pay (subject to eligibility). Opportunities for hybrid / home working, where appropriate. Flexible working opportunities. Access to a dedicated wellbeing team and a 24/7 confidential employee assistance programme. Support to enhance your skills through a variety of methods including online learning, coaching and self-directed study.
Full details of the skills and qualifications required can be found on the employee specification. To view our Privacy Notice, please visit the website.

Any offer of employment will be subject to receiving a satisfactory Scheme Record through the Disclosure Scotland Protection of Vulnerable Groups Scheme (PVG). All candidates must be able to prove their Right to Work in the UK. Please note West College Scotland does not provide Visa sponsorship.

To view our vacancies and to apply for posts, please visit the website. If you require any assistance, please contact the HR team by email: hr@wcs.ac.uk Occasionally correspondence relating to your application may go into your spam/junk email folder.

Closing date for all completed applications is Wednesday 30th July 2025

Interviews will be held on the 8th August in person at Paisley Campus.

The Board of Management of West College Scotland is a Scottish Charity.

Charity Number SCO21185.

Job Type: Full-time
Contract length: 11 months

Pay: 67,963.46 per year

Work Location: In person

Reference ID: WCS0001209