Location
Locations: Bristol (BS2 0EL), Coventry (CV1 2WT), Darlington (DL1 5QE), London (SW1P 3BT), Manchester (M1 2WD), Nottingham (NG2 1AW), Sheffield (S1 2FJ). Note: Bristol and Nottingham currently have site controls in place. Therefore, these location options are only available to existing DfE employees already assigned to these office locations.
About the job Job summary
About the team
This role is in the Financial Frameworks Team within the Funding and Financial Oversight Directorate (FFO) of Operations and Infrastructure Group.
The team comprises the grade 6 Head of Financial Frameworks, three Grade 7 managers and 3 SEO senior advisors.
It is at the forefront of establishing financial management and control, and financial reporting and audit, arrangements for academy trusts, colleges and other training providers in receipt of DfE funds.
About the role
The post is critical to the development of the post-16 financial framework, leading on the UK GAAP-based financial reporting and audit arrangements, and the financial management and control requirements, applicable to further education and sixth form colleges and independent training providers (ITPs), as well as liaising with external stakeholders.
There are significant current changes to the external financial reporting environment including a revised FRS102, and a new Further Education and Higher Education (FEHE) Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) which was published in autumn 2025. You will take a lead role in developing revised frameworks documents which are compliant with the new FEHE SORP, and potentially supporting development of other documents based on the new (and concurrent) Charities SORP.We therefore require a fully qualified accountant who would be interested in working in this technical environment, and who would enjoy doing so.
The role will require you to engage and consult with relevant sector and professional bodies at a senior level including college finance directors and accountancy firms where you will act as a technical assurance lead and an ambassador for the Directorate and the wider Department.
You will also work with colleagues within the team and across the Department to support the development of the financial assurance framework generally, and to ensure it aligns with policy, contractual requirements and funding rules. This is likely to include supporting the development of the frameworks for academy trusts, dependent upon team priorities.
We also support the sector at external meetings/webinars, which you would lead, to ensure key messages about audit and assurance are embedded across the sector.
The role will offer the opportunity to apply your professional accountancy knowledge and project management abilities, lead technical work strands and use your relationship management skills.
Job description
Your main responsibilities will include:
Products
- Overseeing the development of the financial management and control framework for the college and ITP sectors, including the College financial handbook and the ITP financial handbook.
- Developing the financial reporting framework for the college sector including the College accounts direction.
- Developing the audit and regularity requirements for the college sector including the Framework and guide for college auditors.
- Developing good practice guides, bulletins and other documents for colleges and auditors.
Stakeholder management
- Leading the Department’s relationship with key stakeholders on financial management and control, and reporting and assurance including the Association of Colleges and the Sixth Form Colleges Association.
- Collaborating credibly with the sector and influencing effectively on financial management and control, and reporting and audit requirements including consultation when introducing and developing assurance framework requirements, to ensure they are fit for purpose.
- Representing the Department at sector meetings/webinars including presenting to explain developments in the financial management and control, and reporting and assurance frameworks.
Research
- Maintaining up to date technical knowledge of financial management and control, and reporting and auditing standards so that the framework keeps abreast of all UK requirements. This includes assessing the impact of UK financial reporting requirements and liaising with and influencing relevant organisations to support colleges’ application of those requirements – for example the Charity Commission, Financial Reporting Council, the Further and Higher Education SORP Board and ICAEW.
- In particular you will be required to lead on developing revised frameworks documents for colleges which are compliant with the new Further and Higher Education SORP which came into effect from January 2026. You may also need to contribute concurrently to the development of equivalent documents for academies based on a new Charities SORP.
- Identifying policy initiatives that will impact upon assurance requirements and translating these into workable and deliverable guidance.
Support
- Providing expert advice to the assurance team and other operational teams within the Department on financial management and control, and reporting and audit/assurance issues.
- Operating flexibly across the Frameworks Team to support delivery in relation to academies and other non-college post-16 providers as priorities dictate.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
- Be a fully qualified accountant with at least five years post qualification experience who is fitted to work in a technical accounting environment and who does, or would, enjoy doing so.
- Professional knowledge of financial accounting, reporting and audit requirements.
- A high level of professional and technical skill, achieved in this environment.
- Knowledge and understanding of best practice financial management and governance arrangements.
- Able to look at the big picture and consider the wider factors, but at the same time can be details-focussed.
- Ability to undertake technical research and collate evidence to support decisions and to create solutions for complex areas of activity.
- Strong writing and drafting skills with the ability to take complex ideas and translate these into clear guidance and briefings for external publication.
- Effective stakeholder management and leadership skills including the confidence and ability to influence and negotiate at a senior level, whilst establishing mutual respect and trust to build long-lasting relationships.
- Strong and effective management skills with an approachable, supportive and challenging style.
- You are prepared to take ownership of your decisions and hold yourself accountable for what you deliver.
Desirable Criteria
- Knowledge of the college and independent training provider sectors including financial reporting and assurance requirements.
- Knowledge of charity accounting including the Charities SORP and Further Education and Higher Education SORP.
- 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.
Qualifications
Fully qualified accountant
Memberships
Membership of a professional accountancy body, for example ICAEW, ICAS, ACCA, CIFPA, CIMA or equivalent
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Communicating and Influencing
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