P2P SSOG Operations Manager


Company:	Government Recruitment Service
Salary:	£42,665 to £46,765 a year
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	York
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	4 Sept 2026
Closing date:	21 Sept 2026

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Summary

Defra is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.

Defra’s Digital, Data and Technology Services (DDTS) manages one of the government’s largest and most complex digital supplier portfolios. We are looking for an experienced P2P (Purchase 2 Pay ) Operations Manager (SEO) to lead the day‑to‑day P2P team delivery of billing governance, financial assurance and cost‑model management across more than 30 contracts.

This is a key role within the P2P team, responsible for leading accurate supplier billing, robust financial controls, and effective management of contractual headroom across a portfolio exceeding £500m annual spend. You will line‑manage a team of P2P specialists, act as the escalation point for billing issues, and work closely with Supplier Managers, SSRMs, Programme Leads and strategic suppliers.

If you thrive in a fast‑paced environment, enjoy working with varied stakeholders and want to help strengthen financial governance across a strategic portfolio, we’d love to hear from you.

Find out more about DDTS:

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Defra Jobs

P2P SSOG Operations Manager - Driving Excellence in Supplier Spend Operations & Governance.

This is a hands-on operational management role combining personal ownership of complex cost models with responsibility for the timeliness, accuracy and quality of delivery across the P2P SSOG team.

As the P2P SSOG Operations Manager, you will support the G7 Head of P2P Supplier Spend Operations & Governance by ensuring consistently accurate, timely and high-quality operational delivery across the team.

You will personally own and manage several complex cost models and their associated billing, forecasting, purchase order, receipting, reconciliation and contractual headroom activity. Alongside this direct portfolio responsibility, you will lead the day-to-day execution of work across the team, ensuring agreed processes, controls and standards are followed correctly and consistently.

The G7 owns the strategic direction, operating model, tools, processes and continuous improvement roadmap. Your role is to ensure these are applied effectively in practice, that operational deadlines and quality standards are met, and that issues are identified and addressed before they affect financial control, governance or stakeholder outcomes.

You will line manage P2P Process Leads, provide coaching and constructive feedback, act as the first senior operational escalation point and maintain clear visibility of timeliness, quality, accuracy and compliance across the team.

Why Join Us?

Deliver High-Quality Operational Outcomes

You will be accountable for ensuring the team’s P2P activity is completed accurately, consistently, within agreed timescales and in accordance with agreed processes and controls. You will monitor the quality and timeliness of outputs, identify emerging concerns and intervene where delivery or standards are at risk.

You will ensure that cost models, forecasts, billing information, purchase orders, receipts, reconciliations and supporting evidence are complete, accurate and ready for financial, governance or audit scrutiny.

You will work closely with the G7, providing a clear view of operational performance, recurring issues, delivery risks and areas where additional intervention or improvement may be required.

Maintain Operational Standards and Quality

You will ensure the agreed P2P operating model, processes, tools, controls and standards are understood and followed effectively across the team.

You will set clear day-to-day expectations for quality, accuracy, timeliness and accountability, reviewing outputs and providing feedback where standards are not met.

Through your own hands-on portfolio responsibilities, you will model the standards expected from the team and maintain current operational knowledge of complex cost models, billing mechanisms and P2P controls.

Collaborate and Build Trust

You will develop trusted, productive relationships with suppliers, Supplier Managers, SSRMs, Finance colleagues, Programme Leads, Delivery Groups and other internal customers.

You will help stakeholders understand and navigate P2P requirements, resolve issues promptly and ensure spend activity remains transparent, contractually aligned and financially controlled. You will explain requirements clearly while understanding the operational pressures and outcomes stakeholders are trying to achieve.

You will also support P2P Process Leads to build effective stakeholder relationships and deliver a consistent, professional service across the portfolio.

Responsibilities:

Cost-Model and Transactional Ownership

Personally own and manage several complex cost models from an operational and transactional perspective.
Deliver accurate and timely billing, forecasting, purchase order, receipting, reconciliation and contractual headroom activity for the allocated portfolio.
Validate supplier billing and supporting information against contractual mechanisms, approved budgets and delivery evidence.
Investigate discrepancies, secure corrective action and maintain complete audit trails.
Maintain accurate, current and reliable information across P2P tools, cost models and associated records.
Build effective working relationships with the suppliers, delivery teams, Finance colleagues, Supplier Managers and SSRMs associated with the allocated portfolio.

Operational Delivery and Quality

Ensure P2P activity across the team is completed correctly, consistently and within agreed deadlines.
Monitor timeliness, accuracy, completeness, data quality and auditability across team outputs.
Ensure colleagues follow the processes, controls, work instructions and standards owned by the G7.
Review and quality-assure outputs and supporting evidence, identifying errors, omissions or control concerns and ensuring corrective action is completed promptly.
Maintain clear visibility of overdue activity, recurring errors, operational risks and issues requiring escalation.
Act as the first senior operational escalation point, resolving issues within agreed authority and escalating material, recurring or cross-cutting concerns to the G7 with clear evidence and recommended action.
Provide the G7 with reliable operational insight on performance, quality, risks and recurring issues.

Team Leadership and Capability

Provide visible day-to-day leadership to the P2P Process Leads, reinforcing the standards, deadlines and priorities set by the G7.
Line manage colleagues through clear objectives, regular feedback, coaching and performance conversations.
Coach and develop colleagues to build confidence, competence and accountability in complex P2P and cost-model activity.
Promote consistent working practices, effective knowledge sharing and complete handovers.
Help build resilience within the team by reducing dependency on individual knowledge and strengthening cover across operational activity.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role means:

cost models and associated records are accurate, current and reconciled;
billing, forecasting, PO, receipting and reconciliation activity is completed within agreed timescales;
team outputs consistently meet required quality standards;
records and supporting evidence are complete and audit-ready;
discrepancies and delivery risks are identified early and resolved promptly;
stakeholders receive clear, accurate and timely support;
the G7 has reliable visibility of operational performance and emerging concerns.

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