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About Us

The finance team collaborates to deliver the University strategy which is academically and financially sustainable.

We support the University to deliver its strategic goals by:

  • Focusing on delivering excellent service;
  • Providing high quality, accessible, business partnering and technical expertise to our customers;
  • Delivering quality Management Information to ensure our leaders are well informed and effective decision makers;
  • Promoting economy, efficiency and effectiveness in all University activities; and
  • Ensuring we have robust processes and controls that give our stakeholders confidence in our financial stewardship.

Finance Department Structure

Chief Financial Officer

Chief Financial Officer - Jane Madeley

Photograph of Jane Madeley, Chief Financial Officer

Jane Madeley (MBA ACA) is the University’s Chief Financial Officer. In addition to her core responsibilities, she works closely with the Commercialisation team and chairs the Commercialisation Advisory Group.

Jane’s role also includes developing the University’s commercial relationships with industry, commerce, public-sector partners and education and research partners at home and abroad. Jane attends the University’s Audit and Risk Committee and its Strategy and Investment Committee.

Jane is Chair of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Council, where she has previously represented the University. Jane is a non-executive director (NED) and Chair of the Audit Risk Committee of Northern Gritstone Limited, an investment company established by the Universities of Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield to fund their early stage spin out companies.

Previously Jane has held independent NED roles within Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust and at UK Research and Innovation.

Jane graduated in History and Economics from York University in 1989 and has an MBA. Since qualifying as a chartered accountant, and prior to joining the University in 2009, Jane held senior finance positions in a range of international businesses in the retail and fast moving consumer goods sectors, and was based in the UK and Europe

 

Contact Jane Madeley

Email: j.e.madeley@adm.leeds.ac.uk

Director of Finance

Director of Finance - Alan Thomson

Alan Thomson is the University’s Director of Finance. In addition to his core responsibilities, Alan is accountable for the leadership and operational management of the Finance function at the University. Since qualifying as a chartered management accountant and prior to joining the University in 2010 he has held senior finance roles in businesses within retail and engineering sectors, including Redcats UK (UK retail division of Pinault Printemps Redoute) and Cummins Diesel Engines.

Contact Alan Thomson

Sue Carden

Business Support & PA to Alan Thomson

Tel: 0113 34 30038

Email: s.carden@adm.leeds.ac.uk

Finance Teams

Research Operations and Reporting

The Research Operations and Reporting team supports the effective management of our externally funded research grant portfolio across the University.  They are responsible for the governance, procedures, support and reporting for this portfolio.

Faculty/Service Finance Teams

Each Faculty Finance team provides its Faculty with effective fiscal management and reporting for all financial matters of the Faculty and supports the Faculty's Schools in the management and control of their financial resources, including acting as a point of advice and consultation on any financial issue for all Faculty staff.

The teams manage the strategic financial planning, budgeting and forecasting process for the Faculty.

Each team also provides advice and appropriate financial information to the Faculty’s Executive Dean and senior management team on issues relating to the Faculty and contributes to the development of Faculty strategy and policy.

Financial Services

The University's Financial Services team is responsible for maintaining the integrity and reporting of the University's financial records; ensuring financial governance and compliance; managing the financial control framework, cash and investments; tax management and compliance; subsidiary accounting and transactional services.

Accounts Payable

The Accounts Payable team supports the University community, working alongside Procurement teams, to ensure that all goods and services provided to the University are paid for in full to the agreed payment terms.

Financial Accounting

The Financial Accounting team is responsible for the balance sheet accounting for the University. This involves both reporting and forecasting on the various aspects of the balance sheet, including the capitalisation and disposal of fixed assets, accruals and prepayments and other working capital balances. The credit control manager is responsible for maintaining the general debtor's ledger for all non-student related debt.

The team also prepare the financial accounts and other information for 6 subsidiary and related companies on behalf of their respective Boards.

Governance, Compliance and Risk

Financial Governance, Risk and Compliance have responsibility for several areas including financial audit, financial policies and regulations, financial risk and payment security.

Group and International Tax

The tax team is responsible for the University’s tax strategy.

Payroll & Expenses

The Payroll and Expenses department is responsible for managing and processing the payment of salaries and expenses to all University employees.

Treasury

The Treasury Team is responsible for ensuring day to day liquidity of the University and PCI DSS compliance.

Financial Planning & Management Accounting

Financial Planning and Management Accounting is a Central Finance team which leads and co-ordinates the University’s financial planning and forecasting, some areas of financial regulatory reporting, monthly management reporting and performs financial analysis for Stakeholders around the University.

Central Services - Management Accounts

The Central Services - Management Accounts team provides finance business support to the following Professional Services: Advancement, Central Offices, Communications, Finance, Marketing Directorate, People & Change Directorate, Policy Funding & Regulation (PFR), Purchasing, Risk Management, Student Education (SES, LITE, LLC, Digital Education Service), Strategy & Planning and Transformation Office.

Costing and Pricing

The Costing and Pricing team is responsible for the University’s TRAC return to the OfS each year and produces Programme Costing information, undertake benchmarking analysis and manage central contributions to strategic expenditure and capital equipment purchases. 

Library and IT

The team provide finance business support for IT and Libraries covering day to day financial support, purchasing and financial project management.

Planning, Forecasting and Reporting

The team leads and co-ordinates 5-year financial planning, quarterly reporting and monthly management reporting activity across the University and lead the preparation and submission of the Annual Financial Return to the OfS. 

Research and Innovation

The team provides finance business support for the Research & Innovation Service.  This includes providing support with externally funded Institutional awards (non-Research Grants) such as Research England and HEIF.

Finance Service People Lead

Our Finance Service People Lead is responsible for engagement and communications of our service both within finance and across the wider University; and leads on functional development ensuring our shape, people and processes support delivery of an efficient and effective service; across finance, the wider service functions, academic and external stakeholders.

As the finance lead for recruitment, retention and development of staff our people lead has a clear focus on our teams wellbeing and sense of community.

Business support team

The Business Support team provides comprehensive secretarial, administrative and operational support to the Director and members of the Finance Leadership Team.

Explanation of the Finance department structure

The Director of Finance reports to the Chief Financial Officer

Research Operations and Reporting; Faculty Finance; Financial Services; Financial Planning and Management Accounting and Business Support report to the Director of Finance.

The teams within the Faculty/Service finance team are Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures; Faculty of Biological Sciences; Leeds Business School; Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences; Faculty of Environment; Faculty of Medicine and Health; Faculty of Social Sciences and Facilities Directorate.

The teams that are part of the Financial Services team are Financial Accounting; Governance, Compliance and Risk; Group and International Tax; Payroll; Treasury and Projects.

The teams that are part of the Financial Planning and Management Accounting team are Central Services – Management Accounting; Costing and Pricing; Library and IT Management Accounting, Planning, Forecasting and Reporting; Research and Innovation and Projects.