Management Accountant - Grants


Company:	Rothamsted Research
Salary:	£48,395 to £48,395 a year, pro rata
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	Harpenden, AL5 2JQ
Working pattern:	Hybrid - 2 days remote
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	27 Oct 2026
Closing date:	17 Nov 2026

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Summary

Location: Hybrid working with 3 days per week in our Harpenden office

Department: Finance

Contract: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: £48,395

Use your financial expertise to help shape the future of science

At Rothamsted Research, our scientists are tackling some of the world's most important challenges, from sustainable agriculture and food security to environmental resilience and climate change.

We're looking for a Management Accountant - Grants to join our Finance team and play a vital role in ensuring that research funding is managed effectively, enabling world-leading research to thrive.

This is more than a management accounting role. It's an opportunity to become a trusted financial partner, helping researchers and leaders make informed decisions and maximise the impact of vital grant funding.

What you'll be doing

You'll work closely with colleagues across the organisation, providing expert financial support throughout the entire grant lifecycle, from award set-up through to final reporting.

Key responsibilities include:

Producing accurate and insightful monthly management accounts

Supporting budgeting, forecasting and long-term financial planning

Providing meaningful analysis and management information to budget holders

Partnering with research and professional service teams to help them manage funding effectively

Supporting grant compliance, monitoring expenditure and ensuring financial reporting requirements are met

Identifying opportunities to improve financial processes and ways of working

Acting as a trusted advisor, translating financial information into practical guidance for non-finance colleagues

Reporting to the Senior Management Accountant, you'll join a collaborative and supportive team committed to delivering excellent financial stewardship across the organisation.

Why join Rothamsted Research?

This is a chance to combine your finance expertise with meaningful work that contributes to scientific discovery and real-world impact.

In return, you'll benefit from:

A varied and rewarding role with significant stakeholder engagement

The opportunity to influence decision-making across a world-renowned research organisation

Exposure to a diverse portfolio of research grants and funding streams

A collaborative culture where your ideas and expertise are valued

Flexible and hybrid working arrangements

Ongoing opportunities for professional development and growth

About you

You'll be a qualified accountant or an experienced finance professional who enjoys building relationships, solving problems and turning numbers into valuable insights.

We're looking for someone who has:

ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent qualification, or significant relevant experience (QBE)

Experience in management accounting, budgeting and forecasting

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

The ability to present financial information clearly and confidently to non-finance audiences

A proactive, customer-focused approach and a commitment to delivering excellent service

Essential experience

You'll also have experience working within a:

Charity, not-for-profit, research institute or grant-funded environment

Role involving restricted and unrestricted funding or grant management

Is this you?

Do you enjoy partnering with stakeholders and helping them make better decisions?

Are you motivated by seeing the real-world impact of the work you support?

Do you thrive on turning complex financial information into clear, practical insights?

Are you always looking for ways to improve processes and add value?

If so, we'd love to hear from you.

Join us and help ensure that the funding behind world-leading research delivers the greatest possible impact.

Ready to make an impact?

We welcome flexible working requests and are open to discussing a range of arrangements, including part-time working, job share, compressed hours and other flexible options. We encourage applicants to let us know what flexibility they are seeking so we can explore what may be possible.

If you're excited about this opportunity but don't meet every requirement in the person specification, we'd still love to hear from you. We recognise that skills and experience can be gained in different ways, and we encourage applications from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a sufficient number of suitable applications. We therefore encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible.

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