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 Rent Cost Management Lead and the Portfolio Strategy & Leasehold Management Team in relation to Leasehold Management and Authority Supply Chain Member (ASCM) services associated with Lease and Landlord Management (LLM) and Legal support.

The role will be responsible for the management of costs in relation to Leasehold Management and Authority Supply Chain Member (ASCM) services associated with Lease and Landlord Management (LLM) and Legal support. Operating robust and accurate cost management, information and reporting in support of budget development, forecasting and month end management reporting.

The role will support the Rent Cost Management Lead with validating, controlling and reporting of all costs associated with Leasehold Management and ASCM services. Ensuring adherence and compliance with lease obligations, the ASCM contractual terms and conditions and DWP financial rules, policies, processes and procedures.

The role will be supported by the Cost Managers and Cost Management Assistants and work in partnership with the Portfolio Strategy & Leasehold Management Team, Supply Chain Managers and Finance Business Partners.

Job description

Key accountabilities and responsibilities

1. Leasehold Management

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

• Responsible for the end to end management of costs and income associated with the Leasehold Management services, ensuring the costs and income are fully controlled and accurately reported, including the management of change.

• Responsible for validating rent funding requests (fortnightly, quarterly and ad-hoc urgent requests) raised by the ASCM providing the LLM Services, ensuring the requests are accurate and reflect the lease term due amounts.

• Work in partnership with the Portfolio Strategy & Leasehold Management Team regarding queries, 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.

• Responsible for recovering the correct and due amounts from the Department’s sub-tenants, in accordance with lease terms, working in partnership with the Portfolio Strategy & Leasehold Management Team, Policy and Compliance team (utilities) and the Finance Business Partners.

• Provision of timely, robust and accurate cost and income reports (including actual costs, work in progress in support of accurate accruals management) 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.

• Supporting the Portfolio Strategy & Leasehold Management Team with accurate forecasting associated with the Leasehold Management services, including the identification of potential savings and risks.

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

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

• Supporting the Portfolio Strategy & Leasehold Management 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 associated with the ASCM Services. Ensuring compliance and adherence to contractual terms.

• Validation of the ASCM estimates, ensuring adherence with the ASCM contractual terms and DWP financial rules, policies, processes and procedures.

• Facilitating, including the validation process, associated with the ASCM Application for Payment (AFP) process, ensuring compliance with the AFP timetable and the ASCM contractual payment terms. Engaging the appropriate stakeholders and gaining the necessary approvals.

• Working in partnership with the Portfolio Strategy & Leasehold Management Team and the Supply Chain Managers regarding queries, escalations and delays associated with the estimation and 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 experience and industry of the estimated services.

• 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.

• Responsible for the oversight of the end to end Purchase to Pay (P2P) process and Purchase Order management, working closely with the Cost Managers and Cost Management Assistants.

• Responsible for overseeing and ensuring the correct and accurate application of the financial business rules and policies in the raising of requisitions, to the correct cost category codes and DFA levels. Ensuring the requisitions are supported with the necessary contractual cover / data / information to enable approval.

• Responsible for maintaining a register of Delegated Financial Authority levels across the Portfolio Strategy & Leasehold Management Team to include / ensure cover is in place for periods of leave, absence etc.

• 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.

• Responsible for ensuring the ASCMs are paid in a timely manner and in accordance with the contractual terms and conditions.

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

• Overall management of the cost allocation (mapping to the appropriate cost categories, ensuring adherence to DWP financial policies) of the ASCM invoicing progressing any queries to resolution.

Responsibilities

Essential Skills, Knowledge & Experience

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

• Strong commercial, cost and financial management experience preferably gained within a HMG Leasehold Property or Real Estate function within a large, matrix organisation. including detailed budget build and month end forecasting and management reporting.

• Demonstrable experience of cost and financial management and reporting, including detailed budget build, month end forecasting and management reporting including robust understanding of financial accounting policies, processes and procedures.

• Experience of the end to end Purchase to Pay process from initial procurement to supplier payments, including contractual change request management.

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

• Experience of lease rental agreements to include tenant and landlord financial obligations.

• Demonstrable experience of managing and control of large and complex budgets ideally gained within a complex, matrix organisation.

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

• 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.

Desirable Skills, Knowledge & Experience

• Demonstrable robust understanding and application of HMT VAT legislation; experience of VAT for public bodies desirable.

• Experience of HMG, Public Sector, National Property Controls and Ministerial contract governance processes is desirable.

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

• Demonstrable knowledge of Real Estate and related Statutory, Regulatory and Legislative requirements is desirable.

Qualifications/professional memberships

Desirable

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

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service