Finance officer
Grade: UKRI - Band C
Salary: £30,895 per annum
Contract Type: 12-month fixed term
Hours: Full time – 37 hours a week is preferred (Part-time will be considered for a minimum of 30 hours p/w and a small amount of remote working is possible, but this role does require regular onsite attendance)
Location: BGS Keyworth, Nottingham
Closing date: 25th May 2026
Interviews: 9th and 11th June 2026
A great benefits package is offered! including an outstanding pension scheme (with a generous employer contribution – on average 27% of your pay), 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays!
Employees applying for any opportunity which may mean being away from your substantive role for a temporary period of time, please refer to the Recruitment Policy and associated guidance (link) for further information in the first instance. If you are made an offer, please ensure you liaise with your line manager and the designated HR team as soon as possible in order that implications of any move are clear and understood, prior to a move taking place.
About the role
The British Geological Survey (BGS) Finance & Project Support team is seeking a highly motivated Finance Officer who will be a key part in providing high‑quality and essential finance support. This includes assisting BGS staff with requisitions, purchase orders and payments to suppliers, ensuring the efficient and effective delivery of BGS science and operations.
The role will also provide support for the Minor Repayments function using local systems, including Oracle Fusion, and will cover for colleagues within the team as required.
The postholder will liaise with staff across BGS to support Accounts Payable (AP) and Accounts Receivable (AR) activities and will work closely with the centralised financial transaction team at UK Shared Business Services (UKSBS) to resolve queries and issues. This will include checking the completeness and accuracy of transactions, resolving outstanding AP / AR issues, and liaising with suppliers / customers where necessary.
The role operates within the financial framework, policies and procedures set by UKRI and BGS. While this means there is limited discretion over certain processes, the postholder will have autonomy to arrange meetings and engage with colleagues as required, using their judgement to deliver outcomes effectively. The role involves managing a time‑pressured, high‑volume workload with competing deadlines.
The Finance Officer will work closely with Finance and Project Support colleagues based in both Keyworth and Edinburgh.
Key responsibilities will include:
About you
You will have good administration experience/skills within a complex financial environment, have worked with a computerised finance system before and have good experience of using Microsoft Excel.
You will be liaising with many staff across BGS, providing support for accounting transactions. We are looking for someone with effective communication skills, both verbal and written, as a large part of the role will involve checking completeness and accuracy of transactions in addition to proactively interacting with staff, suppliers and customers. Having a flexible approach and being able to prioritise tasks effectively are also key requirements.
The following specific essential and desirable skills criteria for this post will be assessed at shortlist (S) stage, interview (I) stage, or both (S&I).
Essential
Desirable
How to apply
Applicants are required to include a CV and covering letter outlining their suitability for the role. We would stress the importance of this paperwork in our selection process.
A well thought through application providing evidence and examples of how you meet the advertised essential and desirable criteria for the post will be considered far more favourably than a generic covering letter and CV.
We will maintain a reserve list of suitably qualified candidates who meet the required standards, so we can consider them for any future opportunities that arise in this area.
If you experience any issues applying for this role, please contact Recruitment@ukri.org
UKRI - UK Research and Innovation
UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.
Supporting some of the world’s most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.
More information can be found at www.ukri.org
Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI
How we support EDI in the workforce
At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit ‘How we support EDI in the workforce’.
Disability Confident Employer
As users of the disability confident scheme, any candidate who opts into the scheme and best meets the essential criteria, will be shortlisted for interview. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
How to apply
Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application.
UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be rejected and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.
As part of the pre-employment checks there is a requirement to undergo Baseline Personnel Security Screening. BPSS is a pre-condition of employment and failure to achieve it may mean that the employment offer is rescinded. UKRI reserves the right to run, or re-run, security clearance as required during the course of employment.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is the public sector organisation that invests £8 billion annually to support the entire research and innovation system. We strive for a society powered and empowered by research and innovation, with economic, social, environmental and cultural benefits for all.
We invest in people, places, ideas, innovation and impacts, empowering researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs to turn the many challenges we all face into opportunities, driving up prosperity and wellbeing across the UK and globally.
The impacts of our work are felt right across society. We enrich lives by increasing our understanding of ourselves and the world around us, supporting innovative businesses and public services, and creating high-quality jobs throughout the UK.
