UK Research & Innovation
Salary: £37,841 per annum
Band: UKRI Band D
Contract Type: Fixed Term (12 months)
Hours: Full-time/ Part Time (minimum 0.8 FTE) (flexible working available)
Location: Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, Oxon/Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington, Cheshire - Hybrid working available (Min 3 days per week in the office)
Closing Date: 21st July 2026
About the role
Join Us in Shaping the Future of UK Science & Innovation.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) brings together some of the most exciting and impactful research and innovation activity in the UK. As one of UKRI’s nine councils, the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) is home to world class facilities and pioneering scientific programmes.
We are now looking for a Management Accountant to join our Finance Directorate and provide essential financial insight and support to one of our dynamic science or technology departments based at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.
This is an excellent opportunity to grow your finance career in a unique environment that supports groundbreaking research, multi million pound projects, and cutting edge innovation.
Your responsibilities:
As a key member of the Finance team, you will:
- Play a central role in preparing departmental budgets, forecasts, and month end reporting for both programme and capital expenditure.
- Support the preparation of FEC (Full Economic Costing) for projects and grants—helping to secure funding for major scientific initiatives.
- Build strong working relationships with colleagues, stakeholders, and project teams, becoming a trusted finance advisor.
- Provide clear and insightful management information to support effective decision making across the department.
- Ensure cost centre and project structures are set up and maintained to enable accurate, transparent financial management.
- Advise project managers on costing and pricing proposals, ensuring alignment with UKRI policies.
- Contribute to continuous improvement by suggesting enhancements to financial processes and procedures.
- Line manage and support the development of a Level 4 Finance Apprentice.
- Uphold the professional standards of your accounting body and UKRI’s policies.
You’ll have the opportunity to shape and develop the role as part of a supportive and collaborative team.
Personal Specification
The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).
Essential
- AAT qualified or part qualified and actively working towards CIMA or ACCA (S).
- Experienced in budget management with the ability to meet deadlines and prioritise effectively (S&I).
- Confident working independently as well as part of a wider team (I).
- An effective communicator—both written and verbal—and able to work closely with colleagues across technical, operational, and scientific disciplines (S&I).
- Motivated by contributing to a mission driven organisation that delivers real world impact (I).
Benefits
We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package. We are committed to supporting employees' development and promote a culture of continuous learning!
A list of benefits below:
- An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme.
- 30 days' annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent).
- Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities.
- Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice.
- Flexible working options.
Plus many more benefits and wellbeing initiatives that enable our employees to have a great work life balance!
For further information on our benefits please see:
Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
UKRI is an Equal Opportunity & Disability Confident Employer.
Please apply online, if you experience any issue applying, please contact Recruitment@ukri.org
Please note, if you will require sponsorship to work in the UK, as part of your sponsorship application, you and any dependants travelling with you, will be required to pay costs directly to The Home Office for the application before you start your role with us. UKRI is normally able to reimburse some, or all of these fees after you have become an employee and this can be discussed with the Hiring Manager. For more information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/how-much-it-costs or contact Recruitment@ukri.org.
UKRI - UK Research and Innovation
UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.
Supporting some of the world’s most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.
More information can be found at www.ukri.org.
Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI.
How we support EDI in the workforce
At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit ‘How we support EDI in the workforce’.
Disability Confident Employer
As users of the disability confident scheme, any candidate who opts into the scheme and best meets the essential criteria, will be shortlisted for interview. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
How to apply
Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application.
UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be rejected and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.
As part of the pre-employment checks there is a requirement to undergo Baseline Personnel Security Screening. BPSS is a pre-condition of employment and failure to achieve it may mean that the employment offer is rescinded. UKRI reserves the right to run, or re-run, security clearance as required during the course of employment.
