Head of Audit, Australia

Profusion Group; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 108,000 - 162,000; Part time

Job summary

Profusion Group in Melbourne seeks a Head of Audit for a part-time contract (3 days per week) from February/March 2027 to January 2028. The role leads an established internal-audit team across Australian operations of a global investment management entity, reporting to a UK-based senior audit leader with administrative reporting to the Australian CFO.

You will guide audits, present conclusions to audit committees and shape annual and multi-year audit plans.

Qualifications

• Led internal audit within a regulated financial-services business.
• Developed annual audit plans and presented conclusions to boards or audit committees.
• Evidence-based decision-making and clear audit judgement.

Responsibilities

• Establish priorities at handover and confirm live audits, committee commitments and high-priority issues.
• Lead the 2027 plan delivery, manage third-party services and governance process for changes.
• Provide independent view on material findings, management responses and actions with deadlines.
• Shape the 2028 plans through senior stakeholder discussions and clear coverage priorities.
• Lead the team, establish responsibilities with two senior people leaders, and ensure a documented handback.

Skills

Risk-based planning

Audit-quality review

Concise committee communication

Resource prioritisation

Job description

Head of Audit

Melbourne | Contract | Part-time 3 days per week
Anticipated February/March 2027 to January 2028

Lead independent assurance across the Australian operations of a leading global investment management and superannuation organisation. You will guide an established team through significant audits, provide clear conclusions to the relevant audit committees and develop the 2028 audit plans.
The assignment calls for someone who can take ownership following a handover, make sound decisions about evidence and coverage, and help experienced team leaders exercise their responsibilities. Functional reporting is to a UK-based senior audit leader, with administrative reporting to the Australian CFO.

What you will get to do

• Establish priorities at handover |By the end of the agreed overlap, confirm live audits, committee commitments, high-priority issues and delegated responsibilities. Success means the team knows what must happen next, who owns it and where to escape.
• Deliver the 2027 plans | From March, lead the approved plans, including third-party services and operational-resilience assurance. Resolve evidence, access and resource issues, and take significant changes through the agreed governance process. Success will be demonstrated through timely, defensible reports and transparent decisions on coverage.
• Give committees an independent view | At each reporting cycle, explain material findings, management responses and outstanding actions by agreed deadlines. Work constructively with executives and Chairs while maintaining a clear audit judgement. Apply the established methodology to action closure, extensions and risk acceptance.
• Shape the 2028 plans | Begin senior-stakeholder discussions by May and have the plans well developed by the end of July for global collaboration. Present clear priorities, coverage, sequencing and capacity requirements across the Australian operations.
• Lead through an experienced team | In your first month, agree responsibilities with the two senior people leaders. Maintain weekly conversations, delegate meaningful work and support the second-in-command’s development. At handback, leave a clear account of completed work, open issues, the next plans and team priorities.

What you will bring

You will have personally led internal audit in a regulated financial-services business, developed annual plans and presented conclusions to a board or audit committee. We will discuss the decisions you owned, the evidence behind them and the results your team delivered. We are seeking evidence of the below competencies.

• Skills - Risk-based planning, audit-quality review, concise committee communication and the ability to resolve competing demands on specialist resources.
• Knowledge - Financial-services governance and controls, independent assurance and the practical challenges of third-party services. Superannuation experience is strongly preferred, including fund risk or controls experience combined with substantive internal audit leadership.
• Experience - Responsibility for a complex audit portfolio, annual planning, senior stakeholders and leadership through experienced managers. Operational-resilience assurance and global audit coordination are valuable.
• Behaviours - Independent judgement, composure and clear decisions. You will be comfortable challenging evidence, escalating early and giving others the authority and support to lead their work.

Why this role and why now

This appointment brings together immediate audit delivery and a meaningful planning horizon. You will lead a team of approximately 11, work with senior Australian stakeholders and committee Chairs, and shape the assurance priorities carried into 2028.

This is a contract opportunity anticipated to commence between mid-February and early March 2027, extending to mid or late January 2028. A part-time arrangement of three days per week is preferred, with flexibility to consider arrangements depending on the candidate and business requirements. The role is Melbourne-based, with working days and attendance arrangements to be discussed.