Diamond Light Source is the UK’s national synchrotron science facility. Located at Harwell Science & Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire, we enable world-leading research across a wide range of scientific disciplines and industrial applications.

The main purpose of this position is to accurately report grant information to ensure that timescales are met and to facilitate efficient and effective audit of grant claims.  To provide efficient and effective administration for revenue contracts.

Grants

• Maintain detailed spreadsheet based reporting for each grant to show; income – expected and received; Expenditure detailed by category – travel, equipment, salaries, staff costs, capital;
• Co-ordinate with the relevant cost centre managers to ensure that the required data is collected, accurate, complete, valid and consistent with the terms of the grant;
• Have an understanding of the principal rules and regulations covering each grant; Ensure that claims meet the required criteria and do not get rejected due to incomplete or inaccurate data;
• Assist in the preparation of documentation and justifications for changing the scope of a grant; Ensuring that all movement between categories is justified and approved before the changes are made;
• For each grant, Maintain records of critical milestones and deadlines; Ensure that all periodic grant information and claims are submitted on time so that we do not incur the penalties for late submission;
• Co-ordinate the audit of grant claims, carry out local arrangements for the audit, and ensure that the auditors have access to the required staff members and claim information; Ensure that there is an appropriate audit trail, and where necessary, that an appropriate audit file is maintained; 
• Ensure financial data is consistent with other data relevant to grants (E.G. User Office Reporting);

Contracts

• Ensure all contracts are valid and have not exceeded their expiry dates;
• Track all beam time usage for the industrial users and raise accurate invoices  at the appropriate time; Review with scientists what has been delivered to ensure the invoice value and quantity is correct to what has been delivered.
• Update forecast revenue with actual income and report on the variances arising, between plan and forecast;
• Ensure that the data within the access database is valid and complete;
• To provide administrative support to the  industrial liaison group  in the organisation of conferences and meetings; Detail who has registered, maintain records of receipts and payments, and provide registration assistance on actual days of the conferences;

Other

• Assist in Accounts Payable during peak times and holidays;
• To assist with any other duties as they arise.  The job holder will, from time to time, be required to undertake other activities of a similar nature that fall within your capabilities as directed by management;

• Attention to detail, able to review documents for errors and then correct them;
• Able to prioritise work and manage various  demands, from various sources;
• Ability to work as part of a team and independently as required;
• Good numeracy, data input and communication skills (written and verbal);
• Ability to multi task, handling several elements of the role at the same time;
• Able to use business IT applications effectively, particularly the utilisation of MS Office for reporting and analytical purposes;
• Good communication skills, ability to deal with people at all levels internally and  external to the organisation;
• Experience of extracting financial data and producing reconciliations;
• Experience of working in a time pressured environment;
• Evidence of finding and resolving problems within data;
• Experience of using spreadsheets and variance analysis;
• No specific qualifications are required but proven skills in the use of computer packages such as Excel, MS Office and business accounting systems is needed;

• Maths and English GCSE or equivalent
• Experience of aspects of Accounts Payable;
• Experience of contract review;
• Experience in general administration;
• Ability to effectively communicate a financial perspective to highly qualified (but non financial) members of staff;