Senior Group Internal Audit Manager

Location: UK Remote (10% travel)
Employment: Fixed-term maternity cover for 12 months

Role Overview

This role will provide continuity of leadership and delivery across the Internal Audit function, including management of two direct reports, execution of the audit plan and engagement with senior stakeholders across the Group.

This role will continue to strengthen business partnerships and play a key role in delivering an audit programme that provides credible assurance across a broad range of risk areas, generating valuable insights for management and the Board.

This role requires strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to lead direct reports, influence beyond formal reporting lines and manage complex stakeholder relationships.

The ideal candidate will have extensive Internal Audit, IT Audit or IT Compliance experience, with the ability to make an immediate contribution through leading complex assurance reviews, supporting team delivery and building credibility quickly with senior stakeholders.

This role provides an opportunity to make an immediate impact within a dynamic global organisation, leading complex audit and assurance activities while supporting the continued evolution of the Internal Audit function.

Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

• People leadership: Provide day-to-day leadership, coaching, development and performance management for two direct reports, supporting capability building, engagement, workload prioritisation and delivery of high-quality audit work.
• Functional strategy: Support the ongoing implementation of the Internal Audit strategy and contribute to its continued evolution.
• Business partnership: Use broader business context to anticipate internal and/or external business challenges and/or regulatory issues and use these in audit planning and to proactively partner with the business on their response, providing advice and recommendations.
• Senior leadership engagement: Present audit findings and recommendations to the executive team, ensuring clear communication and actionable insights.
• Design and embed new processes: Support the refinement and embedding of audit processes and methodologies. Ensure these processes are aligned with Global Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Standards, promoting consistency and excellence in audit practices.
• Ensure audit quality: Ensuring the audit plan delivers on credible assurance and meaningful insight. Conduct thorough reviews of audit files and reports prepared by other audit team members, ensuring accuracy and completeness.
• Audit planning: Contribute to the development of internal audit’s risk-based audit plan, in collaboration with the Director of Internal Audit & Risk.
• Deputise for the Director of Internal Audit & Risk: Act as deputy for the Director of Internal Audit & Risk as required during the contract period.
• Design and perform audits: Identify risks, scope and design testing for audits identified in the plan. Testing governance, risk management, and controls across various risk categories. Test controls identify control weaknesses and potential improvements, documenting evidence-backed findings clearly in written reports.
• Propose solutions: Recommend pragmatic, risk-based solutions to complex issues, balancing good practice with what is workable for the business.
• Agreement and follow-up of findings and recommendations: Secure agreement on audit findings, recommendations and actions with relevant stakeholders, and ensure timely follow-up and closure of agreed actions.
• Coach and educate: This role is recognised as an expert within the business, both within and beyond internal audit and will coach and educate the wider business on the advantages of robust governance, risk management and control, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and accountability across the organisation.
• Promote team collaboration: Facilitate collaboration among audit team members to ensure cross-pollination of ideas, promote sharing of audit insights and continuous improvement in audit processes.
• Ad hoc other areas of responsibility where capacity allows: Such as audit committee paper drafting, systems oversight and improvement etc.