1st Line Controls Testing Manager

Mastercard; Harrogate; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading digital payment company in Harrogate seeks a 1st Line Controls Testing Manager to support control testing activities and enhance risk management practices. Responsibilities include executing control tests, mentoring team members, and contributing to control standards. Candidates should have experience in control testing within regulated environments, strong analytical and communication skills, and a relevant bachelor's degree. The role offers competitive compensation and career growth opportunities.

Qualifications

• Experience in control testing, assurance, and risk management within a regulated environment.
• Strong investigative and analytical experience.
• Understanding of control frameworks and standards (e.g., NIST, CRI, ITIL).

Responsibilities

• Conduct periodic testing of key and non-key controls.
• Supervise and mentor junior team members.
• Support development and refinement of control testing standards.

Skills

Control testing

Risk management

Analytical skills

Communication

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field

Tools

Data analytics tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Our Purpose

Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we’re helping build a sustainable economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.

Title and Summary

1st Line Controls Testing Manager Overview

The newly established Vocalink Control Office function is seeking a Manager within the 1st Line Control Testing team to support the delivery of control testing activities, within Vocalink Limited (VLL). VLL is a Bank of England regulated, Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) company that enables the payments of 90% of salaries, 70% of utility bills, most ATM transactions and every cheque cleared in the UK.

This role plays a key part in embedding a strong control environment by executing control testing, identifying control gaps, and supporting continuous improvement in risk management practices.

Key Responsibilities

• Control Testing Execution

  Conduct periodic testing of key and non-key controls in line with the Control Testing Methodology including IT general controls (ITGCs), application controls, financial, and operational controls, ensuring comprehensive coverage across all relevant business processes.

  Evaluate compliance with internal policies, standards, regulatory requirements, and customer obligations.

  Prepare and review control testing documentation, including test procedures, results, and identified gaps.

  Ensure timely escalation of control deficiencies and support remediation tracking.

• Team Leadership, Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

  Supervise and mentor junior team members (Senior Analysts), providing guidance on testing execution and quality assurance.

  Support the Director of Control Testing in delivering the annual testing plan, contributing to team development.

  Engage with 1st Line teams while coordinating closely with 2nd Line partners and maintaining effective liaison with Internal Audit.

  Contribute to reporting for governance forums, including dashboards, thematic reviews, and trend analysis.

  Partner with control owners, providing guidance on control effectiveness and remediation.

• Governance & Continuous Improvement

  Support the development and refinement of control testing standards, tools, and methodologies.

  Contribute to the maturity of the 3 Lines of Defence model and promote a culture of proactive risk management.

  Stay informed on emerging risks, regulatory changes, and industry best practices relevant to operational, financial, and general business controls, and reflect these considerations in control testing activities.

Experience & Qualifications

• Experience in control testing, assurance, and risk management within a regulated environment.
• Strong investigative and analytical experience (e.g. enquiry, analysis, interviewing, testing), problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Understanding of control frameworks and standards (e.g., NIST, CRI, ITIL, ISO and PCI‑DSS).
• Ability to assess control design and operating effectiveness in complex environments and to identify control gaps and improvement opportunities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Professional certifications such as IIA, CIA, ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CISA, CRISC or equivalent is desirable.

Preferred Skills & Attributes

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., Business, Information Technology, Risk Management).
• Good knowledge of controls (operational, financial, and IT general controls) across platforms and business processes.
• Proficiency in data analytics tools or similar control testing tools.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (MS Word, MS Excel, MS Access and MS PowerPoint).
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise and manage multiple tasks.
• Self-starter with a continuous improvement mindset and a collaborative approach.

Corporate Security Responsibility

• Abide by Mastercard’s security policies and practices.
• Ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the information being accessed.
• Report any suspected information security violation or breach, and
• Complete all periodic mandatory security trainings in accordance with Mastercard’s guidelines.