Group Head of Internal Audit

Our Client is an award winning, market leading global financial services company who are looking to recruit a Group Head of Internal Audit. The Group Head of Internal Audit will be responsible for providing independent, objective assurance about the effectiveness of the Group’s control and governance processes to the Board.

Group Internal Audit takes a strategic view of our clients entire Group and deals with issues that are fundamental to the ability to deliver on its strategy. This involves looking not only at financial, capital, liquidity and funding risks, but also at risks affecting their reputation, growth and the way that their employees and consumers are treated.

As well as providing independent assurance to the Group Executive Committee and the Non-Executive Board, the team works with a variety of stakeholders, including external regulators.

Key responsibilities:

  • Leading the Groups Internal Audit function, providing assurance to the Executive Board and to the Audit and Risk Committee of the Supervisory Board.
  • Developing and implementing effective systems and controls in our clients organisation to manage all significant risks identified and agreed as within its scope.
  • Lead the development of a risk management and governance framework and provide recommendations as well as supporting external auditors.
  • Applying a wide range of assurance techniques, with a strong emphasis on risk management, performance improvement, financial probity and change management.
  • Building a high performing team
  • Demonstrating the behaviours consistent demonstrating a strong understanding of inherent and residual risks across the risk taxonomy. Collaborate with Audit colleagues, particularly across business and risk facing disciplines to understand Group strategy and objectives to develop and deliver a compelling audit plan.
  • Influence senior stakeholders to embed risk management and controls into strategic decision making. Building credible and powerful relationships with senior stakeholders, demonstrating robust judgement, professional scepticism, insight and thought leadership.
  • Analysis of audit findings to understand root causes to ensure delivery of clear and insightful assurance reports with agreed actions on control improvements.
  • Review and make recommendations as a result of relevant regulatory environment and emerging trends for assigned business / risk discipline, assessing how best to respond to the resultant risks, while proactively building and maintaining external and internal networks for the purpose of commercial awareness, satisfying external audit requirements and identifying best practice.

Main job related skills

  • Develop and maintain the risk management framework, Pre-implementation reviews of new systems or other business initiatives. End-to-end controls and efficiency reviews of systems
  • Reviews of compliance with ISO27001 and ISO22301 and other regulatory compliance reviews
  • Preparation and management of the audit plan. Oversight of planning and resourcing of projects, the work on the projects and the preparation and presentation of ad hoc and quarterly reports.
  • Attendance and presentations to Executive Board, Audit and Risk Committee, Risk Council and other committees.
  • Leadership and people management skills to bring a team through change and ambition.
  • Effective collaboration with the external auditors, internal audit teams in all of our clients regions cross country projects and exchanging expertise and other assurance providers.

Required experience

  • Experienced Head of Internal Audit / Director of Internal Audit
  • Previous experience within Financial Services – ideally in a complex high transaction volume business
  • Extensive Compliance, Risk Management and Internal Audit background
  • Exposure to complex borrowing / funding arrangements which require strong analytical reviews and recommendations
  • Leadership of an internal audit team
  • A recognised professional qualification (or qualified by experience) such as
    • CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants)
    • ACA (Association of Chartered Accountants)
    • ACCA (Certified Chartered Accountant)
    • IIA (Institute of Internal Auditors)
  • Excellent communication skills – must fluent in English. Fluency in French would be advantageous (but not essential)

Business and Personal Leadership/skills and attitudes:

  • Possesses personal abilities to see the big picture, focus on strategic issues, influence the organisation to act and be effective at all levels of management.
  • Commercially astute with experience of working with business leaders to influence their strategic plans and develop the people agenda to deliver against them.
  • High level of motivation and passion for Internal Audit, risk and compliance, supported by a philosophy, structure and culture aligned to the organisational strategy of building quality and best in class teams.
  • Strong presence and personal credibility with strong stakeholder management skills.
  • Strong influencing skills at all levels and ability to challenge and change behaviours.
  • Proactive and decisive approach to problem solving.
  • Highly motivated to add value, deliver and exceed expectations.
  • Highly flexible team working approach within a matrix structure
  • Strong professionalism with high standards and quality of work output.

To apply, please forward your CV including details of your current remuneration to: rex.cridland@njr.uk.com