Tax Governance & SAO Specialist

Overview

As an SME for an audit of an Investment Bank’s Senior Accounting Officer governance and testing framework, you will provide expert input throughout the engagement. You will help assess whether HMRC SAO attestations are supported by a solid controls framework, a risk-based testing approach, robust governance, and alignment with market practices. You won’t lead the audit, but will challenge and advise across scoping, fieldwork support, and reporting. This remote role offers flexible scheduling and a concentrated workload over ~15 days within a 3‑month window, contributing to a high-impact governance review.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist input and challenge during the engagement
• Assess adequacy of the controls framework behind HMRC SAO attestations
• Advise on risk-based testing approach and governance processes
• Benchmark practices against leading market standards
• Support scoping, planning, fieldwork, and reporting activities
• Adapt work plan to remote and flexible scheduling

Key requirements

• strong expertise in SAO governance, controls, and testing
• experience as SME supporting audits or assurance engagements
• ability to provide expert input remotely and coordinate with audit teams
• clear communication and ability to challenge assumptions
• familiarity with governance processes and market benchmarking

• strong communication
• problem solving
• stakeholder management
• risk-based testing
• controls framework assessment
• governance processes

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