About the job

Job summary

For jobs located in Wales, the ability to speak Welsh is desirable. From the design and development of policies to the delivery of services supporting work, welfare, pensions and child maintenance, DWP is the Government’s largest department. People are at the very heart of what we do. We ensure disabled people can live more independent lives; help tackle poverty and homelessness; provide a financial foundation for a secure old age; and support families ensuring children can fulfil their potential. DWP has the largest commercial estate in government and our team is committed to being smaller, greener and better – helping people to work, grow and thrive. Our estate provides accommodation for colleagues who support millions of daily customer interactions in Jobcentres and Health Assessment centres, back of house offices delivering frontline services and hub sites housing expert functions such as Policy, Finance, Digital and HR. The DWP Estates function ensures the smooth and efficient operation of this network on a day-to-day basis. We manage a private sector supply chain that delivers essential services such as security guarding, maintenance, property and leasehold, construction, cleaning and facilities management. Many of these services are business critical and we cannot safely open our offices without them.  Our ambitions are to: Transition to a smaller, more affordable, and adaptable estate Invest in improving DWP’s buildings and infrastructure, conducted mainly through an extensive programme of planned replacement works  Meet our agreed Government Greening Commitments - creating a culture where sustainability is embedded Expertly deliver cost effective services Create a professional working culture that is best in class across the Government Property world. There is no better time to join us as we transform our estate and make our buildings fit for the future. The Business Assurance Senior Manager role will be based within the Cost and Supplier Performance Team of DWP’s Estates Directorate and provide support for financial and commercial assurance. This is a critical team that underpins the DWP Estates Business Plan, acting to support the Delegated Financial Authority of the Estates Director and their budget of c£900m+. This role will provide support to the Business Assurance Lead in the overall governance and compliance of Estates services expenditure and delivery of the Business Assurance Plan.

Job description

Key accountabilities Responsible for the oversight and monitoring of the Purchase to Pay process governance and compliance. Responsible for guidance and training documentation to support effective financial governance and compliance. Lead responsibility to provide regular reporting to stakeholders, including liaising with the Estates Integrator supplier to create new reports and ensure accuracy of Cost and Finance reporting data. Responsible for oversight of the development, implementation and monitoring of a register of Delegated Financial Authority levels across the Estates Teams to include ensuring cover is in place for periods of leave, absence etc. working with others to identify areas for improvement for a more efficient process. Use analytical and judgement skills to ensure payment to suppliers are compliant with contract terms and achieves accurate spend allocation against a complex purchase order structure. Collaborate with stakeholders to support process improvement; key focus on driving improvement of DWP Estate’s Integrator process for impacting business rules and category code changes to ensure compliant contract expenditure allocation and reporting. Promote best practice and adopt a continuous improvement approach to how Estates delivers high quality expenditure compliance focusing on commercial outcome by understanding the complexity and diversity of estates contracts and expectations of budget managers. Provide support to the Business Assurance Lead in developing and improving processes and business rules to reflect changes in the overall Estates delivery model and contract environment. Establish regular checkpoints with key Estates stakeholders to ensure financial compliance objectives are established to support Estates team colleagues to manage and control their contract spend, ensuring appropriate expenditure governance and financial controls implementation. Encourage an inclusive working environment across the team, Estates and stakeholder network, where all opinions and challenges are taken into account. Support open book audit processes and co-ordinate information requests required by Finance and Commercial Teams.

Person specification

Essential Skills, Knowledge & Experience

• Extensive experience of end to end Purchase to Pay within the context of large and complex budgets and extensive supplier payments environment.
• Excellent experience and knowledge of financial controls, business rules, financial and business processes and procedures.
• Excellent change management experience, particularly financial governance and policy change, effectively managing operational and financial risks.

• Influential and able to guide key stakeholders towards solutions recommended by the Business Assurance team, to give a balance of optimal commercial performance whilst delivering on business strategy, financial governance and control.

• Excellent written communications, verbal communications and interpersonal skills, with capability to draft guidance and training materials, including delivery to Estates teams and stakeholders. Strong experience of team leadership and building a culture of continuous improvement to drive efficiency.
• Work at pace, with rigor and attention to detail, be accountable and own problems through to their conclusion

Desirable

• Experience managing and implementing large system changes, including creation of process documentation and training materials.
• Experience of commercial contract implementation.
• Knowledge of audit in public bodies.
• Experience of VAT for public bodies.
• Experience of Transformation Programmes and supporting administration of new contracts.

Qualifications/professional memberships

Desirable

• AAT Level 3 or equivalent (inc. demonstrable experience)

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Location

Applicants should apply for suitable posts where they can travel to and from their home office location daily within a reasonable time.  
Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas. Relocation costs will not be reimbursed 

Hybrid Working

This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home.  This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work. The number of days that anyone will be able to work at home will be determined primarily by business need but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.

Successful candidates will be posted in merit order based on your location preferences and the geographical requirements of the business

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT

As part of the application process you will be asked to provide a CV and a Personal Statement of no more than 1000 words against the essential criteria as outlined above.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Your CV should be fairly short and just evidence very brief details of your work history and experience.

Please do not submit a speculative application where you do not meet at least 50% of the essential criteria as these applications will be unsuccessful. Do not include Behaviour examples within your application as these will not be assessed in the sift and will only be used at interview stage.

There will be an initial sift of applications based on the Personal Statement only, so please ensure you evidence how you meet the Essential Skills, Knowledge & Experience requirement contained in the vacancy in this section. This will form a short list for interview.

STAGE 2 - INTERVIEW

All candidates who are successful at the sift stage will undertake a single virtual video interview.

The interview will follow a blended approach which will help us assess candidates Behaviours and Strengths.

Currently the sift is scheduled to take place w/c 29th January 2024 or 5th February 2024 and interview dates will be w/c 12th or 19th February 2024. Interviews are scheduled to take place virtually and dates are subject to change.

Further Information

Find out more about Working for DWP

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to DWP from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out. 

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service or Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.

Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Reasonable Adjustment

At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via DWPrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.