Head Of Finance Operations

Salary: £87,000

Location: Kings Cross, London (Tuesdays-Thursdays - 3 days at HQ, Monday + Friday - anywhere)

Employment Type: Fixed Term Contract - 12 month maternity leave cover full time

Closing Date: 06.09.26

About ARIA

ARIA is a new R&D funding agency built to unlock technological breakthroughs that benefit everyone. We fund scientists and engineers to pursue research at the edge of the possible.

From climate change to AI, society faces enormous challenges and opportunities that can be uniquely addressed by science and technology. ARIA was created to activate the UK’s world-class R&D in new ways, so we can meet these head on.

Our success is shaped by one question: how will ARIA transform the lives of the UK’s future generations? Whether that’s a life-changing new technology or a burgeoning new industry, it should be obvious that ARIA played a catalytic role.

If you want to help make breakthroughs like these possible, come and build ARIA with us.

Learn more here.

Role Summary

Reporting to the Director of Finance, you will direct ARIA's Finance Operations function during this period of maternity leave cover, ensuring that our financial control environment, statutory reporting and operational finance continues to support an aspiring and rapidly evolving organisation. In addition to this, you will play a key role in modernising how Finance operates.

You will work closely with the adjacent Programme Finance team and the wider organisation to embed automation and AI into finance processes, strengthen financial stewardship as ARIA's funding portfolio grows towards £1bn, and ensure that our financial systems, controls and governance continue to meet the expectations of Managing Public Money and the National Audit Office.

Working with a team of two direct reports, you will balance operational excellence with continuous improvement, helping build finance capabilities that can scale alongside ARIA's ambitions.