As financial year end has just passed, the role of our finance department is critical in keeping our research activity on track.
Recently we spoke with Maja Andreevska, Research & Development (R&D) Finance Business Partner at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust (OHFT). Maja and her team support the Biomedical Research Centre: Oxford Health by providing financial oversight through planning, reporting and governance across R&D, helping ensure research activity is accurately reported to NIHR and aligned with our BRC’s strategic priorities.
Tell us about yourself, and what attracted you to working at OHFT?
I’m a Research and Development (R&D) Finance Business Partner with almost fifteen years’ experience in the NHS, and what really drives me is working with people as much as working with numbers. I enjoy being alongside clinicians, researchers and teams, helping them navigate finance in a way that supports what they’re trying to achieve. I was particularly drawn to OHFT because of its strong focus on patient care and the communities it serves. I wanted to work somewhere where my role genuinely adds value and has a visible impact on patients’ lives. Supporting research that improves mental health and community services is really important, and I’m proud to contribute to that by combining financial expertise with collaborative, supportive working.
What is the focus of the work in your role?
My role focuses on providing clear financial advice and support across R&D infrastructures at OHFT. I work closely with R&D teams to help them plan, forecast and make informed decisions so they can deliver their work effectively.
I’m responsible for accurate reporting to National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and for providing meaningful financial updates to the Trust’s senior finance team. A key part of my role is making sure the R&D financial plan is aligned with OHFT overall strategy.
What does a day in your current job look like? What are you currently working on?
No two days are the same, but my time is usually split between managing the R&D finance team, supporting teams with budgeting, reviewing expenditure, and working on larger pieces of activity like year‑end, audits, and setting up new research programmes. At the moment, this includes preparing for audits and supporting new research infrastructure as it comes on board. It’s fast‑paced, varied, and very collaborative.
How did you get to where you are today?
I started my career in the NHS in the Risk Team, where I worked as a Project Systems Manager for the Ulysses system. That role gave me a robust understanding of governance, systems and how different parts of the Trust work together. From there, I moved into Finance as a Financial Systems Operations Manager, which helped me build a solid technical and operational foundation.
I then progressed into my first accounting role and, over time, I’ve supported almost all directorates across the Trust in different capacities. Alongside this, I hold a BA in Economics and a Master’s in Finance, and with the Trust’s support I achieved my Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) qualification in 2016. Overall, my path has given me a broad view of the organisation and a strong appreciation of how finance can add value across services, moving into R&D finance has allowed me to combine technical finance expertise with collaboration and problem‑solving.
Who or what inspires you?
I’m inspired by colleagues who remain calm, supportive and solutions‑focused, particularly during high‑pressure periods like year‑end. Seeing teams pull together to deliver complex work on time is very motivating. Teamwork and mutual support make a huge difference, particularly in complex environments like R&D finance.
If you were not in your job currently, what would you like to be doing?
If I weren’t working in finance, I’d love to do something that involved travel and discovering new places, spending time watching sunsets from different spots around the world. I really enjoy learning about different cultures, and ideally, I’d combine that with spending time in Macedonia, which I visit as often as I can to see family and friends.
