Head of Financial Operations

About Arden University

We are an aspirational and multi-award winning university, delivering rapid growth with ambitious plans to disrupt the HE sector through our passion for innovation and digital education. Our vision is to become the first choice university for career focused lifelong learners worldwide, ensuring that everyone, everywhere can access higher education.

About Our Department

The Finance Department at Arden University plays a pivotal role in supporting our ambitious growth and innovation agenda. As trusted partners across the University, we ensure that every financial decision underpins Arden's mission to make education more accessible, affordable, and impactful for learners worldwide.

About the Opportunity

As Head of Financial Operations, you will play a pivotal leadership role at the heart of our Finance team, leading and inspiring a talented team of around 40 professionals who deliver exceptional financial services across the University. You'll oversee and continuously enhance our transactional functions - including accounts payable, accounts receivable, cash management, student finance, and financial support administration - ensuring they operate seamlessly and efficiently to support our students and colleagues.

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in transactional services, finance operations, or a related field, with at least 5 years in a leadership or management role.
• Extensive experience managing accounts payable, accounts receivable, and cash management functions.
• Proven track record of process improvement and driving efficiency in transactional operations.
• Strong experience with ERP systems and financial software platforms.
• Experience in improving customer service and experience outcomes.
• Strong leadership and team management skills, with a focus on mentoring and developing talent.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate across departments and engage senior leadership.
• In depth knowledge of financial regulations, compliance, and auditing standards.
• Proficient in data analysis, reporting, and the use of business intelligence tools.
• Strong project management skills and ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Knowledge of process automation tools and digital transformation strategies.

Why Arden

At Arden, you will become a part of a passionate and dedicated team who are committed to removing unnecessary barriers to learning and making education more accessible. Our people work hard to ensure our students journeys are the best they can possibly be, as such we want to reward our people with fantastic benefits. Employees benefit from:

• 30 days holiday + bank holidays on top, and even a Christmas closure!
• A generous Aviva pension plan, company contributions starting from 7%
• SimplyHealth plan option
• Private Medical Insurance coverage (applies to certain job roles)
• Access to Perkbox benefits
• Study any Arden course for free, with a discount for all family and friends
• Plus, other excellent benefits
• Our 'Golden Ticket' which allows you to gift anyone in your life a free Arden education

Our Values

Stand out, Progressive, Accessible, Resourceful, Kindness reflect who we are as an institution, a team and as individuals. If they also reflect you and you are excited by the chance to be the driving, creative force within a growing business, we want to hear from you.

Closing Date

Sunday 23rd November

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Arden University is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. This means that if you have a disability, as defined by the Disability Equality Act 2010, you may be guaranteed an interview if you meet the essential criteria for the role. If you wish to be considered under this scheme, you can indicate via the application form below. By doing so, you are also consenting for this information to be shared with the hiring team.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. Therefore, we make sure that our recruitment and selection processes discriminate based upon people's age, disability, gender, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or other personal circumstances, and actively welcome applications from all groups.

Sponsorship Statement

Please be aware that some roles may not meet the points requirement for a sponsored Skilled Worker visa under the points based immigration system. However, we welcome applications from candidates who do not currently have the right to work in the UK but may be eligible for a visa through an alternative route.