Assurance Officer

**Details**:
**Reference number**:

- 287641**Salary**:

- £31,120 - £33,085**Job grade**:

- Higher Executive Officer**Contract type**:

- Permanent**Business area**:

- BEIS - Business Sectors - Business Sectors - Business Grants and Investment Directorate**Type of role**:

- Operational Delivery**Working pattern**:

- Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time**Number of jobs available**:

- 2Contents

Location

About the job

**Benefits**:
Things you need to know

Location
- Birmingham, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, SalfordAbout the job

**Job summary**:
DBT

The Department for Business and Trade brings business and trade together into a single department, creating a department with all the levers to unleash the power of British businesses, reform regulation to reduce burdens and unlock Brexit freedoms.

The department will bring together business expertise and world-class trade negotiators under the vision of making the UK the best place to start and grow a business - driving growth, increasing jobs, and raising wages and living standards. It will amplify engagement between business and government and strengthen our offer to international investors. The department will support investment, unlock exports, and open up new markets through trade deals, with joined-up offers of support to UK businesses operating both at home and abroad.

The Department for Business and Trade brings together the business focused functions of the former Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Department for International Trade (DIT).

**Job description**:

- The Business Grants & Investment Team (BGI) is seeking two talented and ambitious individuals to fill key roles helping recover funds which have been incorrectly paid out to both businesses and individuals so that the money can be returned to His Majesty’s Treasury (HMT) and recirculated back into government.
- The roles will initially focus on reconciliation, assurance and debt recovery which has arisen from the Covid-19 Business Support Grants paid out by Local Authorities on behalf of government but are expected to support other policy initiatives over time, particularly the energy support schemes.- We care about the work-life balance of our people and flexible working is available. We also offer structured personal development, progression opportunities and outstanding training to all of our people.**Person specification**:
Work will form part of a wider oversight system for Local Authority funding which provides assurance to Ministers and the Accounting Officer, delivering high-quality outputs that can withstand external audit and investigation. Responsibilities include:
Liaison with Local Authorities across England on assurance, recovery and repayment requirements of grant awards due to error, non-compliance or fraud.

Assessing debt referrals from Local Authorities, ensuring Local Authorities have followed minimum recovery requirements, raising queries with Local Authorities and making recommendations on recovery actions.

Supporting the uploading of debt referrals to an external agency to pursue grant recovery from businesses using a bespoke IT platform.

Preparing and issuing legal documents to Local Authorities and grant recipients.

Monitoring direct repayments to government, tracking receipt and escalating any issues that arise.

Maintaining adequate records for the timely and accurate reporting of grants assured / recovered and debts referred for all grant schemes.

Liaison with Finance Team to ensure accurate and timely reporting and return of recovered funds to HMT.

Maintaining close relationships with programme stakeholders across the Local Authorities, as well as externally, such as the counter-fraud functions within Cabinet Office, the Government Internal Audit Agency and the National Audit Office.

Line management of one Debt Recovery Support Officer, taking responsibility for their continued development.

**Skills and Experience**

A collaborative approach throughout their work.

Strong organisational skills including ability to simultaneously track multiple queries and lines of enquiry, and at pace.

Excellent document handling and data management's skills, including the ability to maintain multiple datasets efficiently and securely.

Strong attention to detail and ability to challenge or question data when needed. An ability to spot discrepancies in information with the initiative to investigate further.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to be clear, confident and persuasive.

Strong ability to collaborate and build effective relationships with a wide range of colleagues across the directorate and departments, including legal and finance colleagues and key government functions.

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

- Delivering at Pace
- Communicating and Influencing
- Making Effective Decisions
- Managing a Quality Servi