Head of Internal Audit and Risk

Application Deadline: 22 October 2026

Department: Internal Audit

Employment Type: Permanent

Location: Jersey, Channel Islands

Reporting To: Katy McBride

Description

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the internal audit function, providing clear direction, day-to-day oversight and technical leadership to the team.
• Own the implementation of the approved Internal Audit Plan, prioritising activity where necessary to reflect emerging risks and business priorities.
• Act as the primary escalation point for significant audit issues, judgements and matters affecting the independence or effectiveness of Internal Audit.
• Manage the Internal Audit methodology and Charter, ensuring work is risk-based, consistently delivered and aligned with the Global Internal Audit Standards (2024).
• Review and challenge audit scopes, working papers and reports to ensure findings are well evidenced, clearly communicated and focused on delivering valuable assurance and recommendations.
• Provide regular updates and formal reports to the Finance Director and the Audit and Risk Committee regarding delivery, findings, management actions and high-risk or overdue items.
• Meet privately with the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee at each committee cycle. Report annually on the adequacy of Internal Audit resources, skills and capacity.
• Lead Internal Audit’s contribution to the Board’s Provision 29 declaration process, including material controls testing and liaison with the Company Secretary and external auditor.

• Lead the Risk Management function and develop an enterprise risk management framework aligned with recognised practice, including COSO ERM and the Three Lines Model.
• Own the Group risk documentation and ensure principal, emerging, operational resilience and other material risks are clearly assessed, assigned and monitored.
• Lead the annual Board Risk Session and provide clear reporting to Executive Management and the Audit and Risk Committee on risk exposure, appetite, trends and mitigation.
• Partner with senior leaders to strengthen first-line risk ownership while balancing risk management with commercial and operational objectives.
• Integrate risk insights into internal audit planning so assurance activity remains focused on the areas of greatest importance to the Group.
• Promote a strong risk-aware culture through practical mentoring, training and ongoing engagement with risk and control owners.
• Own assurance planning for sustainability and ESG disclosures within the Annual Report, working with the Sustainability Reporting team.

• Lead, mentor and develop the teams responsible for Internal Control and Risk Oversight, setting clear objectives and supporting professional growth.
• Oversee team capacity, availability and working arrangements to maintain effective delivery.
• Own relationships with co-source providers, including scope, quality, cost, performance and value for money.
• Propose the annual budget for Internal Audit and Risk Management and approve relevant co-source arrangements, expenses and invoices within delegated authority.

• Oversee the whistleblowing framework across the organisation, ensuring policies, reporting routes and investigation processes are effective.
• Ensure concerns are handled confidentially, investigated appropriately and resolved within policy timescales.
• Monitor outcomes and management actions so root causes are addressed and lessons are embedded.
• Promote a speak-up culture and report activity, themes and significant matters to the Executive Leadership Team and the Audit and Risk Committee.

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

• Substantial senior leadership experience across areas such as internal audit, risk management or control functions, including responsibility for leading a multidisciplinary team.
• Demonstrable experience leading an internal audit function and managing co-source or outsourced providers.
• Strong understanding of the 2024 Global Internal Audit Standards framework and practical application of risk-based audit methodology.
• Experience developing and delivering an audit plan aligned to principal risks, with direct reporting to an Audit and Risk Committee and engagement with a Board.
• Sound knowledge of risk management frameworks used in organisations, such as COSO ERM or ISO 31000, and the Three Lines Model.
• Experience maintaining risk registers and producing clear, decision-useful risk reporting for senior leaders and committees.
• Strong understanding of financial processes and controls, including the ability to assess control design and operating effectiveness.
• Solid understanding of the UK Corporate Governance Code, particularly Provision 29, together with IT General Controls, ERP and core finance systems, fraud risk and anti-fraud controls.
• Excellent judgement, communication and stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to provide independent challenge at Executive and Board level.

• Professional qualification related to internal auditing or risk management, such as CIA, or equivalent demonstrable leadership experience.
• Qualified accountant status, such as ACA, ACCA or CIMA, particularly where the role supports financial controls and sustainability or Annual Report assurance.
• Broader IT audit experience across application controls, cyber security or data governance.
• Experience providing assurance over major IT projects, ERP implementations, system changes or data migrations.
• Experience using data analytics or audit tools, such as ACL, IDEA or Power BI.
• Experience delivering training related to risk management or internal controls and managing multiple complex workstreams.

• Typically, 10 or more years’ proven experience in organisational review, risk management or controls, including several years at senior leadership level.
• Significant experience in a listed or regulated environment.
• A minimum of three years’ relevant post-qualification experience where a professional qualification is held.
• Practical expertise in audit functions related to internal processes, internal controls or SOX-style compliance environments.

Job Benefits