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. Dev