Head of Financial Frameworks

Job summary

A bout the team

This role is in the Financial Frameworks Team within the Assurance Division of 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 governance, reporting and audit, arrangements for academy trusts, colleges and other training providers in receipt of DfE funds.

Job description

About the role

We are seeking to recruit a high-calibre individual to lead the team, which plays a fundamental role in preventing the misuse of public funds. The post is critical to the development of the Department’s financial framework for pre-16 and post-16 education providers, leading on both technical accounting and audit requirements under UK GAAP, and on all financial governance, management and control matters for these providers.

You will be a key member of the FFO Assurance senior leadership team, working alongside the Heads of pre-16 and post-16 assurance, as well as reporting to the deputy director (assurance).

There are significant current changes to the external financial reporting environment including a revised FRS102, and Charities / Further Education and Higher Education (FEHE) Statements of Recommended Practice (SORPs), published in autumn 2025. You will lead the team developing revised frameworks documents which are compliant with the new SORPs. We therefore require a fully qualified accountant with extensive experience, a proven record of working in a technical accounting environment, and who enjoys working in that environment.

The role will require you to engage and consult with relevant sector and professional bodies at a senior level including, Charity Commission, Financial Reporting Council, the Further and Higher Education SORP Board, ICAEW and Association of Colleges as well as academy trust and college finance directors and accountancy firms where you and your team will act as technical assurance leads and ambassadors for the Directorate and the wider Department.

You will work with colleagues within the team and across the Department to support the development of the financial assurance framework for education providers generally, and to ensure it aligns with policy, contractual requirements and funding rules.

We also support the sector at external meetings/webinars, which you and your team 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.

Your main responsibilities will include:

Leadership:

• This is a specialised senior leadership position responsible for setting the direction for a team of professionals working in a complex technical area.
• Ensuring robust planning of individual projects across the team.
• Delivering agreed outcomes to the highest standards, underpinned by thorough research and sound rationale.
• Identifying and managing risks to delivery.
• Applying the right balance of support and challenge across the team, reflecting both delivery needs and individual needs.

Products:

Overseeing the development of:

• The financial governance framework for the academy, college and independent training provider sectors including the academy trust handbook, the college financial handbook and the ITP financial handbook.
• The financial reporting framework for the academy and college sector including academy and college accounts directions.
• The audit and regularity requirements for the sector including frameworks and guides for academy and college auditors.
• Good practice guides, bulletins and other documents for academies, colleges and auditors.

Stakeholder management:

• Leading the Department’s relationship with key stakeholders on financial management, control, reporting and assurance including the Confederation of School Trusts, Institute of School Business Leadership, Association of Colleges and the Sixth Form Colleges Association.
• Collaborating credibly with the sectors and influencing effectively on financial management, control, reporting and audit requirements including consultation when introducing and developing financial governance, reporting and assurance framework requirements, to ensure they are fit for purpose.
• Representing the Department at HM Treasury, Charity Commission, Financial Reporting Council, the Further and Higher Education SORP Board, ICAEW and Association of Colleges sector webinars / meetings including presentations by the team to explain developments in the financial management, control, reporting and assurance framework.

Research:

• Maintaining up to date technical knowledge of financial reporting and auditing standards so that the frameworks keep abreast of all UK requirements. This includes ensuring the team thoroughly assesses 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 professionals developing revised frameworks documents for academies, colleges and independent training providers, which are compliant with legislation in particular the Companies Act, and with UK financial reporting and auditing standards including FRS102 and the new SORPs for charities and further and higher education,
• Identifying policy initiatives across the Department and other parts of government including HM Treasury that will impact upon assurance requirements and translating these into workable and deliverable guidance.
• Thorough research is a critical skill for the team you will lead.

Support:

• Providing expert advice to the assurance team and other operational teams within the Department on financial governance, management, control, reporting and audit/assurance issues.
• Operating collaboratively and flexibly across the division, directorate and Department to support your senior civil service colleagues on wider corporate delivery.

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:

• Be a fully qualified accountant with extensive experience, a proven record of working in a technical accounting environment and someone who enjoys doing so.
• Professional knowledge of financial governance, management, control, accounting, reporting and audit requirements.
• A high level of professional and technical expertise / skill, achieved in this or a similar environment.
• A proven leader with an approachable, supportive and challenging style able to set direction and ensure the highest quality delivery.
• Able to look at the big picture and consider the wider factors, but at the same time can be details-focussed.
• Ability to lead technical research 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 advice.
• 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.
• Prepared to take ownership of your decisions and hold yourself accountable for what you deliver.

Desirable Criteria:

• Knowledge of the academy, college and independent training provider sectors including financial governance, management, control, 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 (e.g. ICAEW, ICAS, ACCA, CIPFA, CIMA or equivalent).

Memberships

Fully qualified accountant and a member of the relevant CCAB professional body or equivalent (e.g. ICAEW, ICAS, ACCA, CIPFA, CIMA or equivalent).

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £73,334, Department for Education contributes

£21,244 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.

As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK.

You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King’s Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.

We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.

Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.

Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.

As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

To apply for this role, please select 'Apply Now' at the top or bottom of this advert. CV details need to be included in the template within the application form; attached or emailed CVs will not be considered.

Stage 1 – Application

At sift stage, you will be assessed on your Experience in line with the essential criteria listed in the person specification section of the job advert. You will also be assessed on the Behaviours listed in the advert.

To apply for this role, please provide:

• A Short CV setting out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role.
• Your Statement of Suitability – In no more than 1000 words, provide examples of how your personal skills, qualities and experience meet the essential criteria. This is not intended to be a cover letter, instead work through each essential criteria in turn