Job Description

Interim TRAC Accountant

Based in Central London
Monday & Wednesday onsite
Temp contract until approx. December

We're recruiting on behalf of a leading UK higher education institution for an experienced TRAC Accountant to join its finance team on an interim basis.

This is an excellent opportunity for a qualified accountant with expertise in Transparent Approach to Costing (TRAC) to take ownership of a key finance function within a large and complex organisation. The role offers significant exposure to senior stakeholders and the chance to influence strategic financial planning through high-quality costing and analysis.

The Role

You'll lead the annual TRAC process from start to finish, ensuring all regulatory requirements are met while delivering accurate and insightful costing information that supports strategic decision-making across the institution.

Working closely with colleagues across Finance and the wider organisation, you'll be the subject matter expert for TRAC and full economic costing, providing advice, developing financial models and helping to strengthen costing methodologies and reporting.

Key Responsibilities

• Take ownership of the annual TRAC submission, ensuring it is delivered accurately and on schedule.
• Maintain and develop the organisation's TRAC and full economic costing models.
• Ensure ongoing compliance with TRAC guidance and relevant regulatory requirements.
• Lead governance activities relating to TRAC, preparing reports and presenting findings to senior leadership and committee meetings.
• Produce detailed costing analysis across teaching, research and other institutional activities.
• Act as the internal expert on TRAC and full economic costing, providing guidance to colleagues and stakeholders.
• Coordinate the Time Allocation Survey process and oversee the collection and validation of supporting data.
• Review existing costing approaches, identifying opportunities to improve processes, reporting and data quality.

About You

You'll be a qualified accountant with a strong background in financial analysis and a solid understanding of TRAC within the higher education sector. Comfortable working with complex financial information, you'll have the ability to turn data into meaningful insights and communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels.

To be successful, you'll bring:

• A professional accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent).
• Proven experience of Transparent Approach to Costing (TRAC) and full economic costing within higher education.
• Strong analytical, financial modelling and problem-solving skills.
• The ability to interpret complex datasets and present clear, practical recommendations.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with confidence engaging senior stakeholders.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.

Experience of higher education funding, regulatory reporting, activity-based costing or supporting assurance reviews would be advantageous but is not essential.

51982CH

INDLON

The Portfolio Group are acting on behalf of our client in recruiting for this position.