Director of Finance

The University of Kurdistan Hewlêr (UKH) is the first and only public, English-medium, and independent University in Iraq. The University was founded in 2006 by the current President of the Kurdistan Regional Government, His Excellency Nechirvan Barzani. It is dedicated to being the region’s leading centre of excellence in research and teaching and is committed to the dissemination and application of knowledge to further the industrial, economic, cultural, environmental and social development of the region.

Over the past fifteen years it has grown to over 2,200 students and around 180 staff. UKH currently offers degrees across Business and Management Sciences, Political Sciences and International Relations, Pharmacy, Computer Science and Engineering, Natural Resource Engineering and Management, and Medicine.

Behind these offerings are a high calibre suite of administrative staff and new Director of Finance is now sought to lead the Finance Department. The Director of Finance has overall responsibility for providing advice on the development of the University’s financial plans and for managing their implementation within the budgets, procedures and policies set by the Senior Management Team.

As such, the new Director will have excellent leaderships skills and be capable of inspiring and convening colleagues within the Finance Department. They will be collegiate, approachable and expected to lead by example, supporting more junior colleagues through mentoring and technical advice. Their interpersonal skills will also enable strong engagement with both internal and external stakeholders, including senior management, students, academic partners, funding agencies, auditors, banks, and government authorities. The Director will maintain an inclusive and supportive culture throughout the Finance Department.

The Director will be able to draw on past experience in relevant finance roles, likely within higher education contexts, to contribute to strategic decision making and develop an effective financial strategy in line with the University’s Strategic Plan. They will be a professionally qualified accountant with relevant qualifications from an internationally recognised professional body and maintain a good working knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards. Ideally, they will also have good experience working with, and implementing, ERP systems as well as knowledge of Iraqi Unified Accounting System.

Applications, which should be in the form of a CV and cover letter, should be sent to ukhfin@minervasearch.com no later than 17 June 2024.

The interview date is to be confirmed.

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