Senior Cost Manager

On behalf of DWP, we are looking for a Senior Cost Manager for a 6 month (Inside IR35) contract based 2 days per week in any of the following locations: London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Blackpool, Newcastle or Glasgow

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions, and child maintenance policy. As the UK’s biggest public service department, it administers the State Pension and a range of working age, disability and ill health benefits to around 20 million claimants and customers. As such, we operate on a scale that is almost unmatched anywhere in Europe and most people in Britain come into contact with us at some point in their lives.

Working with DWP, you will be helping us to drive our priorities to:

• Run an effective welfare system that enables people to achieve financial independence by providing assistance and guidance into employment

• Increase saving for, and security in later life

• Create a fair and affordable welfare system which improves the life chances of children

• Deliver outstanding services to our customers and claimants

• Deliver efficiently: transform the way we deliver our services to reduce costs and increase productivity..

As a Senior Cost Manager your main responsibilities will be:

• Responsible for the oversight of the Purchase to Pay process and Purchase Order management for Estates Services, ensuring correct allocation based on financial policies and rules

• Supporting the Cost Management Lead in the management of the Estates Services budget and associated purchase orders

• Operating robust cost controls ensuring adherence to Authority Supply Chain Members (ASCM) contractual terms and conditions, including contractual value

• Supporting the Estates Teams to manage and control the contract spend.

• Challenge and assure, as appropriate, ASCM applications for payment and estimates associated with Estates Services ensuring adherence to contractual terms and value for money

• Manage and facilitate the application for payment process, ensuring compliance with the AFP timetable, the ASCM contractual payment terms, engaging the appropriate stakeholders and gaining the necessary approvals

• Issuing of the payment certificate to the ASCM and Integrator (for upload to system) instructing invoice generation, working closely with the cost managers to monitor and govern ASCM payment status

• Work in partnership with the Cost Managers and Integrator to ensure accurate cost allocation of the ASCM invoice file and monitor progress to ensure prompt payment

• Supporting the Cost Management Lead and working in partnership with the Finance Business Partners, providing timely, cost information in support of month end financial management reporting

• Work collaboratively with the Finance Business Partners to align actual costs, savings and financial risks with monthly financial forecasting associated with Estates Services

• Ensuring adherence to month end reporting timetables

• Drive continuous improvement associated with the cost of the Estates Services, supporting the Estates Teams with management information to inform and enable strategic asset management decisions, including risk and opportunities

• Drive innovation and service improvements associated with the Estate Services cost and financial processes

• Interface with the Business Assurance Team to ensure complex VAT compliance associated with the Estates Services

• Support open book audit processes and co-ordinate information requests required by Finance and Commercial Teams

• Provide line management and guidance to the Cost Managers to promote wellbeing and learning and development opportunities to support their commercial and contract knowledge development

• Develop and contribute to a network of Senior Cost Managers across the Estates function to build a culture of continuous improvement to drive commercial awareness and best practice., DWP guarantees to interview veterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group.

"In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different".

• Experience of managing an end to end Purchase to Pay process including facilitating payments, compliance with contractual payment terms and engaging with the appropriate key stakeholders for all approvals

• Experience of interpretation and analysis of data using Advanced Excel, to inform decision making by internal / external stakeholders. Encouraging collaborative working by presenting data and information to non-financial/financial experts

• Operating robust cost controls ensuring adherence to Supplier contractual terms and conditions

• Demonstrable experience of building a culture of continuous improvement to drive efficiency and delivery of the Estates strategic priorities eg Work Place Services

• Ability to work at pace, with rigor and attention to detail, be accountable and own problems through to their conclusion

• Substantial knowledge of Real Estate and related Statutory, Regulatory and Legislative requirements.

• Financial management experience gained within the Property/Facilities Management division of a complex, matrix organisation.

• Experience of managing a team, providing clear, visible and strong leadership and engagement, driving high performance and quality.

Desirable:

• Demonstrate experience of understanding and application of HMRC VAT legislation including VAT for public bodies

• Demonstrable experience of supporting financial management including providing timely cost information to support, month end forecasting and management reporting.

• Power BI experience

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident

As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, DWP guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply.