Senior Internal Auditor

The Senior Internal Auditor is responsible for leading the delivery of risk-based

internal audit assurance across designated areas of Foundation and the wider

Group, providing independent and objective assurance over governance, risk

management and internal controls.

The role will take ownership of the end-to-end delivery of internal audit reviews,

from initial risk assessment and scoping through to fieldwork, reporting and

follow-up. The Senior Internal Auditor will assess the effectiveness of the Group’s

governance, risk management and internal control framework, identifying areas of

weakness and supporting the Group in implementing proportionate and

sustainable improvements.

Working closely with senior leaders and key stakeholders across the Group, the role

will contribute to the development of the Internal Audit Plan and lead delivery of

assigned audit portfolios, providing insight into emerging risks, control themes

and areas requiring additional assurance. The role will also coordinate and oversee

the co-sourced and specialist audit activity where required, ensuring external

providers deliver high-quality work in accordance with the agreed scope,

methodology and timescales.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end delivery of risk-based internal audit reviews across the Group, ensuring assignments are completed to a consistently high professional standard.
• Deliver project and change assurance reviews across strategic initiatives, and key controls.
• Undertake preliminary risk assessments and develop clear, proportionate audit scopes and objectives.
• Plan and conduct audit fieldwork, including process walkthroughs, control testing, data analytics, evidence review and stakeholder interviews.
• Evaluate the design and operating effectiveness of governance, risk management and internal control arrangements, applying professional
• Identify control weaknesses, root causes, emerging risks and opportunities to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of business processes.
• Develop pragmatic, risk-based recommendations that address identified weaknesses and their root causes, while taking account of the commercial and operational environment.
• Produce clear, concise and evidence-based audit reports, appropriately communicating findings, risk ratings and agreed management actions.
• Present and discuss audit findings with management, constructively challenging where necessary to ensure risks are appropriately understood and addressed.
• Monitor the implementation of agreed audit actions and undertake appropriate validation and follow-up activity.
• Escalate significant control weaknesses, overdue actions and areas of concern to the Group Head of Internal Audit.
• Act as the internal audit lead for designated business areas, maintaining a deep understanding of associated risks, controls and emerging developments, and leading delivery of the Internal Audit Plan in these areas.
• Undertake ongoing risk assessment across the Group to identify areas where independent assurance may be required.
• Contribute to the ongoing development of the Internal Audit Strategy through insights gained from audit activity, stakeholder engagement and
• Engage with senior stakeholders to understand the changes within their areas, emerging risks and potential assurance requirements.
• Contribute to the periodic review and refresh of the internal audit universe and associated risk assessments.
• Recommend changes to audit priorities where changes in the Group’s risk profile or external environment warrant additional assurance.
• Identify themes and systemic issues arising across individual audits and consider their wider implications for the Group’s control environment.

Co-sourced & Specialist Audit Management

• Coordinate the use of co-sourced and specialist internal audit providers where additional expertise or capacity is required.
• Lead the development of scopes and deliverables for externally delivered audit assignments.
• Act as the primary day-to-day contact for co-sourced providers during assignments.
• Monitor the quality, progress and timeliness of co-sourced audit activity, ensuring work meets the requirements of the Group methodology.
• Review externally produced audit reports and challenge findings, conclusions and recommendations where appropriate.
• Ensure knowledge and insight obtained from specialist reviews are appropriately retained and shared within the internal audit function.

Stakeholder Management

• Build effective and credible relationships with senior management and colleagues across the Group while maintaining the independence and objectivity required of internal audit.
• Act as a trusted and constructive source of independent challenge, supporting management to understand and strengthen the control
• Communicate complex risk and control matters clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences. Demonstrate courage when managing challenging conversations where audit conclusions or risk assessments differ from management’s view, maintaining a professional manner.
• Promote a positive understanding of internal audit’s role and encourage constructive engagement with the function.
• Prepare and present audit findings, thematic insights and progress updates to senior management and governance forums where appropriate.

Internal Audit Quality & Development

• Support the continued development of the Group Internal Audit Methodology, procedures, templates and ways of working.
• Ensure audit activity is appropriately documented and supported by sufficient, reliable and relevant evidence.
• Maintain high-quality audit working papers and records in accordance with the Group Internal Audit Methodology.
• Contribute to quality assurance activity and the continuous improvement of the internal audit function.
• Keep up to date with developments in internal audit practice, financial services regulation, governance, risk management and relevant professional standards.
• Support the development of a strong risk and control culture across the Group through sharing audit insights, good practice and lessons learned.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• Relevant professional qualification such as CIA, CMIIA, ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent.
• Significant experience within internal audit, risk, assurance or a closely related discipline.
• Significant experience of planning and delivering internal audit assignments from initial scoping through to final reporting and follow-up.
• Advanced understanding of risk-based auditing, internal controls, governance and risk management principles.
• The ability to identify and assess key business risks and evaluate the effectiveness of associated controls.
• Experience producing high-quality audit reports for senior management
• Highly effective stakeholder management skills, with the confidence and credibility to engage with and constructively challenge senior colleagues.
• Professional curiosity and an inquisitive mindset to understand root causes, emerging risks and opportunities to strengthen the control
• Sound commercial judgement and awareness of organisational objectives.
• Well-developed analytical and problem-solving capability, with the ability to interpret complex information, utilise data analytics and identify underlying risk and control themes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Highly effective organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple assignments and competing priorities.
• Ability to work independently, exercising sound professional judgement and appropriately escalating significant matters.
• High levels of integrity and professional objectivity.

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