The public sector client is looking to recruit a Senior Cost Manager for a 6 month temporary contract, which is a hybrid job currently. You can work at any of the client’s hubs/offices, when you are required to go on site to work in the office when restrictions ease. Currently the sites include, London, Leeds, Manchester, Blackpool, Newcastle.

Job Purpose:

The role will provide support to the Cost Management Lead in the overall governance and management of Estates Services costs. Providing robust and accurate cost information and reporting in support of budget development, forecasting and month end management reporting, including the management of change.

This senior role will be responsible for validating, controlling and reporting of all costs associated with Estates Services, ensuring adherence and compliance with financial rules, policies, processes and procedures.

The role will be responsible and accountable for the Authority Supply Chain Members (ASCMs) application for payment process.

The role will be supported by the Cost Managers and Cost Management Assistants ensuring that estimates, invoices and applications for payment are accurate and paid in accordance with the ASCMs contractual terms.

1. Understanding of AAT – Month end management of costs
2. Understanding of financial statements/commercial contracts
3. Facilities Management – Security – Project
4. Cost engineer skillset – Cost management activity

Essential Skills, Knowledge & Experience:
• Substantial demonstrable experience of managing and controlling large and complex budgets.
• Extensive experience of the end to end Purchase to Pay process from initial procurement to supplier payments, including contractual change request management.
• Demonstrable understanding and application of HMT VAT legislation.
• Extensive experience of interpretation and analysis of data to inform decision making and presentation of data and information to key stakeholders that may not be financial experts.
• Demonstrable experience of financial management and reporting, detailed budget profiling, month end forecasting and management reporting.
• Demonstrable experience of building a culture of continuous improvement to drive efficiency.
• Influential and able to lead internal and external stakeholders towards solutions, encourage collaborative working between teams, build relationships to deliver business strategy plans.
• Ability to work at pace, with rigor and attention to detail, be accountable and own problems through to their conclusion.
• Experience of managing a team, providing clear, visible and strong leadership and engagement, driving high performance and quality.

Desirable Skills, Knowledge & Experience:
• Substantial knowledge of Real Estate and related Statutory, Regulatory and Legislative requirements.
• Financial management experience gained within the Property/Facilities Management division of a complex, matrix organisation.
• Experience of VAT for public bodies.

Key accountabilities and responsibilities:
• Responsible for the oversight of the Purchase to Pay process and Purchase Order management for Estates Services, working closely with the Cost Managers and Cost Management Assistants supporting the Cost Management Lead to control the end to end management of costs associated with the Estates Services, ensuring correct allocation based on financial policies and rules.
• Supporting the Cost Management Lead in the development of Estates Services annual budget and the management thereof.
• Operating robust cost controls ensuring adherence to ASCM contractual terms and conditions, including contractual value.
• Supporting the Estates Teams to manage and control the contract spend.
• Supporting the Cost Management Lead and working in partnership with the Finance Business Partners, providing timely, robust and accurate cost reports / information in support of month end financial management reporting.
• Work collaboratively with the Finance Business Partners to align actual costs, savings and financial risks with monthly financial forecasting and the monthly management accounts processes associated with Estates Services.
• Ensuring adherence to month end reporting timetables.
• Challenge and assure, as appropriate, ASCM applications for payment and estimates associated with Estates Services ensuring adherence to contractual terms and value for money.
• Manage and facilitate the application for payment process, ensuring compliance with the AFP timetable, the ASCM contractual payment terms, engaging the appropriate stakeholders and gaining the necessary approvals.
• Issuing of the payment certificate to the ASCM and Integrator (for upload to system) instructing invoice generation, working closely with the cost managers to monitor and govern ASCM payment status.
• Work in partnership with the Cost Managers and Integrator to ensure accurate cost allocation of the ASCM invoice file and monitor progress to ensure prompt payment.
• Monitor a register of Delegated Financial Authority levels across the Estates Team to include / ensure cover is in place for periods of leave, absence etc.
• Drive continuous improvement associated with the cost of the Estates Services, supporting the Estates Teams with management information to inform and enable strategic asset management decisions, including risk and opportunities.
• Drive innovation and service improvements associated with the Estate Services cost and financial processes.
• Interface with the Business Assurance Team to ensure complex VAT compliance associated with the Estates Services.
• Support open book audit processes and co-ordinate information requests required by Finance and Commercial Teams.
• Provide line management and guidance to the Cost Managers to promote wellbeing and learning and development opportunities to support their commercial and contract knowledge development.
• Develop and contribute to a network of Senior Cost Managers across the Estates function to build a culture of continuous improvement to drive commercial awareness and best practice.

The successful candidate will have a valid DBS or be willing to apply for one on CV submission or when a job offer has been made and accepted. This assignment sits inside IR35.

About the Rates of Pay:  Please note: The higher pay rate advertised in our job advert/s will always be the highest Ltd or Umbrella Company pay rate that the client is willing to pay up to and the lower pay rate advertised in our job advert/s will always be the highest PAYE pay rate, that the client is willing to pay up to, unless otherwise specified. If the PAYE rate is not indicated in the job advert then please contact us for confirmation of the PAYE daily pay rate.