Funding Assurance - Assistant Manager

An introduction to our Funding Assurance team. Education providers can obtain funding from central government (the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), which on the 01/04/2025 became part of the Department for Education (DfE)) to provide ‘post-16 delivery’. The DfE also devolves adult education funding, now called adult skills fund to Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs), including the Greater London Authority (GLA). This includes 16 to 19 study programmes, T Levels, T Levels transition programme, apprenticeships, adult education budget, adult skills fund, community learning (now called tailored learning), advanced learner loans, skills bootcamps, 16 to 19 bursary fund and free meals in further education.

The Funding Assurance team examine and monitor the data reported to the ESFA, now DfE and the GLA and MCA clients to identify possible errors in the funding that has been claimed by education providers for post-16 delivery. The team therefore helps to ensure that government funding is being used as intended. As part of this team, you will therefore have an important role in helping to ensure that any improper claims for funding can be recovered by the DfE, GLA and MCAs.

The role will principally involve working with the Funding Assurance Partner, Manager and other members of the close knit Funding Assurance team of specialist staff to help plan and deliver funding assurance reviews. The Funding Assurance team is typically supplemented by members of the wider Public and Social Sector Risk Consulting team during busy periods and you will therefore also feel part of this much bigger team of circa 100 staff too.

Job Purpose: You will be responsible for delivering proactive, high quality and value-added assurance over compliance with ESFA, now DfE, GLA and MCA rules to further education colleges, independent training providers and higher education institutions nationally. The role will principally involve working with the Manager to plan, co-ordinate and deliver funding assurance reviews. This will include planning and liaison with the education provider/client, preparation of working papers, briefing the team and leading fieldwork as well as quality assurance of work, providing feedback and reporting of the work. You will also have the opportunity to play a key role in development and delivery of training alongside business development activities ranging from proposals and events, to training the funding assurance team and colleagues within the Public and Social Sector Risk Consulting team.

The team has experienced strong growth in recent years and is well placed to build on this further with strong opportunities in the short to medium for further progression for successful candidates. You will also be expected to contribute to the wider success of the Public and Social Sector Risk Consulting service line and help in its continuous improvement.

We work in a hybrid working model, so as an Assistant Manager you will split your time between working from home, visiting the office and client sites. This role could therefore be based in Nottingham, London, Manchester or Birmingham, with travelling subject to client and business need. You will report to the Manager, Director and Partner responsible for Public Services work within Risk Consulting.

Role & Responsibilities:

• Co-ordination and support of the overall work programme for DfE, MCA and GLA funding assurance.
• Leading funding assurance reviews from planning through to preparation of draft and final reports in line with agreed timescales, including any possible financial impact and clawback of funding claimed.
• Planning and performance of fieldwork including liaison with the education provider/client, briefing the team, as well as lead feedback meetings with the education provider/client.
• Considering the needs and skills of those under supervision, organising tasks and responsibilities.
• Providing on-the-job training and supervision of junior team members during delivery of fieldwork.
• Building and maintaining strong working relationships with the education provider/client, ensuring any problems or requests are dealt with promptly.
• Maintaining control and stability under pressure whilst recognising the deadline or urgency to be dealt with.
• Assesses and produces high quality work in line with the Firm's policy and processes, meeting relevant regulatory requirements.
• Providing constructive feedback for the completion of team member performance appraisals.
• Assistance on other special assignments (e.g. grant related assurance) as and when required.
• Ability to make confident and clear presentations of service features and benefits to providers.
• Ensures that the services provided are genuinely appropriate for the education provider/client.
• Identify opportunities and prospects for new work.
• Support in development and delivery of training alongside review and improvements to methodologies.
• Ensure standards and procedures maintained by whole team.

Skills, Knowledge & Experience:

• Knowledge of funding assurance reviews, PDSATs and ILR data.
• Knowledge of DfE, GLA and MCA funding rules and regulatory requirements.
• Ideally holds CCAB (i.e.) ACA, CA, ACCA, IIA, other relevant qualification or qualified by experience.
• Good interpersonal and client handling skills.
• Experience of managing, training and coaching junior staff.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills.
• Actively seeks to enhance expertise and knowledge.
• Ability to develop new initiatives and methodologies.
• High attention to detail.
• Ability to identify issues through sound analysis and application of technical skills in all situations.
• Provides assistance, shares experience, provides meaningful feedback and proactively supports the development of others.
• Takes ownership of projects, effectively delegates to others within the team and takes responsibility for quality control.
• Begins to develop a network of client contacts and contacts in the wider market.

About Forvis Mazars: Forvis Mazars is a leading global professional services network. The network operates under a single brand worldwide, with just two members: Forvis Mazars LLP in the United States and Forvis Mazars Group SC, an internationally integrated partnership operating in over 100 countries and territories. Both member firms share a commitment to providing an unmatched client experience, delivering audit & assurance, tax and advisory services around the world. Together, our strategic vision strives to move our clients, people, industry and communities forward. Through our reach and areas of expertise, we help organisations respond to emerging sustainability issues in the global marketplace including human rights, climate change, environmental impacts and culture.

We are one diverse, multicultural, multi-generational team with a huge sense of connection and belonging. This is a place where you can take ownership of your career, get involved, believe in yourself and put your ideas into action. At Forvis Mazars, we empower our people and celebrate individuality. We thrive on teamwork and are agile. We have bold foresight and give people the freedom to make a personal contribution to our shared purpose. We support one another to deliver quality, create change and have a deeper understanding, to help make an impact so that everyone can reach their full potential. Being inclusive is core to our culture at Forvis Mazars; we want to ensure everyone, whether in the recruitment process or beyond is fully supported to be their unique self. To read more about our approach click here. Our aim is to make the recruitment process as accessible and inclusive as possible - please contact us to discuss any changes you may require so we can work with you to support you throughout your application.

Visit forvismazars.com/uk to learn more.