Finance Assistant Campus

Role:
Finance Assistant for Advancement Grade: G5

Appointment:
Full-time, Open-ended

Department:
Finance Directorate

Location:

Dubai Campus Purpose of the Role

This post is part of the Finance Team and will report to the Finance Business partner for the Dubai campus, although its function is to provide finance support to the University’s advancement function (the Development & Alumni team, the Shaping Futures campaign, the management of the previously gifted monies).

The role of the Finance Assistant for Advancement is central to the continued success of the Advancement function of Heriot-Watt University.

Working closely with the Development & Alumni Relations Services Manager, the Finance Assistant for Advancement will provide support to the financial affairs of the function, as it relates to donation processing, recording, receipting, invoicing/pledge reminders, reporting and forecasting from the Raiser’s Edge (RE) database records, and reconciling RE to the University’s accounting system, Oracle.

The role will pro-actively assist financial projects including forensic accounting on gifts to the University, ensuring philanthropic gifts are allocated, journaled, coded and distributed correctly within the University’s accounts and according to donor intent; the counting and reporting processes associated with the Shaping Futures campaign; and the financial administration of international fundraising entities associated with Heriot-Watt.

The work of the Finance Assistant for Advancement is fundamental to having a high performing Advancement function as it will help to ensure robust accounting, accurate gift processing, efficient and effective stewardship of all gifts and critical management reporting and income forecasting.

A suitable candidate for the Finance Assistant for Advancement role is a detail-oriented and analytical individual with strong financial administration skills and a high level of accuracy in data handling. They are organised, reliable, and capable of managing multiple tasks and deadlines, particularly in a fundraising or donor stewardship context. With excellent communication skills, they can collaborate effectively across departments and engage professionally with stakeholders.

They are also adaptable, tech-savvy, and committed to upholding donor intent and financial integrity, ideally with experience in higher education or non-profit environments.

• Develop and maintain processes, procedures and controls that ensure all gifts are recorded and receipted, in a timely, accurate and appropriate manner, in accordance with relevant policies and procedures, HMRC legislation, other relevant legislation, GDPR and CASE reporting standards.
• Undertake the processing of donations, process biographical and prospect data of all kinds, ensuring HMRC, data protection and audit requirements are met.
• Review incoming funds, working in conjunction with Finance Office and Research and Enterprise departments as required, to determine grant/sponsorship income versus philanthropic income, and advise fundraisers accordingly, recording all relevant gifts onto RE and also referring complex matters to the Development & Alumni Relations Services Manager, and Head of the DAO.
• Manage the reconciliation of philanthropic income between the fundraising system (Raiser’s Edge) and the finance systems (Oracle), ensuring the timeliness, accuracy and transparency of reconciliation processes.
• Manage the donor pledge reminder/invoicing processes, working with canvassers and Finance and the DAO to ensure all letters are produced on time and with accurate details.
• Manage the Gift Aid claims from HMRC, working closely with Finance to ensure claims are timely and accurate.
• Liaise with the Financial Accounting team Finance Business Partner who oversee the University’s endowments (and who are based in Scotland).
• Work with the Endowment overseer to create endowment fund annual financial reports for distribution to the DAO stewardship team for distribution to donors.
• Coordinate and assist with the finance administration (wire transfers etc) of the American Friends of Heriot-Watt…