Department: Operations
Location: Home based, UK
Reports to: Quality and Funding Director
Hours: 37.5 per week
Salary: (Depending on experience)
Role Overview
As the Funding Manager, you will oversee all aspects of funding and compliance for apprenticeships and publicly funded learning programmes at Cambridge Spark. You will manage the Funding and Compliance team, ensuring tasks are completed accurately and efficiently. This role is critical to maintaining robust processes and preparing performance reports to support informed decision-making by the Leadership team. You will collaborate closely with Finance to ensure accurate data for internal and external reporting, including audits. Additionally, you will manage funding controls to ensure they accurately reflect the financial health of the business.
The Funding Manager (FM) will play a key role in developing and implementing policies, procedures, and data governance related to funding and compliance. You will secure funding for apprenticeships and publicly funded programmes, while maintaining relationships with external stakeholders such as employers and funding bodies. Timely communication, reporting, and meeting funding requirements are essential to uphold Cambridge Spark's reputation.
Proactively advising the Leadership Team and managers, the FM will monitor data, conduct deep-dive activities, and identify trends affecting funding or audit outcomes. The FM will provide recommendations to support improvements in practice and compliance. A commercial mindset and strong decision-making skills are crucial, as you balance organisational needs with those of a fast-growing provision. Staying current with industry changes and regulations will ensure continued compliance and success.
Role Accountabilities:
- Manage the Funding and Compliance team for Apprenticeships and Bootcamps at Cambridge Spark.
- Ensure adherence to all regulations and governance requirements.
- Timely and accurate monthly submissions of funding data.
- Regular reporting of funding and risk to Quality and Funding Director
- Manage and support ESFA audits and outcomes.
- Monitor and improve funding processes and systems.
Key responsibilities:
Team Management
- Manage the team to deliver high-quality service and innovation.
- Oversee team performance, objectives, and KPIs, providing training and development opportunities.
- Ensure daily operations are completed efficiently and accurately.
Compliance & Governance
- Secure funding for apprenticeships and publicly funded programmes.
- Ensure timely and accurate monthly ILR returns for apprenticeships and Skills Bootcamps.
- Develop robust controls and procedures aligned with audit requirements from funding agencies.
- Regularly conduct deep dives, audits, and checks to ensure compliance and audit readiness.
- Manage error rates (PDSAT, FRM) and ensure accurate data reporting.
- Ensure operational activities are recorded within the learner management systems.
- Stay up-to-date with regulatory changes and ensure Cambridge Spark remains compliant.
- Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to integrate funding and compliance into all operations.
Reporting
- Prepare accurate reports for LT and Governance Board in line with KPIs and OKRs.
- Ensure regular communication of funding rules, regulations, and risks to relevant stakeholders.
Continuous Improvement
- Identify and implement improvements to processes and efficiencies, while maintaining assurance.
- Manage internal audits and align the business with planned regulatory changes.
- Reduce compliance-related queries and improve response times.
Candidate Specification:
- A proven track record in managing high-growth provisions.
- Experience managing a funding and compliance team within the skills sector.
- Strong knowledge of funding rules and audit processes (DfE, ESFA, Ofsted).
- Proficiency in MIS and reporting systems (Aptem, PICS, Maytas).
- Strong organisation skills and high attention to detail, with the ability to manage teams across workflows and processes.
- Results-oriented, self-managed, and effective communicator.
- Strong relationship-building skills with internal and external stakeholders.
- Adaptable, flexible, and proactive in achieving business objectives.
Company Benefits:
- Remote first company providing flexibility to work from home
- Pension with up to 5% matched contributions
- 25 days holiday + Flexi bank holidays + 1 day off on your birthday
- A day for volunteering
- Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Leave
- Health & Wellbeing allowance of up to £30 per month
- Annual Summer and Xmas events
- Company socials including everything from Cambridge College formals, pub nights to team building events
- CPD Allowance
- Private medical insurance and cash plan
- Holiday buy back scheme (up to 10 days p/a)
- EAP with 24 hour confidential support line
Background to the Organisation
We are an education technology company that enables corporate and government organisations to achieve their business goals by educating their workforce with critical digital transformation skills to succeed in the AI era.
We deliver unique and innovative professional education that is accelerating the digital transformation of our clients, advancing the careers of their employees, helping people get into work and closing the digital skills gap. We are in a sector that is crucial to the economy and workforce, with a lot of opportunity for change and innovation. We are at the cutting edge of teaching applied data and digital skills, with our unique patented learning platform EDUKATE.AI offering our clients and learners a unique learning experience. EDUKATE.AI was developed with support from Innovate UK and provides all of our learners with 24/7 immediate feedback on their work, helping accelerate the learning process and providing a sandbox environment to experiment on real world datasets.
Since 2016, we have supported more than 15,000 learners across four continents with nearly 550,000 pieces of code submitted for feedback on EDUKATE.AI. We are trusted by some of the most recognisable brands in the world to educate their workforce, including Microsoft, the NHS, GSK, easyJet, the BBC and John Lewis. Our focus on applied learning to create business impact sets us apart - individual learners have reported applying their skills at work to generate recorded value of up to £40m.
Our Values
At the centre of the way we work together and inspire each other to achieve success are these core values:
Entrepreneurial Spirit
We take initiative and show entrepreneurial spirit which fuels innovation at Cambridge Spark. This includes identifying opportunities for improvement, taking ownership for implementing solutions effectively and driving improvement by using proof of concepts to demonstrate the feasibility and value of their work.
Team Spirit
Everyone is part of building an open and transparent culture, communicating effectively to raise issues, discuss improvements and share the evidence used to make decisions.
Customer-focused
Our customers are at the centre of everything we do, inspiring us to create great work. We strive to build friendly, professional and lasting relationships with them to better understand and anticipate their needs.
Gold Standard
We are experts in our field and are constantly developing our technology and offering. We set the benchmark in our industry: both in what we offer customers and in how we deliver it.
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Cambridge Spark is an Equal Opportunities Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. Cambridge Spark is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunities for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at Cambridge Spark are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, colour or ethnicity, ability or disability, gender or gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. Cambridge Spark will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. Cambridge Spark encourages applicants of all ages.
