Senior Consultant - Education, Skills Funding and Data Specialist

About the role

We are looking for an experienced further education funding and management information specialist to join our already well established Further Education and Skills Funding Group which is experiencing a significant increase in demand for services in both assurance and advisory capacities.

The ideal candidate will have extensive knowledge and understanding of the various Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) funding rules and their application in managing data and curriculum planning. This should include full understanding and application of the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) specification requirements and analysis of funding data to support curriculum and financing plans.

About the company and department

RSM is a leading provider of audit, tax and consulting services globally. We have a significant presence in the education sector, supporting further education colleges, training providers, higher education institutions and academies, as well as working closely with key sector bodies.

RSM has delivered funding and related reviews for the past 23 years on behalf of the FE funding bodies and provides funding assurance reviews for the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), as well as directly for clients in the sector. This is a growth area for us as more and more clients approach us to provide funding assurance reviews and advice on systems, processes and strategy.

We have a Further Education and Skills Funding Group (FESFG) that specialises in, and manages, our funding and related reviews. FESFG is also actively involved in considering changes to the current assurance methodology and reviews, probes and challenges guidance to identify a framework of potential risks which we share with the ESFA and other stakeholders. Where areas of the funding rules are not clear we raise issues with the ESFA in the format of scenarios and generally this will lead to additional guidance being issued.

All members of FESFG have practical experience of working with the education sector, either through being directly employed within the sector or as part of the internal audit or funding assurance teams. Key members of FESFG are regular contributors to sector events run by organisations such as the Association of Colleges, Association of Employment and Learning Providers and LSECT, presenting on issues such as data quality, funding assurance, risks associated with partnership working and wider governance matters.

About the job

You will be working with a wide range of further and higher education training providers, as well as private training providers and, alongside the existing FESFG, will be delivering the following services to clients:

• Funding assurance/advisory - this work will be undertaken either on behalf of the funding bodies, or across the wider RSM client base, and will involve either determining whether the provider can demonstrate that they are complying with the ESFA funding rules, or advising on how to improve processes and procedures to ensure that compliance can be demonstrated.
• Training - you will be involved in delivering training to RSM clients and also RSM staff in relation to funding compliance. This could be through delivering training on how to review Provider Data Self-Assessment Toolkit reports, or through delivering seminars on some of the common issues identified through funding assurance reviews.
• Thought leadership - you will be involved in the development of thought leadership pieces for sharing with our clients in areas such as changes to the funding rules and the impact of those changes on providers.

About the ideal candidate

The ideal candidate will be an individual who is dedicated to the education sector but who is looking for a new challenge. You will have extensive knowledge and understanding of the funding rules and methodology and be comfortable working with senior management to deliver improvements in process design and data quality.

Requirements

Essential

• A thorough and detailed understanding of the ESFA and MCA's funding methodology and associated rules, including the approach to funding assurance and associated evidence requirements.
• A thorough and detailed understanding of the ILR specification requirements.
• Ability to review and manage technical content of work of others.
• Ability to develop effective working relationships.
• Demonstrate the ability to listen, evaluate and apply information gained.
• Able to write reports and technical working papers with excellent attention to detail.
• Gain confidence and respect of colleagues and clients through sharing your own experience and expertise with others and through encouraging teamwork and developing leadership skills.
• Be pro-active and demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement.
• Ability to be flexible when managing inconsistent and varying workloads.
• Experience of student systems and databases to ensure that data is accurate, secure and compliant against all regulatory and statutory requirements.
• Experience of working with funding providers and their requirements for data and management information returns.

Desirable

• An understanding of curriculum planning processes within a further education environment.
• An ability to develop analytical and reporting tools and collate performance metrics that transform data into useful information for decision making.
• Be able to train, coach and develop team members and provide support to other staff as required.
• Demonstrate ability to identify and mitigate areas of risk relating to funding and funding policy.

Other

• Occasional overnight stays away from home may be necessary and/or willingness to travel.

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Diversity and Inclusion at RSM
At RSM, we want to create a strong sense of belonging so that people of all identities, backgrounds, and cultures feel they can bring their true self to work. Our clients come from all walks of life. We aim to achieve that same diversity of background, experience and perspective in our own teams, so that we can genuinely understand our client's needs. Diverse teams bring a broader range of ideas and insights to work. That's why we're working together to ensure our firm's principles and processes support a firm culture that embraces difference and strengthens inclusion.
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