This exciting new role sits within REUK’s Education Pathways work which has been in a pilot phase for the last few years and is rapidly growing now that the UK government has made a commitment to expanding safe and legal routes to higher education in the UK for refugee students.
Higher education provides a transformative pathway for refugee youth, but establishing sustainable institutional access routes requires systemic collaboration. This role will lead the growth, formalisation, and management of university partnerships required to make an education pathway to the UK grow and flourish. You will oversee the complete partnership lifecycle: from university outreach and onboarding (including negotiating formal agreements at senior level), to enabling the formation of campus welcome groups, leading on initial and ongoing university and welcome group training and support, and monitoring and improving all university-facing processes within the pathway.
The postholder will work alongside a newly created Students Lead role, enabling you to focus on the institution-facing workstreams, while student-facing onboarding, welfare, and direct casework are handled by your counterpart.
This is a critical role within a small, high-capacity specialist unit within REUK. Because this is an emerging and new area of work you must be comfortable working with risk and ambiguity, refining and learning rapidly as parameters evolve. You will be an allrounder - as comfortable presenting to university executive boards and Vice-Chancellors as you are drafting MoUs, establishing Terms of Reference, organising and facilitating institutional training, and handling complex partnership operations independently.
Role outcomes
1. UK universities actively partner with REUK to create, expand, and sustain dedicated safe and legal education pathways for displaced students. To this end, key responsibilities include:
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Developing and executing a national university engagement strategy to identify, pitch to, and secure new partner universities across the UK higher education sector.
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Engaging directly with key university representatives - including Vice-Chancellors, Pro-Vice-Chancellors, Heads of Admissions, Sanctuary staff and key academics - to build institutional buy-in and secure long-term commitment to refugee education pathways.
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Negotiating university support packages, including as appropriate fee waivers, scholarship or bursary structures, and accommodation commitments.
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Nurturing and strategically managing existing university partnerships to ensure institutional sustainability, high-level engagement, and year-on-year growth in pathway placements.
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Representing REUK where appropriate in sector-wide higher education networks and working groups on displaced student pathways.
2. Partner universities establish institutional frameworks, well-trained staff networks and campus welcome groups to receive refugee education pathway learners. To this end, key responsibilities include:
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Guiding universities in establishing and structuring sustainable on-campus welcome groups (bringing together university staff and students) to support the welcome and integration of education pathway students.
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Designing and delivering high quality training sessions for on-campus welcome groups and other key staff members.
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Developing practical toolkits, guides, and frameworks for university staff to accompany above training.
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Collaborating with the Students Lead to ensure campus welcome structures integrate with REUK's student support mechanisms.
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Advocating within partner institutions for structural policy improvements (e.g. contextual admissions and flexible documentation policies).
3. University partnership governance, agreements, and operational systems run effectively and efficiently. To this end, key responsibilities include:
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Drafting, negotiating, and finalizing formal Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), Terms of Reference (ToRs), and operational service agreements with partner universities.
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Managing all administrative and governance aspects of university partnerships independently, including contract tracking, partnership reviews, and operational timelines without junior admin support.
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Coordinating institutional admissions frameworks and placement quotas with university registry and admissions departments.
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Serving as the primary point of contact for senior university leads when strategic, structural, or other partnership challenges arise
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Maintaining robust data systems and records relating to university commitments, funding allocations, and institutional agreements.
4. REUK’s Education Pathways university partnerships work is robustly evaluated, financially sustainable, and aligned with REUK’s broader strategy. To this end, key responsibilities include:
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Reporting directly to the Education Pathways Lead on partnership growth, institutional engagement metrics, and strategic pathway goals.
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Working in close alignment with the Students Lead to ensure institutional frameworks effectively support cohort needs and programme delivery.
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Collecting sector data, university feedback, and institutional metrics to demonstrate impact to funders, university boards, REUK’s board of trustees, and government stakeholders.
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Supporting grant reporting and budget management related to university pathway expansion and partner development.
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Feeding operational insights from university partnerships into REUK’s broader research, policy, and systemic change initiatives.
Person specification
Although each role requires particular competencies, we seek staff members - irrespective of role - who are willing and able to demonstrate core competencies related to 1) character and values, 2) personal working style and 3) team working. Please see the applicant pack for more details. The competencies required for this specific role are:
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Higher Education sector expertise: Deep understanding of UK university governance, executive structures, admissions procedures, international frameworks, and sanctuary initiatives.
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Senior stakeholder engagement and negotiation: Proven track record of engaging and influencing senior decision-makers within universities.
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Partnership governance: Demonstrated experience drafting, negotiating, and executing formal and operational agreements, including MoUs and ToRs.
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Facilitation and training: Strong training and facilitation skills, with a track record of designing and delivering workshops and guidance, ideally within the higher education or refugee education sectors
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Operational self-sufficiency: Outstanding organisational skills with the ability to manage high-level administration, systems setup, and contract management independently without administrative support.
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Knowledge of education pathway models: Familiarity with international refugee education pathway models (such as Canada’s WUSC; Australia’s RSSP/SkillPath and or others operating in Japan, Italy, Ireland etc).
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Knowledge and understanding of refugee tertiary education: Strong understanding of the systemic barriers faced by refugee students in higher education both in the UK and in first countries of asylum.
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Interpersonal skills: An ability to build and maintain positive, warm and confidence inspiring working relationships with internal colleagues and external partners and stakeholders, including in complex situations.
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Communications: Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, including ability to appropriately communicate nuance and complexity; confidence communicating with and presenting to high level audiences.
Please ensure that you have read the applicant pack before applying and that you answer all the required questions. Applications must be submitted by 9am on Wednesday 2nd September 2026.
We understand that some candidates may choose to use generative AI tools to support their application. While this is acceptable, please note that we will run all applications through AI-detection software. Applications with very high indicators of AI-generated content will score lower, particularly where responses lack originality or personal insight. As this role involves producing high-quality written materials that reflect REUK's voice and values, the ability to write clearly and authentically without reliance on AI is essential.
Registered Charity
21 - 50
Education for a hopeful future: we enable refugee youth to access, remain and progress in education.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Imperial College London is partnering exclusively with Robertson Bell to recruit a Head of Management Accounting on a permanent basis. This is an exceptional opportunity to join one of the world's leading universities in a senior finance leadership position at a pivotal time for the them. Imperial is investing significantly in the future of its Finance function through the implementation of Oracle Fusion, bringing enhanced business intelligence capabilities and the modernisation of their management accounting processes.
As Head of Management Accounting, you will play a central role in shaping this transformation whilst leading a high-performing team responsible for delivering financial insight across the University's extensive non-academic portfolio.
The role
- Lead and develop a high-performing management accounting function of 11 finance professionals, creating a collaborative, high-performing culture centred on continuous improvement and exceptional customer service.
- Oversee management accounting and financial reporting for more than 30 support service departments, responsible for approximately £320m of annual expenditure and £185m of capital investment programmes.
- Lead budgeting, forecasting and month-end reporting, ensuring timely, accurate and insightful financial information that supports strategic decision making across the University.
- Act as the finance lead for the continued optimisation of Oracle Fusion, driving process redesign, standardisation, automation and the adoption of AI to improve efficiency and reporting capability.
- Oversee financial accounting and statutory reporting for key University subsidiaries, whilst leading external audit activity and ensuring compliance with FRS102.
- Partner with senior leaders across Finance and Professional Services, providing commercial insight, challenging assumptions and influencing strategic decision making.
- Work closely with the Finance Business Intelligence team to further develop reporting capability through Power BI and data-driven insights.
- Champion continuous improvement by reviewing existing processes, strengthening controls and embedding best practice across the management accounting function.
Essential criteria
- Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CPA or CCAB).
- Proven leadership experience managing and developing finance teams.
- Strong management accounting, budgeting and forecasting expertise within a large, complex organisation.
- Experience leading process improvement, harmonisation and finance transformation initiatives.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and challenge senior leaders.
- Strong technical accounting knowledge, including FRS102.
- Excellent analytical skills, attention to detail and the ability to communicate complex financial information clearly.
Experience within Higher Education, knowledge of TRAC, Oracle Fusion or Power BI would be advantageous but is not essential.
Why join Imperial?
The opportunity to continue your career at a world‑leading institution and be part of our mission to deliver world‑class teaching and learning. You'll benefit from an outstanding working environment, genuine opportunities for professional development and a comprehensive reward package designed to support your career, wellbeing and work-life balance.
Benefits include:
- Hybrid working (2-3 days per week office based working)
- Competitive pension scheme.
- Generous annual leave (27 days plus campus closures and Bank Holidays), with the option to purchase additional leave.
- Comprehensive health and wellbeing support, including an Employee Assistance Programme, discounted sports facilities and occupational health services.
- Excellent family-friendly policies, enhanced parental & carers leave &childcare initiatives.
- Extensive learning and development opportunities to support your long-term career progression.
- A wide range of employee discounts, travel schemes and lifestyle benefits.
Apply now
If you're an ambitious finance leader looking for an opportunity to shape the future of management accounting within a world-renowned institution, we'd love to hear from you.
This is a permanent, full-time position based at Imperial College London's White City Campus, operating on a hybrid working model.
Applications close on 6 September, with interviews scheduled for 16 September.
Thank you!
Location: Bristol office, hybrid (minimum three days a week onsite)
Salary: £50,285 per annum
Job Type: Fixed term maternity cover, approximately 15 months. Minimum 30 hours a week, up to full time (37.5 hours)
The role:
This role covers the current post-holder's maternity leave for an anticipated 15 months. As Financial Controller you will lead CSE's finance team, directing and overseeing the finance function in compliance with appropriate accounting standards and practices, company and charity law.
You will provide timely, accurate financial and management information to support strategic decision-making and effective budgetary control by our Senior Leadership Team, Trustees, project managers and other budget holders. You will line manage the Finance Manager and Finance Assistant and be a member of CSE's Senior Management Team.
Reporting to the Director of Finance and Operations, you will work alongside the wider Operations Team to provide operational support that underpins delivery of our charitable mission. This is a fast-paced role and we need someone who can get up to speed with minimal delay.
Specific responsibilities
An applicant appointed to the role will be expected to:
- Take responsibility for day-to-day accounting, invoicing, payroll, VAT returns, payments and banking, credit control and cash management, including timely monthly management accounts.
- Line manage the Finance Manager and Finance Assistant.
- Co-ordinate the annual budget cycle and mid-year budget refresh alongside the Director of Finance & Operations and SLT.
- Attend monthly SMT meetings to share the previous month's financial results and handle related queries.
- Prepare accurate, accessible reports on organisational, team, staff and project financial indicators to support timely decision-making.
- Maintain the organisation's financial records to appropriate accounting standards and prepare documentation for the annual audit and other statutory reporting.
- Liaise with CSE's auditors to enable an effective and timely annual audit.
- Support project managers to plan and manage project budgets, providing financial data for reporting to clients and funders.
- Provide expertise on financial costing and monitoring approaches for new project funding proposals, reflecting funder requirements.
- Provide finance support to Retrofit West CIC, including financial reporting, statutory obligations and payroll as required.
To see a more detailed list of responsibilities please see the supporting documents attached. These documents are also available to download from our website.
About you:
Essential attributes for this role include:
- Fully qualified ACA, ACCA or equivalent accountant.
- At least seven years' post-qualification experience, including at least five years in a financial management role.
- Working knowledge of accounting standards, VAT and HMRC regulations in England, including requirements applicable to a UK charity with a trading subsidiary.
- Experience of leading the preparation for an annual audit.
- Experience of preparing routine financial and management information reports for senior executives and staff.
- Experience of using timesheet software to track allocation of staff time to different cost centres.
- High level competence with Sage accounting software and MS Excel.
- Able to analyse, structure and sense-check financial data to produce clear, informative reports, with excellent attention to detail.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with proven management skills.
- Self-motivated and organised, able to work with limited supervision and manage conflicting priorities.
Please note, the above is an overview of the skills required for this role. To see the full list of essential and desirable skills please see the attached job description.
Benefits:
CSE offer a range of other benefits including:
- You will be entitled to 25 days' paid holiday (plus statutory holidays)
- Company pension scheme with 8% employer and 6% employee contributions
- Subsidised bike purchase and Tech Scheme
- Life Assurance
- Health Cash plan
- Retail discounts
- Discounted breakdown cover and many more.
- We will pay fees and expenses on relevant training courses.
- We are flexible with working hours and will discuss this openly if you are invited to interview.
How to apply
To apply, submit a CV and cover letter our Jobs email (available in the candidate pack). Your application should demonstrate your suitability against the criteria in the person specification and job description.
The closing date for applications is 5pm on Monday 7 September 2026.
First interviews are expected online on w/c 14 September 2026, with final panel interviews at our Bristol office on w/c 21 September September 2026. The earliest start date is early October 2026.
This role requires a basic DBS check. If invited to interview, we will ask for evidence of eligibility to work in the UK.
Registered Charity
101 - 500
Our mission is to support people and organisations across the UK to tackle the climate emergency and end the suffering caused by cold homes.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.