Application Open:
Full-Time
Job Purpose:
The Reporting Specialist supports the Head of Financial Performance
Analytics and Reporting in delivering a single, trusted view of the
University’s financial performance. The role is the hands-on engine
of the Financial Performance Management (FPM) capability: building
and maintaining the recurring reporting suite for University
Operations, preparing executive-ready analysis and presentations,
and supporting budgeting, forecasting, and cash call processes. The
individual is expected to be highly comfortable manipulating,
reconciling, and quality-assuring large and complex datasets drawn
from multiple source systems. Beyond technical accuracy, the
Reporting Specialist should be proficient in financial
storytelling: translating detailed financial data into concise,
visually compelling narratives that enable the Executive Team,
Board committees, and academic and administrative leaders to make
informed, evidence-based decisions.
Key Responsibilities:
Support to the Head of Financial Performance Analytics and
Reporting
- Act as the primary day-to-day support to the Head of Financial
Performance Analytics and Reporting, delivering the recurring and
ad hoc reporting, analysis, and presentation requirements of the
function.
Prepare first drafts of monthly, quarterly, and annual
financial performance reports, scorecards, and Board and Executive
packs for review.
Research, prepare, and quality-check supporting schedules,
appendices, and briefing notes required for management
meetings.
Budgeting & Forecasting Support
- Assist the FP&A team in the preparation, consolidation, and
validation of the annual budget and periodic reforecasts for
University Operations.
- Consolidate departmental submissions, check them against
approved assumptions, cost drivers, and allocation models, and
highlight anomalies or gaps for review.
- Load, validate, and reconcile budget and forecast versions in
the planning system, maintaining clear version control and audit
trails.
- Produce budget versus actual versus forecast analysis, identify
key variances and drivers, and prepare clear written commentary for
management.
Financial Storytelling & Executive Presentations
- Translate complex financial results into clear, concise
performance narratives that explain what happened, why it happened,
and what it means for decisions ahead.
- Design and produce high-quality, executive-ready presentations
using PowerPoint and think-cell.
- Select the most effective visualization for each message —
waterfalls, bridges, and variance charts.
- Tailor content and level of detail to the audience, from
Executive Team and Board committees through to non-financial
academic and operational stakeholders.
Cash Call Requests – University Operations & University
Projects
- Prepare and review periodic cash call requests covering both
University Operations and University Projects, in line with
approved budgets, funding agreements, and governance
requirements.
- Build and maintain the supporting cash flow forecasts, phasing
schedules, and justification packs that underpin each cash call
request.
- Reconcile funds requested, funds received, and actual
expenditure; track balances, utilization, and explain movements and
timing differences.
Analysis, Insight & Continuous Improvement
- Perform variance, trend, ratio, and sensitivity analysis across
manpower, OPEX, and CAPEX, translating findings into actionable
insight.
- Respond to ad hoc analytical requests from FP&A leadership
and stakeholders with accurate, well-documented outputs.
- Identify and implement opportunities to improve the speed,
accuracy, and usefulness of reporting, including IT- and AI-enabled
process improvements.
Other Duties
- Carry out all other duties as reasonably directed by the line
manager that are commensurate with these functional
objectives.
Qualifications and Criteria:
- A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in finance, Accounting,
Economics, Business Analytics, or a related discipline.
- A postgraduate degree and/or a professional qualification
(e.g., CFA, CPA, ACCA, CIMA) will be preferred.
Essential :
- Minimum of 8 years of relevant experience in financial
reporting, financial planning and analysis, or financial
performance analytics.
- Demonstrated experience producing recurring management
reporting packs and executive-level presentations.
- Hands-on experience supporting budgeting and forecasting
cycles, including template preparation, consolidation, and variance
analysis.
- Proven ability to work with large, complex datasets from
multiple source systems, with strong reconciliation and data
quality discipline.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills (complex formulas, pivot
tables, Power Query, large-volume data handling).
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint and think-cell to
produce executive-grade charts and presentations.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with high
attention to detail and accuracy.
- Ability to translate financial results into clear, concise
narratives for financial and non-financial audiences.
- Proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel,
PowerPoint, Outlook).
- English working proficiency.
Preferred :
- Experience with Oracle EPM (EPBCS/PBCS), or a comparable
budgeting and long-range planning platform will be a distinct added
advantage.
- Experience with enterprise analytics and dashboarding tools
such as Power BI or Tableau. Working knowledge of SQL or equivalent
data querying capability.
- Exposure to AI, automation, or advanced analytics applied to
FP&A and reporting processes.
