Key accountabilities Review and validate supplier costing for works completed, including pricing and schedule of rates, challenging and escalating where necessary. working in partnership with the buying team to ensure purchase orders are raised promptly upon approval. provide support to the integrator and senior cost managers to ensure the timely and accurate preparation and validation of the invoice files to enable accurate and prompt payment to the supplier providing the Estates Services. Undertake payment critical processes that enable the supplier invoices to be paid each month in accordance with contractual terms. Responsible for validating supplier applications for payment. Ensure the timely preparation and validation of the invoice feeder files for submission to Shared Services Connected Ltd (SSCL). Lead role in the governance and management of the requisition process associated with Estates Services, ensuring the necessary information, approvals and financial rules / policies are being applied by the cost management assistants, providing support and guidance where required. Work in partnership with the buying team to ensure the prompt raising of purchase orders upon Budget Manager approval. Point of escalation for the cost management assistants when requisition service level agreement timeframe is at risk of being breached to ensure timely approvals are met by DFA holders. Point of escalation for delays associated with the raising of purchase orders. Show a positive approach to clear the daily notifications and transactions associated with the requisition process, resolving any queries and providing advice, encouraging joined up teamwork within own team and across other groups. Undertake lead responsibility for Purchase Order management; GRNI reports, invoices on hold and escalation of outstanding items as needed, identifying risks and resolving issues efficiently. Manage cost monitoring to ensure purchase order values are sufficient to prevent a breach of financial compliance. Responsible for ensuring the Integrator system holds accurate cost data and information associated with the Estates Service. Working in partnership with the Integrator and cost management team to develop and prepare accurate cost data and management information associated with the Estates Services spend, including cost data at property level. Build and maintain relationships with the Integrator team, suppliers and OGDs to ensure smooth resolution of invoice and payment queries associated with the Estates Services. Encourage collaborative working between teams and directorates to drive innovation and service improvements, associated with the Estates Services cost and finance processes. Manage issues using skill and judgement to ensure business continuity and escalate to the Senior Cost Manager and/or Cost Management Lead. Preparation of cost information and reports to support the month end process and assure the accuracy of the financial reporting for Estates Services. Preparation of information and reports to support Business Assurance and Finance Business Partners Open Book Audits. Provide line management and guidance to the Cost Management Assistants and support their commercial and contract knowledge development. Build own contract knowledge and commercial awareness of assigned supplier contract(s) and services provided. Person specification Essential Skills, Knowledge & Experience Demonstrable experience of the end-to-end Purchase to Pay process (P2P). Strong attention to detail and the ability to deliver at pace. Understanding and application of HMRC VAT legislation; experience of VAT for public bodies desirable. Demonstrable experience of supporting the management of supplier payments and invoice validation and tracking. Strong analytical skills including research and investigation, able to analyse and manipulate data for reporting. Strong leadership skills, able to identify and support the development needs of themselves, their team and others to drive continuous improvement. Capable of driving performance improvement through proactive management of processes and ensuring compliance with financial rules, policies and procedures. Demonstrable resilience in overcoming difficulties by taking ownership for resolving issues. Experience of working with a range of stakeholders to support the development of solutions for commercial performance and compliance. Desirable Understanding of Real Estate and related Statutory, Regulatory and Legislative requirements desirable. Experience of managing a team. Qualifications/professional memberships Desirable AAT Foundation Certificate Level 2 or equivalent or working towards. HNC Accounting or equivalent or working towards. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Making Effective Decisions Communicating and Influencing Working Together Delivering at Pace Benefits Alongside your salary of 37,497, Department for Work and Pensions contributes 10,862 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. DWP have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes: Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours. Generous annual leave at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (prorata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave. Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme. Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly). Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 years continuous service. Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes. An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Womens Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more. 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 Personal Statement of no more than 1000 words against the essential criteria as outlined above. You will also be asked to provide a short CV. 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. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form. 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. You will also be asked an additional question to validate your knowledge which will be measured against the essential criteria as specified in the vacancy. Currently the sift is scheduled to take place w/c 13 January 2025and interview dates w/c 27th January 2025 or 3rd February 2025. 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.grscabinetoffice.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 Infodisclosurescotland.co.uk New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band. 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 applicants 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. 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. 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. 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.grscabinetoffice.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 youre 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. Diversity and Inclusion The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window) .