P2P Analyst

• Bristol, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Reading, Warrington, York
• Job Summary

Defra is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world‑leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy.

Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day‑to‑day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.

Digital, Data, Technology and Security (DDTS) is the trusted team for digital across the entire Defra Group.

We have around 1000 colleagues across DDTS and our ambition is to make it easier and faster than ever for people to interact with Defra.

If you are ready to drive innovation and push boundaries, we want to hear from you.

Join us and together we will create a great place for living, and a green and healthy future for all.

• Find Out More About DDTS
• Defra digital, data and technology blog
• Linked In
• Defra Jobs
• We are Government Digital and Data Candidate Information Pack V3 - 1

Job Description

Join the Purchase to Pay Supplier Spend Operations & Governance (P2P SSOG) team and play a critical role in managing and assuring a portion of c.500m of digital delivery spend.

We are looking for a capable P2P Analyst to support billing governance, financial assurance and headroom management across a growing portfolio of contracts.

This is a unique opportunity to build specialist knowledge within a key operational function that underpins critical digital services across Defra ensuring suppliers are paid accurately, contractual headroom is managed effectively and financial risks are identified early & mitigated.

This is an excellent opportunity to develop specialist expertise within a growing and collaborative team.

You'll gain exposure to a wide range of commercial, financial and operational activities, working with complex contracts, supplier billing arrangements and financial data that directly support the delivery of Defra's digital services.

Unlike a traditional finance or accounts payable role, this position offers the opportunity to develop knowledge across financial assurance, contract governance, supplier spend management and commercial operations.

You'll build highly transferable analytical and problem‑solving skills while contributing to the effective stewardship of public funds.

As part of a supportive and evolving team, you'll have opportunities to broaden your experience, develop specialist knowledge and contribute to the continuous improvement of processes and controls that support effective contract and supplier management.

You'll work alongside finance, commercial and supplier management professionals, gaining experience that can support future career development across multiple professions.

Whether you're looking to build on existing analytical experience or develop a new specialism, this role provides a strong foundation for a career in financial assurance, governance, commercial operations and supplier management.

Responsibilities

• Support the validation and assurance of supplier invoices and billing submissions across a portfolio of digital contracts
• Monitor contract spend, forecasts and available contractual headroom, identifying risks and escalating issues where appropriate
• Analyse financial and operational data to support accurate reporting, assurance and decision‑making
• Maintain accurate records, management information and governance documentation
• Investigate and resolve billing discrepancies, data quality issues and supplier queries
• Manage assigned billing and assurance activities across multiple cost models in line with defined processes, controls and monthly delivery timelines
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of processes, controls and reporting that support the effective management of supplier spend

Skills And Experience

• Strong Microsoft Excel capability, including the use of formulas, lookups, data validation and the ability to confidentially handle and interpret datasets accurately
• Good understanding of P2P financial processes, including invoice checking, spend tracking and basic purchase‑to‑pay activities and billing governance (or ability to quickly develop this knowledge)
• Experience working with financial, operational or performance data, including reconciling figures and maintaining accurate records and attention to detail
• Good analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to identify discrepancies, investigate issues and recommend solutions
• Ability to interpret financial and commercial information, such as invoices, rate cards and simple contract and billing terms, and apply it to support assurance, validation and decision‑making activities
• Experience maintaining accurate records and producing reliable management information, identifying discrepancies and support issue resolution
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work effectively with colleagues, customers and suppliers
• Ability to follow established processes and work instructions consistently, managing multiple activities across several cost models while meeting strict monthly deadlines and maintaining high levels of accuracy
• Work collaboratively with stakeholders and suppliers to resolve queries and support smooth delivery of processes and elevate appropriately

Alongside your salary of £29,715, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £8,608 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• 25 days leave (rising to 30 days over 5 years) plus bank holidays.
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%.
• A day off per year for the King's birthday.
• Access to a range of retail discounts (these include supermarket, tech, gym, holiday, phone and more).
• Flexible working options such as condensed hours, part‑time and flexi time.
• 3 paid volunteering days per year.
• Funding for professional membership of a recognised professional body.
• Learning and development tailored to your role and budget for training or qualifications.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Health cash plan to help you manage health costs for a reduced monthly fee.
• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme open 24 hours, 7 days a week, that provides support to you during any times of stress or difficulty.
• Free access to Headspace for wellbeing.
• Season ticket loan for public transport.
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