Audit Scotland helps to ensure over £40 billion of public money is spent wisely in Scotland. We are making great progress towards our ambition of being a world class audit organisation that improves the use of public money.  Our business is financial and performance audit, supporting better outcomes for people and communities across Scotland.

The last few years have seen unprecedented change in Scotland, the UK and internationally; the UK’s decision to leave the EU, new powers devolved to Scotland, a digital revolution in how public services are delivered, demographic changes in our population and continuing pressures on public services. With more change to come and a fair amount of uncertainty, public audit has never been more important.

The role

Our Audit Directors are senior leaders in Audit Scotland, and in public services in Scotland more broadly. You will work closely with the Auditor General for Scotland and the Accounts Commission for Scotland, for whom we deliver our audit work. You will have real influence, contributing to the strategic direction of the organisation and making a positive difference to how public services are delivered.

You will be responsible for developing and delivering a significant portfolio of performance audit work. In doing so, you will be providing an independent assessment of how public services are delivered and what difference they are making for services users and communities. You will be working at the most senior levels across the public sector, and will need to be credible and resilient in building effective stakeholder relationships.  

You will work with the other UK audit agencies and private audit firms to deliver the very best in our work.  You will be an outstanding leader, working in an environment where expectations are high. We invest heavily in our people and you will be a role model for professional and personal development.

Great benefits

We offer a competitive salary, with a local government defined-benefit, career average pension scheme. Our benefits package aims to look after your health and wellbeing, work-life balance and professional development. You’ll find more on our full range of benefits on our careers site.

We embrace a world-class vision and a refreshingly different culture for 21^st century professionals.  We value simplicity, autonomy, integrity and innovation. We are a Sunday Times top 100 not for profit organisation and a Best Companies ‘One to Watch’ employer, committed to continuous improvement. You will have the opportunity to shape the specific nature of the role, depending on your skills, experience and ambitions for the future.

Your post will be based in one of our three offices, centrally located in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness. Given the national nature of this role, wherever you are based, you will be expected to travel and on occasion stay away overnight.

More about you

Passionate about making a difference to the lives of people of Scotland, you understand how the public sector works, although you don’t need to be working within the public sector. You’re either already operating at senior leadership level or you’re ready for the next career step.

As a credible leader you will coach, motivate and develop our people. You’ll think strategically and creatively, have strong programme management skills, with the ability to analyse complex problems and deliver practical, realistic and workable solutions. An excellent communicator, you are able to present balanced findings with convincing and persuasive recommendations, both verbally and in writing.

You’re able to demonstrate experience of performance auditing and similar activities. It is likely that you are degree qualified, or equivalent. A CCAB audit qualification is desirable, but not essential.

If you want to know more about the work we do, the role, the package and us, then visit our website, which includes a dedicated careers section. It includes our short explainer video and examples of the impact our work is having across Scotland.

Should you have any questions about the role not already covered in the information we have provided, we can arrange a confidential telephone call. 

Interested? Next steps …

Click the Apply button to register, upload your CV and complete the additional information section with a brief personal statement about how you can help us and our clients/stakeholders.

We offer lots of flexibility for how, when and where our people prefer to work.  We are happy to explore this further, including part-time working arrangements and job sharing options. Please mark on your personal statement if you have a flexible working preference so we can contact you to better understand your preferences.

Closing date is Sunday 21 July at midnight, with time set aside to meet up week commencing 12 August in Edinburgh.