Howden
Internal Audit Manager - IT
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Who are we?
Howden is a global insurance group with employee ownership at its heart. We're experts helping clients adapt and thrive in a changing world. Together, we have pushed the boundaries of insurance. We are united by a shared passion and no-limits mindset, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 23,000 employees and spanning 56 countries.
Our people are our biggest asset as well as our largest shareholder group and are everything that makes us unique; our inclusive culture, the quality service we offer our clients, and our continued growth, all come from our people-first approach. There’s no such thing as individual success. We all need to play our part, contributing our skills and experience to make a true difference. That’s Howden.
Why work at Howden?
We have always been employee-owned and driven by entrepreneurial spirit. Right from the beginning, we've focused on employing talented individuals and empowering them to make a real difference to the company, whilst building successful and fulfilling careers at the same time. Simply put, we hire talented specialists and give them what they need to make a difference for clients. Always have, always will.
People join Howden for many different reasons, but they stay for the same one: our culture. It’s what sets us apart, and the reason our employees have been turning down disappointed head-hunters for years. Whatever your priorities – work/life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering – you’ll find like-minded people driving change at Howden.
What is the role?
Internal audit is an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to help Howden Group and its entities accomplish its strategic objectives by bringing a detailed, focused approach to evaluate and improve the efficiency of risk management, control and governance processes. Internal Audit reports functionally to the Howden Group Audit Committee and administratively to the Group CRO.
The goal of our function is not to find fault, but to help management and the businesses succeed in delivering their objectives successfully. We accomplish this by utilising our diverse range of skillsets to challenge the status quo and bring insight and value alongside our core assurance work.
What will you be doing?
Lead and Execute IT Audits
- Independently plan, scope, and deliver IT audits across core domains including infrastructure, applications, cybersecurity, cloud, data governance, and emerging technologies.
- Produce high-quality, concise audit reports aligned to Internal Audit standards.
Subject Matter Expertise (SME) in IT Risk
- Act as the primary IT audit specialist within the function, informing risk assessment, audit planning, and continuous monitoring activities.
- Provide expert insight on evolving risk areas (e.g. cyber resilience, AI/ML, automation, third-party risk, cloud transformation).
Support Broader Audit Delivery
- Embed IT risk considerations within business and operational audits (e.g. underwriting, claims, finance), ensuring end-to-end risk coverage.
- Provide hands-on technical support and guidance to audit team members, enhancing overall team capability.
Manage Co-source / Third-Party Delivery
- Oversee co-source partners on specialist IT audits, including scoping, execution oversight, quality assurance, and deliverable sign-off.
- Ensure alignment with internal methodology, expectations, and reporting quality standards.
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Enhance Data Analytics and Audit Methodology
- Lead the application of data analytics in audit planning and execution, leveraging large datasets to drive insight and risk identification.
- Act as a champion for innovation within Internal Audit, particularly in the use of AI and automation to improve audit efficiency, coverage, and quality.
Stakeholder Engagement
- Build effective relationships with IT, security, data, and business stakeholders across the organisation.
- Provide constructive challenge, pragmatic recommendations, and credible assurance to senior management.
Continuous Improvement
- Contribute to the evolution of Internal Audit methodology, tools, and reporting, with a focus on technology-enabled audit practices.
- Identify opportunities to streamline processes and improve audit delivery through smarter use of technology.
What are we looking for?
Advanced IT Audit Expertise
- Strong capability across ITGCs, application controls, cybersecurity, and modern technology environments (e.g. cloud, APIs, data platforms).
- Ability to assess complex IT architectures and articulate risks in a clear, business-relevant manner.
Data Analytics & Digital Capability
- Advanced data analytics skills (e.g. Python, SQL, Power BI, Alteryx or equivalent), with practical application in audit delivery.
- Ability to interrogate large datasets, identify anomalies, and translate findings into meaningful audit insights.
Innovation and AI Mindset
- Demonstrated interest and capability in leveraging AI and automation within audit processes (e.g. analytics acceleration, control testing, documentation review).
- Proactive mindset in identifying and implementing improvements to audit methodology.
Strong Project and Delivery Management
- Ability to independently manage audit engagements end-to-end, delivering to deadlines with minimal supervision.
- Experience coordinating multiple stakeholders, including third-party providers.
Influence and Communication
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce clear, concise, and impactful reports.
- Confidence engaging with senior stakeholders and challenging constructively where required.
Collaboration and Team Contribution
- Strong team player operating as a senior individual contributor (no direct reports), supporting and developing peers through technical expertise.
- Willingness to coach and guide others without formal line management responsibility.
Commercial and Risk Awareness
- Strong understanding of how technology risks translate into business impact, particularly within financial services / insurance contexts.
- Pragmatic and solutions-oriented approach to risk and control assessment.
Knowledge and Experience
Professional Experience
- Significant experience in IT audit, IT risk, or technology assurance within a professional services firm or in-house Internal Audit function. Experience leading complex audit engagements.
Sector Experience
- Prior experience within insurance strongly preferred; broader financial services experience essential if insurance exposure is limited.
- Understanding of sector-specific systems, risks, and regulatory expectations.
Technology Domain Knowledge
- Strong knowledge across key domains such as:
- Cybersecurity (e.g. NIST, ISO 27001)
- Cloud environments (e.g. AWS, Azure, GCP)
- IT general controls and application controls
- Data governance and data quality frameworks
- Third-party / outsourcing risk
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Data & Analytics Expertise
- Proven track record of embedding data analytics within audit delivery and/or assurance activities.
- Experience in developing or enhancing analytics capabilities within a function is highly desirable.
AI and Emerging Technology
- Practical exposure to AI use cases within assurance, risk, or audit (or strong demonstrable interest and capability to lead in this space).
- Awareness of risks associated with AI, automation, and advanced technologies.
Qualifications
- Relevant professional qualifications (e.g. CISA, CISSP, ACA, ACCA, CIA or equivalent) strongly preferred.
Other Requirements
- Ability to operate effectively in a hybrid working environment (London-based presence expected).
- Flexibility to undertake limited travel (c. 10–15%) where required.
What do we offer in return?
A career that you define.
Our business succeeds by allowing our people to make a mark in the areas they care about most: personal development, volunteering, and fundraising for charity, or creating new insurance products that address society’s greatest challenges.
And we know that separate home and work lives don't really exist. If you're happy and healthy at home, you're more likely to be happy and fulfilled at work – and vice versa. That's why we do our best to support our people in every aspect of their lives.
Diversity and Inclusion
At Howden we value diversity - there is no one Howden ‘personality type’. Instead, we’re looking for individuals who share the same values as us:
- Our successes have all come from someone brave enough to try something new
- We support each other, in the small everyday moments and the bigger challenges
- We are determined to make a positive difference, at work and beyond
We consider our people our chief competitive advantage and as such we treat colleagues, candidates, clients, and business partners with equality, fairness, and respect – regardless of age, disability, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, or family circumstances.
Reasonable adjustments
We're committed to providing reasonable accommodations at Howden to ensure that our positions align well with your needs. Besides the usual adjustments such as software, IT, and office setups, we can also accommodate other changes such as flexible hours* or hybrid working*.
If you're excited by this role but have some doubts about whether it’s the right fit for you, send us your application – if your profile fits the role’s criteria, we will be in touch to assist in helping to get you set up with any reasonable adjustments you may require.
*Not all positions can accommodate changes to working hours or locations. Reach out to your Recruitment Partner if you want to know more.
Our sustainability promise
We’re on a life-long journey to become an ever-more sustainable group. It's a commitment to taking care of our people and the world we live in, to doing good business, and to making a positive impact wherever we can. Our governance processes, company policies, and review systems are all geared towards our goal of making a positive impact in the world. You can read more about our sustainability work here.
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