The Francis Crick Institute

The UK’s pioneering biomedical science research institute, The Francis Crick Institute (the Crick), is seeking an outstanding person to take on the role of Head of Finance Operations & Control. Based in King’s Cross St. Pancras, this is a unique opportunity to play a pivotal role in a world-renowned institute and to demonstrate the intellectual agility to work with leading experts within a complex organisation.

The Crick is a partnership between Cancer Research UK, the Medical Research Council, Wellcome, UCL (University College London), Imperial College and King’s College London. It is a registered charity with the purpose of conducting biomedical research into all aspects of human health and disease.

The Head of Finance Operations and Control (FO&C) is a critical role within the Crick’s finance team, reporting to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). They will play a key part in the success of the Crick’s overall operations, partnering with world-leading scientists in their respective fields to help maximise the use of resources and the overall impact of the Crick’s vital work. Managing a team of c.12 staff, the Head of FO&C will be a strong team manager and instil a customer-oriented culture. They will be responsible for a broad scope of work, including: the provision of all accounting, statutory reporting, treasury tax, financial controls, finance processes, finance policies, financial system, risk management, insurance, payables, commercial support and liaison with external auditors, internal auditors and banks. Experience of working with Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems will be advantageous, as much as a dedication towards process improvement. The appointee will also need to be a strong writer, responsible for preparatory work in advance of meetings of the board and board committees, most notably the Audit and Risk Committee.

The Head of FO&C will interact with senior leaders of the Crick, engaging directly with leading scientists and providing them with a highly responsive and efficient environment to support their ground-breaking work. This requires empathy, excellent communications and interpersonal skills, a customer service orientation, as well as a genuine interest in the Crick’s work and mission. The appointee will also need to demonstrate a clear commitment to the Crick’s values, being: Bold, Imaginative, Open, Dynamic and Collegial. While an interest in, and affinity with, the Crick’s endeavours will be important, the Crick welcomes candidates from a variety of sectors including, but not limited to, life sciences, academia and non-profit.

Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to The Francis Crick Institute on this appointment. For further information about the role, including details about how to apply, please visit https://www.saxbam.com/candidate-opportunities/ using reference FADALC. Alternatively telephone +44 (0)20 7227 0880 (during office hours). Applications should be received by noon on Monday 10 January 2022.