Senior Research Finance Officer UK

Trilateral Research is recruiting for a Senior Research Finance Officer to join our Research Finance team in the United Kingdom.

The successful candidate will be responsible for the financial management of a portfolio of research grants, with particular emphasis on the European Commission funded grants and ensuring accurate and timely accounting and cost reporting. This role will be a central contact point within the organisation for researchers, project leads, finance colleagues and other business units.

Our company and what we do

At Trilateral Research, we provide ethical AI solutions for tackling complex social issues, from human trafficking and child exploitation, citizen security in crisis to pollution and climate change. We transform research into innovation and sustainable impact​, focusing our efforts where we can enhance societal wellbeing.

We apply rigorous, cutting-edge research when developing and accessing new technologies to ensure they achieve sustainable innovation and measurable impact. Our teams include humanities specialists, social scientists, data scientists, ethical, legal, and human rights experts who work across the technology-social disciplinary divide.

What are your responsibilities?

To include but not limited to the following:

Research Finance Management & Reporting:

• Support the financial management, monitoring and reporting of company coordinated projects.

• Support and advise researchers regarding financial monitoring and ensure effective communication with project partners and project leads.

• Monitor expenditure versus budget via regular reporting, assisted by the Research Finance Assistant, to ensure projects are progressing in line with forecast.

• Identify and resolve under or overspends versus the awarded research budget.

• Review personnel costs based upon timesheets, payroll data and eligible costs conditions.

• Prepare timely and accurate financial statements to claim all eligible costs for EU research grant projects.

• Maintain a comprehensive understanding of financial elements such as funder terms & conditions and provide advice to assigned budget holders on compliance issues.

• Monitor grant cashflow reports by tracking internal grant records and project status.

• Advise and support researchers with queries on grant agreement amendments and best practice on EC grant financial matters.

• Liaise with external coordinators in relation to overdue payments or reporting delays.

Research Grant Proposal Support:

• Lead project finance administration support during proposal submission such as providing guidance on application EC terms and conditions.

• Review project costing and ensure correctness and compliance with the existing budget guidelines, policies, and process of the company.

• Ensure that the Consortium Agreement is prepared and fully executed.

• Validate the completeness of the proposal and advise researchers when further information is required.

• Provide support on the grant agreement of awarded projects and ensure that that Funder’s deadline is met.

• Establish new grants and support the planning and forecasting of grant-related expenditures.

Project Expense Administration:

• Review and approve personal expense claims relating to research grant expenditure.

• Support the Research Finance Assistants with queries to external advisors in relation to travel, events, and settlement of expense claims.

• Reconcile costs across financial systems and report issues to Finance for resolution.

General Finance Support:

• Support the integration of research finance work with the corporate finance department and provide support for regulatory, commercial, and internal finance requirements.

• Other areas of responsibilities will include record maintenance and auditing, team training and guidance on policies and procedures in your remit.