Research & Innovation Finance Officer
| Posting date: | 14 April 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | Negotiable |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 28 April 2026 |
| Location: | Blackburn, BB2 3HH |
| Company: | NHS Jobs |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | C9435-26-0201 |
Summary
1. Pre award management of Trust investigator led research grants and personal awards Prepare time-sensitive costings and budgets for Trust investigator-led grant applications in line with funder guidance and programme limits (including AcoRD/SoECAT where applicable). Advise investigators on eligible/ineligible costs and optimise budgets to maximise value within funder constraints. Coordinate the finance components of submissions, ensuring appropriate internal approvals and records for audit. 2. Post-award management of Trust investigator led research grants and personal awards Liaise with collaborators and funders to set up accurate financial arrangements in accordance with the award terms and contracts. Produce regular financial analyses and variance reports; forecast expenditure and income; and support re-profiling where needed. Schedule and submit required financial returns (e.g. ASTOX) with appropriate internal sign-off, e.g grants and personal awards. Maintain complete, auditable documentation and support internal/external audit requests. 3. Study Costing, Pricing and Negotiation Prepare financial appraisals for proposed studies (commercial and non-commercial), ensuring correct attribution of costs and pricing in line with Trust policy, AcoRD and market comparators. Negotiate costs with sponsors and partners on behalf of the Trust and draft/validate financial schedules for contracts. Ensure all costing templates and financial documentation are uploaded to EDGE and updated following amendments. 4. Income, Debtors and Payments Proactively raise invoices for research activity in line with agreements; monitor and recover income to agreed timelines; and resolve debt queries with sponsors and the Finance Department. Match remittances received without invoices and raise retrospective invoices where required. Administer participant payments (e.g. travel and inconvenience) in line with study terms and Trust policy. 5. Reporting and Analysis Produce monthly summaries from EDGE and Trust finance systems showing activity vs. income for all active funded studies. Develop dashboards and KPIs for grant/study finance (e.g. invoice turnaround, debt ageing, forecast accuracy). Present financial information in accessible formats to non-finance audiences and study management groups. 6. Governance, Compliance and Risk Ensure compliance with Standing Financial Instructions, research governance, funder T&Cs, procurement and VAT rules. Identify financial risks and issues (e.g. under-recovery, overspends, contract gaps) and escalate with mitigation plans. Contribute to audit readiness, respond to audit requests and implement recommendations. 7. Systems and Data Use EDGE and Trust finance systems (GL, e-procurement) to maintain accurate, timely data and reconciliations. Continuously improve data quality and develop tips/guides to support organisational learning from previous submissions and studies. 8. Continuous Improvement and Training Lead or contribute to finance process improvements (e.g. automation, templates, standard operating procedures). Contribute to wider research service process improvements (e.g. feasibility, transformation) Provide advice and training to investigators and RD&I colleagues on research finance (pre- and post-award, costing, invoicing). Engage with One NHS Finance programmes (e.g. Future-Focused Finance and regional Finance Skills Development networks) to maintain and develop professional skills. 9. General Responsibilities Build effective relationships across RD&I, Finance, clinical teams and external partners to deliver a professional service. Prioritise workload to meet deadlines; escalate barriers to the RD&I Operations Manager or DERI Divisional Accountant.