Controls and Assurance Manager

On behalf of the Department for Education (DfE) , we are looking for a Controls and Assurance Manager (Inside IR35) for a 6 month contract based in London, Manchester, Sheffield or Darlington with a requirement to attend the office 2 days per week

We are seeking an experienced Controls and Assurance Manager to strengthen the end-to-end control environment supporting the Department's student loan book and the financial information provided by the Student Loans Company (SLC).

This is a high-profile role focused on assessing, strengthening and embedding financial controls , improving assurance over key processes and data, and ensuring robust governance arrangements between the Department and SLC. The successful candidate will work closely with finance, operational, risk, assurance, data and technology stakeholders to identify control weaknesses, implement sustainable improvements, and support readiness for year-end reporting and external audit requirements.

The role will play a critical part in supporting the resolution of audit findings and enhancing confidence in the accuracy, completeness and integrity of student loan financial reportin

As a Controls and Assurance Manager , your main responsibilities will be:

- Lead a risk-based review of the end-to-end control framework supporting the student loan book, including data flows, cash transactions, loan balances, models, journals, reconciliations, financial reporting and disclosures.
- Map processes, risks, controls , ownership , evidence requirements and dependencies across the Department and the Student Loans Company, identifying gaps, duplication and areas of unclear accountability.
- Assess the design and operating effectiveness of key controls , ensuring findings and conclusions are supported by appropriate and auditable evidence.
- Develop and oversee remediation plans to address control weaknesses, agreeing clear actions, owners, milestones and escalation routes.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with SLC finance, operational, technology, data, risk and assurance teams.
- Coordinate the timely provision, review and challenge of SLC data, reconciliations, assurance documentation and supporting evidence used within departmental financial reporting.
- Evaluate the completeness and reliability of assurance received from SLC and other delivery partners, identifying where additional departmental assurance activities are required.
- Improve and develop governance arrangements, including service-level measures, reporting protocols, issue management processes and stakeholder forums.
- Support the resolution of internal and external audit findings, ensuring agreed actions address root causes and deliver sustainable improvements.
- Produce clear and concise reporting for senior stakeholders, highlighting control effectiveness, key risks, remediation progress and matters requiring escalation.
- Embed repeatable assurance processes, controls and guidance, supporting knowledge transfer to permanent staff and ensuring long-term sustainability.

Essential:

- Significant experience delivering controls and assurance activities within the financial services sector, including lending environments, credit portfolios or other financial instruments, with the ability to assess control effectiveness, identify weaknesses and drive remediation actions.
- Strong understanding of audit requirements, period-end processes and financial reporting controls .
- Proven ability to analyse complex financial information and assess accounting implications to support informed decision -making.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including Pivot Tables, XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH and working with large, complex datasets.
- Demonstrable experience documenting and assessing end-to-end processes, risks and controls , including testing control design and operating effectiveness.
- Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build effective relationships, challenge constructively, negotiate responsibilities and secure timely action from senior stakeholders.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience engaging internal teams, external auditors and other senior stakeholders.
- Experience coordinating control reviews, managing action plans and ensuring the timely resolution of control weaknesses and audit findings.
- Ability to work independently in complex environments, prioritising competing demands while maintaining a strong focus on risk management , governance and control effectiveness.
- Experience producing concise, high-quality reporting for senior leadership , clearly articulating risks, issues, progress and recommendations.

Desirable:

- Experience of financial reporting within UK Central Government.
- Knowledge of HM Treasury's Managing Public Money guidance and the Financial Reporting Manual (FReM).
- Understanding of public sector regularity reporting requirements and assurance frameworks.
- Experience working with large operational systems, interfaces and data transfers that support financial reporting processes.
- Familiarity with complex financial models and the governance of financial data within large organisations.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident

As a Disability Confident employer, DfE encourage applications from disabled and neurodivergent candidates . Applications from candidates who identify as having a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role will be prioritised for review. Where application volumes are high, additional role-specific and desirable criteria may be applied as part of the shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

Armed Forces Covenant

As a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, CA welcome applications from veterans, service leavers, reservists and military spouses or partners. Applications from eligible candidates who meet the essential criteria for the role will be prioritised for review. Where application volumes are high, additional role-specific and desirable criteria may be applied as part of the shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different".