Job description
About OES
OES partners with world-class universities to deliver innovative, high-quality online education that enables learners to thrive globally. We combine academic expertise, cutting-edge technology, and a student-first approach to create outstanding learning experiences. With operations across the UK, South Africa, and Australia, OES is a fast-growing, international business with a strong track record of collaboration and impact. Our teams are ambitious, agile, and values-driven, united by a belief in the transformative power of education and a commitment to helping universities and students achieve their goals.
The Finance Manager is responsible for the UK finance operations, reporting and compliance (supported by the Finance team in Cape Town), while acting as a strategic partner to UK leadership in driving growth, shaping financial strategy, and supporting long-term business objectives.
This position is a hybrid role based in OES’ Birmingham office 2-3 days per week and the remainder working from home.
This role will report into the Finance Director, International who is based in Cape Town, South Africa.
Key Responsibilities
Finance Operations
- Supported by the Finance Operations team in Cape Town where the following processes are run: accounts payable, banking, general ledger, payroll processing
- Manage outsourced providers (where appropriate) and oversee accounting operations: billing, accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll, tax compliance, general ledger, cost accounting and revenue recognition
- Treasury Management: Cash flow management, including forecasting and cash collection.
- Improvement of key business processes.
- Key focus on the student revenue cycle, including liaison with university partners to track outstanding student debt
Reporting
- Monthly reporting and analysis on financial performance and KPIs of the UK numbers to the senior management team in the UK, the Finance Director International, and the Group Finance team in Australia.
- Working with heads of departments to identify and explain monthly variances
- Reforecasting the expected performance every month in line with the group’s forecasting methodology
- Providing value adding operational reports
- Assisting in the efficient capture and reporting of inter-company related activities
- Working with external advisors and auditors on the year-end financial statement process
Compliance
- Ensuring compliance with all external obligations including, but not limited to, annual returns/filings and quarterly VAT returns
- Maintaining an up-to-date knowledge of both local and OES’s regulatory and audit requirements
- Developing and documenting business processes and accounting policies to maintain and strengthen internal controls
- Owning local relationships with the UK advisors (audit, tax, legal)
- Adherence to relevant UK university education compliance, including adhering to requirements from the Office for Students
Forecasting & Commercial Support
- Providing support to produce annual budgets and rolling financial forecasts
- Provide financial leadership and commercial insight to UK leadership and Group Finance, ensuring that financial performance informs strategic decision making. Shape and track business cases for new programmes, growth initiatives, and operational improvements, enabling OES to scale impact across the higher education sector
- Providing financial analysis and advice on existing initiatives, identifying and tracking key KPIs in order to meet targets (initial business/investment case, budget or other)
- Supporting in the preparation of financial business cases for proposed new business offerings such as new degree programmes.
- Identifying and helping deliver operational improvement and efficiencies
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Essential attributes: Motivated, adaptable, outcome-orientated, with strong interpersonal and communication skills. Comfortable and able working in a hybrid environment and with other finance teams in South Africa and Australia – i.e. across various time zones.
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Essential Skills, Experience and Qualifications
Qualified accountant with experience in finance operations, month end reporting, compliance, process improvement and an understanding of local tax compliance requirements. Forecasting and commercial support are desirable. Ability to solve problems using systemic processing and experience with large volume, low value accounts receivable is desirable. You would also have:
- Proven ability to translate financial performance into strategic insights and to influence business decisions at a senior level.
- 3+ years as a Post Qualified (i.e. CIMA, ACA, ACCA or equivalent) Experienced Accountant (or equivalent) in a similar role with experience across both financial and management accounting, including tax and audit.
- Evidence of being a hands-on, self-starter and solutions focused attitude and track record
- Team player with the confidence to interact with senior management
- Exceptional communication skills (verbally and in writing), with the ability to thrive in a dynamic and evolving environment
- Experience implementing change in a complex environment (i.e. cross border; cross cultural or cross functional)
- Ability to build robust working relationships at all levels within the OES team
- A strong understanding of financial control and business performance management.
- Understanding of local compliance obligations, including tax obligations.
- Quick learner and ability to consume information and make sense of it
- Experience of the university education sector or a business undertaking B2C sales and marketing would be an advantage.
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The salary for this role is up to £60,000 per annum, dependant on experience.
- Global organisation focused on growth with lots of opportunities for our employees
- Engaging & vibrant organisational culture
- 35 hour working week, within a flexible working environment
- OES values driven recruitment principles
- Career-life fit – health & wellbeing focus
- 25 days of annual leave + Bank holidays
- Purchased leave scheme
- OES strategy reflects respect, honesty & diversity
- Continuous improvement through challenging & meaningful work
- Study assistance and leave for eligible employees
- High growth industry & strong partner/shareholder backing
- Genuine focus on student success
- Global mentoring program
- We are proud to support the Living the Wage movement
