About the job

Summary

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance policy. As the UK’s biggest public service department, 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.

DWP Estates Directorate are accountable for the delivery of all aspects of real estate services and the work we do is critical in ensuring the vital work that the Department undertakes is enabled effectively. The DWP commercial estate is the largest within Government and our diverse national property portfolio reflects this scale. It is a unique mix ranging from modern corporate centres, multi-occupied Service Centres, to its frontline high street services.

We are responsible for the Department’s 900+ workplaces, that provide workplaces for 90,000 employees and a UK wide presence for all those that visit us. Ultimately, the Department relies on us to provide safe and secure buildings that are fit for purpose and meet the needs of the business.

The Department is also committed to delivering Sustainability and Net Zero Carbon improvements across its estate, demonstrating leadership in making the public estate smaller, better, greener. The work you will be undertaking is therefore crucial in us meeting the needs of all those who use our services.

This senior role will be responsible for providing cost management support to the Portfolio Strategy and Landlord and Leasehold Management Team (LLM) in relation to Leasehold Management and Authority Supply Chain Member (ASCM) services associated with Lease and Landlord Management (LLM) and property related Legal support.

The role will govern and control the management of costs. Providing robust and accurate cost management, information and reporting in support of budget development, forecasting and month end management reporting.

The role will be supported by the Rent Senior Cost Manager, Cost Managers and Cost Management Assistants. Working in partnership with the Portfolio Strategy and LLM Team, Supply Chain Managers and Finance Business Partners.

Job description

Key accountabilities and responsibilities

1. Leasehold Management

• Support the development of the annual budgets associated with the Leasehold Management services including the management thereof.

• Responsible and accountable for the overall management of the Rent Central Cost Management Team, ensuring the costs / income associated with the services are fully controlled and accurately reported, including the management of change.

• Responsible for the rent funding request (fortnightly, quarterly and ad-hoc urgent requests) cost validation process, ensuring the requests are accurate and reflect the lease term due amounts. Working in partnership with the Portfolio Strategy and LLM Team regarding queries and escalation of exception reporting to enable resolution.

• Responsible for implementing and operating robust cost controls to ensure compliance with the Department’s lease terms associated with rent, rates, service charges dilapidations payments etc. Working in partnership with the Portfolio Strategy & Leasehold Management Team.

• Responsible for the overall management of the recovery of due amounts from the Department’s sub-tenants, in accordance with lease terms, working in partnership with the Portfolio Strategy and LLM Team. The Policy and Compliance Team (utilities information) and the Finance Business Partners.

• Responsible for the provision of timely, robust and accurate cost and income reports (including actual costs, work in progress, accruals management, forecasting etc.) and information in support of the month end financial management reporting.

• Ensuring adherence with month end reporting timetables and the Department’s finance policies, procedures and processes.

2. Authority Supply Chain Member (ASCM) Services - Lease and Landlord Management (LLM) Services and Property Legal Services

• Support the development of the annual budgets, through the provision of accurate cost data and management information and reporting.

• Supporting the Portfolio Strategy and LLM Team in the management of the annual budget.

• Drive financial performance to meet in year budget targets and identify and proactively address opportunities for cost reduction.

• Responsible for the end to end management of costs. Ensuring compliance and adherence to contractual terms. Working in partnership with the Portfolio Strategy and LLM Team and the Supply Chain Managers.

• Responsible for the cost validation process of the ASCM estimates, ensuring adherence with contractual terms and DWP financial rules, policies, processes and procedures.

• Engaging the appropriate members of the Portfolio Strategy, LLM Team and the Supply Chain Managers regarding queries, escalations and delays associated with the estimation and Application For Payment (AFP) process to enable resolution.

• Responsible for ensuring value for money from the ASCM services, assessing and challenging estimates associated with billable services based on industry knowledge and experience.

• Provide management information based upon any findings derived from the validation of estimates and application for payments. Highlighting any potential risks / opportunities that require mitigating / further exploration.

• Responsible for overseeing and ensuring correct application of VAT rules associated with the ASCM services.

• Responsible for the management of change associated with the ASCM services (where there is a change to the contractual value) including the application and tracking of any change. Working in partnership with the Portfolio Strategy & Leasehold Management Team and the Supply Chain Managers.

• Working in partnership with the Business Assurance, Finance Business Partners and Centre of Excellence - Tax Strategy Team to ensure correct treatment of complex VAT transaction compliance associated with the ASCM services.

• Ensure that the cost management team and ASCMs work within budget and control costs, delivering value for money and efficiencies.

• Working closely with the Rent Senior Cost Manager, Cost Managers and Cost Management Assistants to monitor and govern the ASCM payment status.

• Supporting the Portfolio Strategy and LLM Team and working in partnership with the Finance Business Partners in the provision of timely, robust and accurate cost reports (including actual costs, work in progress in support of accurate accruals management) and information, in support of the month end financial management reporting, including forecasts and variance analysis.

• Identification of potential savings and risks.

• Drive continuous improvement through the development of management information to enable strategic management decisions, including risk and opportunities.

• Identify areas of continued improvement and work in partnership with the Business Assurance, Finance Business Partners and Centre of Excellence Teams to action and implement improvements.

• Support open book audit processes and co-ordinate information requests required by Finance Business Partner, Business Assurance and the Category Management Teams.

• Drive innovation and service improvements associated with the ASCM service cost and financial processes.

• Responsible and accountable for the overall management of the Rent Cost Management Team, ensuring the costs associated with the services are fully controlled and accurately reported, including the management of change.

• Responsible for the development of papers, presentations, reports and any other management information requiring insights and knowledge of all cost and budget related information, associated with the LLM and Legal Services.

Responsibilities

Essential Skills, Knowledge & Experience

• Excellent leadership, management, strategic, communication, presentational and influencing skills at all levels.

• Strong commercial and cost and financial management experience gained within a, preferably, HMG Leasehold Property or Real Estate function within a large, matrix organisation.

• Understanding of the Government model commercial lease and the Government riders.

• Strategic thinker with demonstrable experience in corporate Real Estate Leadership.

• Experience of working in a multi-site complex estate.

• Commercial awareness and astuteness connected with contractual obligations and interpretation with supply chain partners.

• Strong experience of lease rental agreements to include tenant and landlord financial obligations and landlord and tenant litigious financial processes.

• Strong experience of financial management and reporting requirements including financial accounting policies, processes and procedures.

• Experience of delivering value for money and identifying savings with robust budget management skills. Influencing the LLM / Legal services budget where needed.

• Experience in financial modelling of outgoing property liabilities, and the application of good commercial principles to multi-service delivery.

• Strong analytical skills including research and investigation, able to analyse and manipulate data for reporting.

• Ability to engage and work effectively with technical, legal and regulatory matters.

• Experience of DWP, National Property Controls and Ministerial contract governance processes is desirable.

Qualifications/professional memberships

Desirable

• AAT Level 3 or equivalent (including demonstrable experience). Or

• Degree qualified or equivalent in relevant Property and/or Financial discipline

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service