Principal Compliance and Reporting Manager

Principal Compliance and Reporting Manager: Job advert and person specification 0.8 FTE

Employer: Single Source Regulations Office

Sector: Non-Departmental Public Body

Location: Hybrid, travel to London will be required.

Salary: £55,176 - £68,969 dependent on experience + Zones 1-6 London oyster card + 30 days pro-rata holiday and bank holidays for 29.6 hours a week with preference for a 5 day working week but willing to consider an alternative working pattern.

Salary will be awarded commensurate with candidate skills and experience.

Employment type: Permanent

Closing date: 14 April 2024

Interviews: 29 April, 1 May

Start date: From June 2024

Job Grade: Principal Manager

Inclusion: The SSRO values diversity and inclusion and welcomes flexible working arrangements.

Principal Compliance and Reporting Manager

The SSRO’s principal aim is to ensure that best value for money is obtained for the UK taxpayer in Ministry of Defence expenditure on qualifying defence contracts, and that single source suppliers are paid a fair and reasonable price under those contracts. We support the regulatory framework established by Part 2 of the Defence Reform Act 2014 (DRA), which provides a basis for pricing single source (i.e. non-competitive) defence contracts and requires transparency from defence contractors about their prices. As part of the regime, contractors are required to submit a range of reports. We provide guidance on those obligations and keep under review the extent to which those obligations are being complied with.

Working at the SSRO

The SSRO values diversity and inclusion and welcomes flexible working arrangements. We currently offer a range of benefits to our employees including, but not limited to:

24 days’ leave plus bank holidays with the option to buy or sell up to 4 days leave each year; opportunities for part-time working and compressed hours; an oyster card up to zone 6 or a season ticket loan; cycle to work scheme; a focus on development, with a minimum of three training days a year and opportunities for funding qualifications related to the role; an employee staff group, which provides feedback to Executive Committee.  

Role description and responsibilities

We are currently searching for a Principal Compliance and Reporting Manager to join the Compliance team at the SSRO for 29.6 hours a week. The full job description for this role is attached at Appendix 1.  

You will play a key role in working to improve reporting and the utilisation of reported information. This will require you to take a leading role in engaging with stakeholders and helping to facilitate better use of data in single source procurement by considering report submissions from industry as well as developing and responding to information demands from the MOD. Working with a team of experienced policy experts and analysts, you will engage directly with industry partners  on reporting requirements as well as with selected MOD teams to identify their needs, build use of DefCARS data, and provide relevant analysis and management information. You will have the credibility to work with, and influence, a diverse set of stakeholders across government and industry. In doing so, you will build and maintain relationships with both internal and external stakeholders, helping to shape the SSRO’s policy, and address compliance, reporting and related issues.

You will have extensive experience and success in engaging with customers of data and making changes to regulatory data systems to help achieve their needs. You may also have experience in interpreting regulatory requirements and developing policy and regulatory projects in a relevant environment, such as management consultancy, audit, regulation or defence. You will be able to work successfully in complex, dynamic and fast-paced environments, delivering on time, with a proven track record of working on data related projects. You will be capable of working across disciplines and teams to help identify and resolve potential issues.

Person specification

Essential criteria:

experience of leading on and delivering policy, data or regulatory outcomes in a government or regulated industry context, delivering on change, with the ability to interpret complex rules and regulations, and understand the underlying policy imperatives;
experience of leading a project team, including the ability to manage multiple projects and tasks simultaneously, balancing and managing resource and outputs in the most effective way to deliver to deadlines;
the ability to influence and engage effectively with internal and external stakeholders, managing relationships with senior decision makers across department boundaries, while maintaining credibility and professionalism;
experience of leading on the delivery of analytical outputs, with the ability to synthesise findings from a wide range of sources, including financial data, demonstrating attention to detail; and
good oral and written communication skills. The proven ability to deliver high quality and influential written outputs, with experience of drafting of sensitive documents, including briefings, analytical outputs, consultation documents and reports.
Desirable criteria:

education to degree level and/or relevant professional qualification;
experience of working in a relevant field, such as audit, compliance, regulation, policy, defence contracting or public sector procurement.
Security clearance

The role will require you to undergo national security vetting to the level of Security Check (SC) clearance.

Applying for the position

To apply for the position, please submit both of the following:

Your CV. Please include your contact details, the names of two referees (including their relationship to you and contact details).
A suitability statement clearly addressing how you meet the essential and desirable criteria, in no more than 1000 words. This should be based on the criteria outlined in this advert, giving relevant examples.

Applications that do not contain both covering letter and CV will likely be rejected.

To be considered, submit your CV and suitability statement by email to Ruaidhri.magee@ssro.gov.uk.

For a confidential discussion about the role please contact Akhlaq.shah@ssro.gov.uk.

Appendix 1: Job Description- Principal Compliance and Reporting Manager

Responsibilities

Provide trusted and reliable advice on Compliance and Reporting matters to lead delivery of the SSRO’s functions, including to colleagues, the Board, MOD officials and defence industry representatives. Contribute to development of the SSRO’s strategic direction and help achieve its statutory aims, by providing thought-leading, expert input to the preparation of plans, strategies and policies. Lead complex projects and activities to deliver the SSRO’s functions and objectives and improve the regulatory framework. Take responsibility for delivering high quality, timely outputs. This may include: Developing and delivering the SSRO’s compliance methodology. Drafting and publishing the SSRO’s Annual Compliance report. Undertaking and Reporting on targeted and thematic reviews, for example in relation to reporting requirements. Managing reporting issues. Drafting, consulting on, and publishing elements of the SSRO’s statutory reporting guidance. Ensure efficient and effective procedures and processes are in place and maintained by the compliance team to examine the information captured through the SSRO’s Defence Contract Analysis and Reporting System (DefCARS), including providing input into updates to DefCARS. Evaluate and analyse reported data and other evidence to inform the SSRO’s work, including understanding the extent to which reporting obligations are being complied with, identifying issues with submissions and how these can be addressed, and tracking performance. Provide insight into issues with the collection and use of reported data, for example by using the information captured through the compliance process, and propose actions to improve the regulatory framework and contribute to the legislative review programme. Recruit the right people, manage them effectively and inspire them to deliver their best. Collaborate with staff across the SSRO and work successfully in multi-disciplinary teams, including project teams drawn from across other established teams. Manage and lead such teams as required. Engage actively with internal and external stakeholders and work closely with them, particularly on matters related to Compliance and Reporting. Manage and maintain effective relationships. Support stakeholders to understand the SSRO’s guidance and comply with reporting requirements. This will involve visiting defence sites across the UK. Communicate the SSRO’s work with influence, including preparing high quality documents. Draft in a language and style that conveys technical information in a way that is easy for non-technical audiences to comprehend. Give presentations to a wide range of internal and external audiences. Represent the SSRO in meetings and other forums. Participate actively and constructively in discussions in line with the SSRO’s vision, values, objectives and priorities. Act with integrity, apply the SSRO’s governance procedures, and promote good governance. Investigate and make best use of available technology and contribute to the delivery of new and innovative ways to deliver our work that improve quality and efficiency. Promote the SSRO’s values. Undertake such other duties as the SSRO may require, in line with business need.