Location

Flexible - will be considered but significant time in London is required which may attract a permanent dual workplace arrangement.

About the job
Summary

The Government Internal Audit Agency are an Executive Agency of HM Treasury and a specialist provider of internal audit and counter fraud and investigation services to central government.

Job description
The Role

This is a significant career opportunity to join a fast paced and growing organisation. The post holder will own the responsibility for the following two aspects of delivery:

• Internal Audit service to the Accounting Officer for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
• Head of the Audit Authority for England, for the 14-20 Structural Funds and AMIF programmes. The role is intended to protect public and Commission funds by providing an objective assessment of the programmes’ expenditure against the Commission’s regulations, and delivery of assurances to the European Commission on departmental discharge of several programmes; and
• You will be a talented individual, with exceptional leadership skills, who has the energy to drive and lead a team of auditors.

Responsibilities

• Providing MHCLG, the Agency Accounting Officers and Audit Committees with reliable, evidence based, independent opinions on risk management, control and governance;
• Lead a programme of work to provide the necessary assurances to the Commission as to the degree of compliance with EC regulations;
• Directing activity to develop and implement an Internal Audit Plan which reflects the priorities of the client;
• Managing resources to enable effective delivery;
• Securing agreement to Internal Audit’s plans, with the Permanent Secretary, Accounting Officers and client Audit Committees;
• Delivering plans to time, budget and quality standards in order to support year-end assurances and other agreed stakeholder requirements;
• Supporting senior stakeholders in the identification and management of key risks;
• Assisting the Principal Accounting Officer in management of relationships with external bodies, including the National Audit Office, HM Treasury, and the Public Accounts Committee in respect of VFM and financial audits of the client department.

As a senior member of the leadership team of GIAA, the post holder will also be responsible for:

• Inspiring and leading a team of professional auditors to deliver the highest quality service to one of our most significant customers;
• Collectively organising both individual and thematic reviews sufficient to provide annual assurance to individual Accounting Officers;
• Actively engaging with the agendas of client organisations, maintaining awareness of changing risk profiles and appetites, and adjusting audit programmes in response to these as appropriate;
• Working with the wider internal audit community in enhancing the service across Whitehall;
• Supporting the CEO in building the capability of internal audit function to deliver a strong, value added service to all clients, a focus on strategic risks, and develop new leaders with the capability to develop the profession in the future;

Key Skills

• The ability to provide leadership and management to two teams of professional people (one team is spread over 16 geographic locations from Plymouth to Newcastle, with the MHCLG team being London-based);
• The ability to understand the organisation’s priorities and threats and hence design an audit programme for maximum impact, and proactively adapt it as necessary to changing circumstances;
• The ability to understand and sensitively navigate competing priorities and activity within departmental groups and bodies whilst maintaining independence and credibility with lead stakeholders;
• The ability to provide strategic insight into the adequacy of internal controls based on a solid understanding of current and future risks to the department;
• Be able to work collaboratively with the wider internal audit community in enhancing the service across Whitehall;
• Be able to support the GIAA CEO in building the capability to the internal audit function to deliver a strong, value added service to all clients, a focus on strategic risks; and
• The experience to support the development of new leaders with the capability to develop the profession in the future.

Responsibilities
Person Specification

We are looking for a proven leader who is able to influence at senior levels, deploy strong professional internal audit skills to provide sound advice and respond quickly to fast moving priorities. The appropriate candidate will be able to demonstrate evidence of their success in the following areas:

• • Highly developed leadership skills, with proven ability to build and inspire a team, develop capability, and create an engaged and motivated workforce;
• • A successful track record of improving the control environment in large, complex organisations;
• • Experience of successfully influencing at board level (or equivalent) and managing relationships between departments and their sponsored bodies (or equivalent experience);
• • Outstanding ability to communicate (both oral and written), and work effectively, with a wide range of peers, partners and senior colleagues, combined with the ability to respond quickly to fast moving priorities;
• • Strong analytical capability combined with the ability to be able to communicate complex positions clearly;
• • Experience of developing and delivering a risk-based Internal Audit programme;
• • A professional qualification in Internal Audit or Accountancy (i.e CMIIA, CCAB or equivalent)

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

Benefits

Whatever your role, we take your career and development seriously, and want to enable you to build a successful career with the Department and wider Civil Service. It is crucial that our employees have the right skills to develop their careers and meet the challenges ahead, and you’ll benefit from regular performance and development reviews to ensure this development is ongoing. As a Civil Service employee, you’ll be entitled to a large range of benefits.

Equality Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service values and supports all its employees. GIAA embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity, seeking to establish a workforce representative of the variety of customers we serve. Within GIAA, we are proud of our achievements so far in welcoming and valuing people from the widest range of backgrounds and experiences, to join us at all levels. Since the Agency was established we have already met or exceeded a number of civil service representational benchmarks. We strive to continue to develop as a leader in inclusion, recognising and valuing difference and creating an organisation that’s the right fit for every person inside it. We will do this through attracting the best and encouraging them to flourish and grow within the Agency.
We do not tolerate harassment, discrimination or unfair treatment on any grounds. We operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme, offering interviews to all applicants with disabilities who meet our minimum selection criteria. We are also happy to consider any reasonable adjustments to enable an applicant with a disability to deliver the requirements of the post.

Pension

Your pension is a valuable part of your total reward package. We offer a competitive contributory pension scheme that you can enter as soon as you join where we will make a significant contribution to the cost of your pension; where your contributions come out of your salary before any tax is taken; and where your pension will continue to provide valuable benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you retire. Visit www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk for more details.

• Generous Annual Leave and Bank Holiday Allowance
• 25 days annual leave on entry, increasing on a sliding scale to 30 days after 5 years’ service. This is in addition to 8 public holidays.
• This will be complimented by one further day paid privilege entitlement to mark the Queen’s Birthday.
• Staff Wellbeing
• Flexible working including part- time or term-time working and access to Flexible Working Schemes allowing you to vary your working day as long as you work your total hours.
• Generous paid maternity and paternity leave which is notably more than the statutory minimum offered by many other employers.
• Childcare voucher scheme
• Onsite facilities Opportunity to use onsite facilities including fitness centres and staff canteens (where applicable).
• Season Ticket and Bicycle Loan
• Interest-free loans allowing you to spread the cost of an annual travel season ticket or a new bicycle.
• Sick Pay
• Occupational sick pay.

Things you need to know Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check. Selection process details. This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours.

Expected Timeline

We will try and offer as much flexibility as we can, but it may not be possible to offer alternative dates for assessments or interviews. You are therefore asked to note the below timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process, including participating in assessments via video (e.g. Skype / Google Hangout) where necessary in order to meet the dates given. Please note that, whilst we’ll endeavour not to, these dates may be subject to change.

The anticipated timetable is as follows:
Advert Closing Date 26 November 2019
Shortlist Meeting 2-5 December 2019
Assessments Early December 2019
Interviews 10 January 2020

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK, Commonwealth and European Economic Area (EEA) and certain non EEA nationals. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available via the 'apply' button below.

Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of recruitment based on fair and open competition with decisions made on the basis of merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact HMT by email: hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.