United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Internal Audit Manager (2 year fixed-term contract)

Our vision is of a world where no one is blind from avoidable causes and where visually impaired people participate equally in society. Each year, we improve the lives of millions of people in the poorest parts of the world. Sightsavers is growing rapidly and offers a great place to work within easy reach of London and Brighton.

Sightsavers works with partners in more than 30 developing countriescombatting blindness, restoring sight through specialist treatment and eye care. Sightsavers also support people who are irreversibly blind by providing education, counselling and training.

The IAM Role

The Internal Audit Manager works with the Controller of Internal Audit and Assurance, to provide an independent and objective assurance and consultancy service to positively assist Sightsavers to achieve its strategy, objectives and activities. This is delivered by evaluating risk management, governance and control activities across the organisation, both within the UK and overseas. The work is wide-ranging and far-reaching, and the Internal Audit Manager is expected to add real value to Sightsavers business to every project we work on by evaluating and, where needed, challenging how things are done by putting forward suggestions as to how they can be done better. The postholder will provide an assurance that any risks which threaten the achievement of our strategy, objectives and activities are managed efficiently and effectively.

Knowledge, Skills and experience

In order to be successful in this role, you will need to:

• Be a lead Audit Practitioner, with a recognised professional qualification (CMIIA, ACA, or ACCA).
• Have substantial internal audit experience including operating directly with executive management and audit committees.
• Demonstrate leadership skills, have the capability to influence change and an ability to communicate effectively with staff at all levels within the organisation – UK and overseas.
• Have a good knowledge of governance, risk, process and control frameworks.
• Have an up-to-date awareness of internal audit practices, trends and international standards.
• Provide evidence of proactively addressing areas of concern and weakness, and finding workable solutions. Previous experience of auditing the risk and control environment required to support major projects and programmes will be an advantage.

Job Title: Internal Audit Manager

Job Location: UK

Reports to: Controller of Internal Audit and Assurance

Oversight responsibility: The co-source audit partner

Job Purpose

The Internal Audit Manager (IAM), working with the Controller of Internal Audit and Assurance (CIAA), is responsible for the quality and performance of internal auditing within Sightsavers.

Background

Internal Audit is a key part of the governance and assurance arrangements within Sightsavers. Its prime objective is to provide the CEO and the Audit Committee, in an economical, efficient and timely manner, with an objective evaluation of, and opinion on, the overall adequacy and effectiveness of Sightsavers' governance, risk management and control arrangements.

The Internal Audit Manager, with the CIAA, will also advise the CEO of the risks to which the organisation may be exposed if the scope of audit is limited or qualified in any way.

Internal Audit is not an extension of, nor a substitute for, line management. Responsibility for internal control continues to rest fully with the line managers within the organisation.

The internal audit activity is free from interference in determining the scope of an internal audit assignment, performing the work and communicating the results of audit work.

Internal audit is primarily a service for the CEO. In order to operate independently and

objectively, the IAM, with the CIAA, has free and unfettered access to both the CEO and Audit Committee Chair. The CIAA has responsibility for the performance appraisal of the IAM, advised by the Audit Committee Chair and the CEO, to avoid undue influence in the effective conduct of this work

Responsibilities

• Manage and administer Sightsavers’ Internal Audit function, including oversight of Sightsavers’ external co-sourcing partner relationships that are required to provide and deliver the assurance framework.

• Develop and maintain an Internal Audit Strategy and Annual Audit Plan designed to provide an evidence-based opinion aligned to the risk profile of Sightsavers. The plan should outline the resources and skills required to meet the assurance needs of the CEO, the Trustees and Audit Committee in a focused, high quality and cost effective manner.

• Establish relevant policies and procedures to guide the internal audit work and provide support to introduce the internal controls into line manager responsibilities.

• Undertake and deliver to a high quality assignments included in the Strategy and Plan.

• Provide consultancy support, where appropriate, without taking on managements’ responsibility.

• Contribute to ensuring that financial controls and other assurance processes and activities are appropriate and robust throughout Sightsavers.

• Work closely with Regional Finance Managers to identify and address key control issues and capacity gaps through regional assurance processes.

• Undertake specific audit and assurance reviews as and when necessary to address significant assurance concerns e.g. special reviews, investigations.

• Provide technical direction in finance systems development to ensure appropriate governance and control are built into key processes from the start.

• Work with the management team to raise awareness of risk management within Sightsavers.

Note: The responsibilities are not meant to be an exhaustive list of tasks. The need for flexibility is required and the job holder is expected to carry out any other related duties that are within the employee's skills and abilities whenever reasonably instructed

Jobholder Entry Requirements – qualification, experience and abilities

The IAM will require strong internal audit experience with the personal impact,

strategic capability and influencing skills to play a prominent role in provision of assurance to the

CEO and Audit Committee.

In particular the IAM post holder is able to demonstrate:

· Qualified professional membership of an internal audit or accountancy body; for

example, CMIIA, CCAB.

• Significant experience working in an internal audit department as a senior auditor / audit manager.

· A successful track record in internal audit management and participation in the

formulation of audit objectives, policies and strategies.

· A successful track record of influencing, giving professional advice to and building

effective and productive working relationships with managers at all levels, and those engaged in managing risks and other assurance providers.

· A successful track record in audit planning, quality and performance management.

· The ability, with the CIAA, to develop and implement the internal audit strategy and plan,

compatible with the corporate vision and strategy, and to undertake a vital role in

the governance arrangements.

· The ability to provide professional, independent advice confidently, and propose

recommendations on how to address control weaknesses efficiently and effectively;

· The ability to handle competing priorities and a challenging workload.

· An understanding of the charity/not-for-profit environment and accountability.

· Familiarity with programme and project management including program and project audit.

· Willingness to continuously develop skills and knowledge to remain current with internal audit practice.

· An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity for disabled people.

Qualities and Behaviour

· Purpose and direction. You will have clear picture of how a top-class internal audit function needs to serve Sightsavers. An ability to set clear objectives and plans and to agree clearly who is responsible for achieving results.

· Communicating & Influencing – You will be respected for honesty and integrity as well as for your insights in looking beyond the norm and challenging established practices. You will have the ability to inspire confidence and the trust of those you work with.

· Thinking strategically. Demonstrate the ability to take account of the wider organisational context in which you carry out the role – exercising tact and diplomacy but delivering advice clearly and authoritatively no matter how unwelcome.

· Team Working. You will get the best from people. You will be able to give and receive constructive feedback. You will be ready to recognise and celebrate success as well as tackle poor performance and inappropriate behaviour

· Change. You will be able to initiate change and make it happen.

· Focus on delivery. You will be able to demonstrate your ability to manage the delivery of internal audits, on time, within budget and to a high quality.

· Learning and improving

Key Relationships

Internal

· Chief Executive Officer

· Audit Committee Chair/Audit Committee

· Director Finance and Performance

· Planning and Reporting Director

· Planning, Performance and Reporting Team

· Management Team

· Regional Directors

· Regional Finance Managers

· Finance Systems and Operations teams

· Country Directors and Cost Centre Managers

External

· Sightsavers’ chosen internal audit co-sourcing partners

· Sightsavers’ external audit partner Networking with relevant professional groups e.g. INGO Internal Audit groups

To apply, and for further details about the role, please download an application pack from http://sightsavers.org/about_us/vacancies. Please return the completed application form and equal opportunities form as two separate documents to jobs@sightsavers.org.

As an equal opportunities employer we actively encourage applications from all sections of the community.Qualified people living with a disability are particularly encouraged to apply.