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Audit Risk and Quality - Secondment - Senior Manager/Manager

Recruiter
PwC
Location
United Kingdom
Salary
Competitive
Closing date
18 Sep 2019

Job Details

Who we are looking forAs part of the Programme to Enhance Audit Quality (PEAQ), Audit Risk and Quality (ARQ) are seeking high performing individuals, on a secondment basis, to strengthen our quality support programme and quality monitoring activities.

ARQ is a national team currently operating out of hubs in London, Birmingham and Edinburgh. Under the PEAQ, we will be significantly expanding the number of team members in these hubs. Applications from individuals based in other offices may also be considered. We are looking for engaged and enthusiastic individuals from experienced senior associate to director level, who are focused on, and experienced in, delivering high quality audits.

Secondees would join our technology-connected team of 60, working closely with our experts in audit methodology, audit quality and audit risk management. Secondees to ARQ will work alongside, and be coached by, these experts. They will experience a broad range of activities and develop skills and expertise to enhance their career and progress in their business unit through the delivery of consistently high quality audits on their return.

A secondment to ARQ will help you develop an understanding of what high quality looks like, through widening your experience of the challenges faced by a broad range of audit teams. You will be a key part of the firm’s commitment to delivering consistently high quality audits, developing problem solving and thought leadership skills, alongside improving your technical skills and knowledge.

The DetailTo develop high quality auditors, secondees into ARQ are involved in activities across the breadth of audit methodology, audit quality and audit risk management. We ask all secondees to commit to a portfolio of projects for the duration of their secondment, alongside other ad-hoc projects. All portfolios include one or more of the key activities below (in addition to IGLO helpline), based on the existing skill sets, goals and interests of the secondee.

As part of the PEAQ, ARQ are expanding the activity levels and support to the Audit practice. Activities the team undertake on ‘live’ audits include:

  • Higher Profile Client (HPC) programme – The HPC programme carries out real time reviews to support our audit teams in delivering consistently high quality audits. It requires interactions with senior members of client teams, providing challenge, support and coaching. Under the PEAQ our programme of HPC reviews will increase in both scope and number.

  • Methodology and training – ARQ identify emerging practical or technical difficulties, develop guidance and tools, and deliver core technical training to support the delivery of high quality audits. Methodology and training directly influence the audit activities that the practice carry out on a daily basis. They also involve consultation with the Compliance and Independence teams, widening your network of contacts across the business.

  • Risk management – Protecting the firm is central to the activities of ARQ, from contracting challenges to commercial decisions. Global, UK Firm and Audit risk management policies protect the firm from the risks of delivering substandard audits. High quality risk management is critical to the firm in the current regulatory and media-focused market, and fundamental to your development as an audit professional.

  • Engagement team support – All secondees to ARQ work alongside our experts in providing timely technical support to the practice through responding to enquiries and consultations on the IGLO helpline. Secondees will respond to queries covering a wide range of audit risk management issues and methodology challenges, broadening their own experiences and technical skills in doing so.


  • In addition to activities focused on current audit engagements, ARQ are also fundamental to protecting the firm, and the external perception of the quality of our audits, through:

  • Regulatory activities – There is increased regulatory, political and media focus on both the quality of our audits, and the firm’s procedures to support the delivery of high quality audits. Working alongside engagement teams and the firm’s functions, ARQ support the development of high quality responses to regulatory concerns on both individual inspections and the firm’s procedures and controls. ARQ develop quality action plans, learning from quality matters by identifying and determining responsive actions through root cause analysis.

  • Regulatory investigations – New audit enforcement and disciplinary procedures from our regulators have resulted in an increase in regulatory information requests and investigations. ARQ work closely with the Office of General Council (OGC) to support engagement teams to achieve the optimum outcome for the firm. The media continues to focus on regulatory fines and ‘audit failure’ in the profession as part of the ongoing debate on the future of audit.

  • Quality control – Each year the firm undertakes a controls review process to ensure compliance with ISQC1, required to retain the firm’s audit licence. ARQ work with the firm’s functions, including IT, HC, Compliance, Independence and Partner Affairs, to understand the processes that support audit quality and test the firm’s controls. Also forming part of the audit quality control framework, ARQ coordinate and moderate the Engagement Compliance Review (ECR) programme across all audit business units, performing root cause analysis on quality issues and developing responsive actions. Both activities are part of the PwC global requirements, and subject to global policies, procedures, oversight and reporting.

  • ARQ are also responsible for many other activities to support audit quality and our projects are continually evolving, as a result of discussions held at global, board and subcommittee meetings and in response to regulatory developments.

    Support and coaching structures are in place in each project team, enabling new skills to be developed in a safe environment. Many of the projects are undertaken with exposure to senior individuals within the firm, including board members, R&Q executive, large engagement teams or global colleagues. Good communication skills are vital.

    Essential skills needed for the role:

  • ACA / ACCA / ICAS / International equivalent qualification.

  • A practical understanding of PwC audit processes and an ability to critically evaluate application.

  • Good communication and influencing skills with both peers and senior individuals.

  • A willingness to challenge points of views and opinion, through presenting logical arguments.

  • Assertive, flexible, proactive, and self motivated with a desire for learning.

  • Experience of managing people, workload and individual tasks.

  • Desirable skills sought for the role:

  • Good IT skills and experience of Aura.



  • Risk Assurance

    We’re a leading provider of trust in the digital world - in the eyes of our people, our clients and our stakeholders. Today's business environment is different. More complex. More connected. Companies not only face new and unknown risks, but also new and untapped opportunities. Our team is at the forefront of this change, join us to be a part of transforming how risk is perceived and capitalised on.

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    The skills we look for in future employees

    All our people need to demonstrate the skills and behaviours that support us in delivering our business strategy. This is important to the work we do for our business, and our clients. These skills and behaviours make up our global leadership framework, ‘The PwC Professional’ and are made up of five core attributes; whole leadership, technical capabilities, business acumen, global acumen and relationships.

    Learn more here www.pwc.com/uk/careers/experienced/apply

    Diversity

    We work in a changing world which offers great opportunities for people with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We seek to attract and employ the best people from the widest talent pool, as well as those who reflect the diverse nature of our society. And we aim to encourage a culture where people can be themselves and be valued for their strengths. Creating value through diversity is what makes us strong as a business and as an organisation with an increasingly agile workforce, we're open to flexible working arrangements where appropriate.

    Learn more here www.pwc.com/uk/diversity

    Company

    Your career is just that; yours. You choose it. You live it. You make it happen. To get the best from it, you need the best opportunities. That’s why opportunities are at the heart of a career with us. Opportunities to grow as an individual, to build lasting relationships and make an impact in a place where people, quality and value mean everything.

    What we do

    We’re one of the world’s leading professional services organisations. From 158 countries, we help our clients, some of the most successful organisations on the globe, as well as its most dynamic entrepreneurs and thriving private businesses, to create the value they want. We help to measure, protect and enhance the things that matter most to them.

    Where you could work:

    • Assurance
    • Consulting
    • Financial Advisory/ Deals
    • Human Resource Services
    • Internal Firm Services
    • PwC Legal LLP
    • Tax
    • Technology

    As a leading professional services network we’re confident we can offer outstanding training and development opportunities, exposure to multi-disciplinary teams, and support from industry-leading experts. Discover where your talent could take you and join an employer that focused on helping you reach your full potential.

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