Senior Assurance Technical Officer

Job summary

IMPORTANT - This vacancy is using the Civil Service Numerical and Verbal tests. The deadline for completing the tests is the same as the vacancy closing date. Please ensure you complete the tests with sufficient time to complete the written application.

About the team

This role is in the Assurance Division of the Funding and Financial Oversight Directorate (FFO) of Operations and Infrastructure Group – FFO Assurance. The division is led by the assurance deputy director and comprises 3 grade 6 senior managers, 10 grade 7 managers and 47 assurance staff.

The team provides regularity assurance to the Department’s Accounting Officer on DfE grants / funding of circa £100 billion to local authorities, academy trusts, FE colleges, higher education providers and independent training providers.

Job description

About the role

We are looking for an experienced professional with a strong background in IT, product development, data analysis, and digital solutions to drive the design and delivery of critical IT assurance tools and related initiatives.

This is an exciting time for the Assurance Division. DfE funding for the schools and early years sectors continues to grow, with the recent expansion in Early Years funded childcare places and the growth in Special Education Needs funding, as well as significant developments in post-16 funding, particularly around devolution. This change and growth, together with the need for the Division to make better use of technology, including automation and AI, means that we need a technical officer to support the Division.

You will lead and support continuous improvement of our assurance services through the greater use of technology, automation, digitisation and AI. You will lead the development / further development of new and existing IT assurance tools and products, including DfE’s Provider Data Self-Assessment Tool (PDSAT),(PDSAT is a data interrogation / analysis tool, developed by DfE for post-16 providers and auditors, to check the validity and accuracy of providers’ post-16 funding data and returns), to facilitate the delivery of more effective and efficient assurance services. The role will include working alongside assurance managers and colleagues in the FFO Intelligence and Solutions Team and in Enterprise Data for Funding & Oversight (EDFO) to identify and oversee the development of the tools and products.

The ideal candidate will have a good understanding of how technology solutions are designed and delivered, how assurance activities operate, and how data can be used to improve risk identification, assurance coverage, and the evaluation of errors and issues. You will bring experience in areas such as software and product design, digital transformation, automation, data interrogation and analysis, and stakeholder engagement. An understanding of internal control frameworks and risk-based assurance approaches would be advantageous.

PDSAT is a data interrogation / analysis tool, developed by DfE for post-16 providers and auditors, to check the validity and accuracy of providers’ post-16 funding data and returns.

Responsibilities will include, but not limited to for the roles:

Delivery

• Lead the development / further development of new and existing IT assurance tools and products, including DfE’s Provider Data Self-Assessment Tool (PDSAT).
• Lead the annual development/continuous improvement of DfE’s Provider Data Self-Assessment Tool (PDSAT), together with its sampling tool and audit working papers, including development of the specification, engagement with, stakeholders, including funding policy teams and software developers (Enterprise Data for Funding & Oversight (EDFO)), testing and quality assurance.
• Lead and support continuous improvement of our assurance services through the greater use of technology, automation, digitisation and AI.
• Develop guidance and user support resources for internal and external stakeholders, which support PDSAT and other assurance tools.
• Develop and deliver training sessions for internal and external stakeholders, which support PDSAT and other assurance tools.
• Work with assurance managers and the Intelligence and Solutions Team, supporting the delivery of the annual regularity assurance programme, through:
• Development of statistical sampling methodologies and preparation of statistical samples.
• Development of error evaluation models, the analysis and reporting of errors, including estimation of population errors for funding streams.
• Supporting liaison with the NAO Audit Team to facilitate delivery of their regularity audit of grants (a key element of their external audit of the Department’s annua report and accounts).
• Own outputs and deliverables, ensuring work aligns with wider assurance objectives, departmental and strategic priorities.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including policy teams, The Intelligence and Solutions Team, EDFO, providers and audit firms.

We welcome applications from candidates seeking part time or compressed working pattern. However, due to the nature of the work and the shift coverage required, the minimum number of contracted hours for this role is 30 hours per week over a 4 day period.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Good understanding of the software development lifecycle, including requirements gathering, user research, testing, quality assurance, and interpreting complex regulatory and data requirements.
• Experience in supporting product design and digital transformation, including process mapping, workflow design, process improvement, automation, benefits realisation, and the use of AI and digital technologies to improve outcomes.
• Good understanding of data engineering and analysis, including data modelling, extraction, validation, cleansing, reconciliation, data quality assurance, and the use of Excel (including VBA/macros), Power Query, Power BI, SQL, and similar data automation and reporting tools to support decision-making.
• Strong planning and organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, risks, and deadlines effectively.
• Strong stakeholder management, influencing, and communication skills, with the ability to build relationships and communicate clearly with technical and non-technical audiences, both verbally and in writing.

Desirable criteria

• Experience in assurance, audit, risk management, governance and/or control environments, including understanding of assurance and sampling methodologies, internal control frameworks, error detection techniques and assurance reporting.
• Knowledge of the education, academy and/or local authority sectors, including working with academies, FE colleges and independent training providers.
• Knowledge of post-16 funding, including Adult Skills Fund, apprenticeships and 16 to 19 study programmes, as well as Individualised Learner Records (ILR).
• Knowledge of regularity requirements within public and/or education bodies.

Desirable criteria will only be assessed at interview in the event of a tie break situation to make an informed decision.

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits