Director of funding

Job Title: Director of Funding and Business Improvement
Reports to: Director of Apprenticeships
Direct Reports: 3–4 (and 12–15 indirect reports)
Salary to GBP78,000 per annum + GBP10,000 per annum car allowance and excellent benefits
Our LEARNING team provides our learning intellect and horsepower. They will be pushing the boundaries on our learning products and services and ensuring that every single learning intervention has been designed to (at least) deliver against customer needs and business outcomes.
Our DELIVERY team ensures flawless service delivery. Our frontline colleagues will be critical in fulfilling our client promise.
All three teams need to collaborate seamlessly. The CLIENT team will identify and shape our client needs. The LEARNING team will translate these needs into a service, programme and business outcome. The DELIVERY team will ensure flawless delivery and strive to exceed our clients' expectations.
Roles and Responsibilities:
* Develop and implement a systems strategy across the Funded Learning Business that meets the needs of internal and external stakeholders
* Develop and implement a suite of MI reports, and associated business processes, that ensure timely and accurate MI is available to all stakeholders
* Review processes across Operations, Funding and Finance, making recommendations and driving improvement actions to address identified issues and improve the accuracy and timeliness of ESFA funding claims and financial reporting
* Lead cross business improvement initiatives to drive improvements in processes, data and systems
* Take targeted action to drive improvements against business KPIs, leading initiatives and projects across functions within the Apprenticeships business and taking ownership for successful delivery of agreed objectives
* Work with the wider business specifically the operations, quality and client support teams to achieve both business and team objectives
* Support in external stakeholder conversations with organisations such as the ESFA and SDS
* Ensure the processes and controls are in place to deliver timely and accurate ESFA funding submissions throughout the ESFA academic year and at ESFA audit
* Delivery of a successful R14 process that ensures financial and audit risk is minimised
* Implement a regular audit process to identify the themes and improvement areas driving funding risk and lead improvement activities to address those themes/risks
* Provide a robust funding strategy through the production and maintenance of guidance documents and policies
* Contribute to bid preparation and any associated activities such as client presentations, to maximise organic growth and new business opportunities
* Directly support and develop funding strategies for clients and across funding sources
* Understand the funding rules to maximise the efficient draw down of funding, making it clear to the business where new opportunities arise
* Support delivery of the Apprenticeships business plan
* Own the relationship, commercials and development roadmap with key Apprenticeship system suppliers
KPIs:
* Accuracy and timeliness of funding submissions
* R14 submission
* ESFA audit outcomes
* Implement a full suite of MI dashboards to meet internal and external needs.
* Deliver timely and accurate MI needed to support all aspects of the business
* Operational KPIs
* Funding KPIs
* Financial performance vs Business Plan
* Process guides/documentation
Requirements:
* Expert knowledge of Apprenticeships and ESFA funding requirements and AEB funding rules
* Experience of managing and leading a team at a senior level
* Commercial acumen, with experience of managing cost centres/budgets
* Confident user of a range of technologies and IT systems including the use of data tools such as MS Excel/Power BI
* Commitment to continuing own professional development