Audit Quality Assistant Manager / Manager

PKF Littlejohn LLP; City Of London; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading audit firm is seeking an Audit Quality Assistant Manager / Manager to support partners in achieving audit quality and ensure compliance with standards. Ideal candidates will possess a professional accountancy qualification, strong UK auditing knowledge, and excellent communication skills. This role involves performing quality reviews, responding to regulatory queries, and improving audit methodology.

Qualifications

• At least 3 years post-qualification experience for Manager.
• 1-year post-qualification experience for Assistant Manager.
• Strong understanding of UK auditing standards and legislation.

Responsibilities

• Perform audit quality reviews of selected audit engagements.
• Prepare reports on findings from audit quality reviews.
• Support in the development of audit quality guidance and materials.

Skills

Professional accountancy qualification (e.g. ICAEW, ACCA)

Knowledge of UK auditing requirements

Excellent communication skills

Proficient in Microsoft Office

Education

Professional accountancy qualification

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Microsoft PowerPoint

SharePoint

Job description

The Technical and Compliance Department (TCD) ensures that the Firm's business is conducted in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, codes, and standards issued by the regulators and standard setters. TCD also plays a vital role in the Firm's system of quality management (SOQM) through the performance of audit quality reviews on selected audit engagements, performing monitoring activities in relation to the engagement performance and the development and delivery of audit quality related guidance and training materials.

As an Audit Quality Assistant Manager / Manager, you will play a key role in supporting partners and staff to achieve audit quality in their engagement and ensure compliance with applicable auditing and accounting standards. You will apply your audit knowledge and experience in supporting the needs of the Firm with the main part of your role involving answering audit related queries, performing cold, in-flight and thematic reviews and issuing guidance and training on audit quality initiatives. You must be a strong team player and be able to work effectively within TCD and across the Firm. You must also have the ability to liaise with and win the confidence of senior partners and staff within the Firm, the Firm's network and externally including the Firm's regulatory bodies.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsibilities

• Audit Quality Reviews – Performing audit quality reviews of selected audit engagements which includes, but is not limited to, in-flight reviews, thematic reviews, follow-up of regulatory findings and cold file reviews.
• Preparing and submitting reports on the findings from all audit quality reviews to the relevant compliance partners, the Professional Standards Committee (PSC), the Audit Quality Oversight Team (AQOT), and, where required, the wider Firm.
• Identification of areas for improvement in the Firm's audit methodology and/or audit training as a result of the findings from the audit quality reviews and delivery of those actions in conjunction with other members of the Technical and Compliance Department (TCD).
• Participating in the relevant audit quality projects and initiatives devised by the AQOT.
• Undertaking a review of existing working practices, suggesting improvements and delivery of agreed monitoring and recommendations.

Responsibilities (continued)

• Audit Quality Liaison & Queries – Supporting in the development of audit quality sessions, guidance and materials for managers, RIs and engagement quality reviewers.
• Responding to queries and information requests from the audit regulators, audit engagement teams and others in relation to audit quality matters.
• Ensuring liaison and co-operation with divisional audit quality teams to ensure the objectives of AQOT are addressed and to identify findings and trends arising from divisional audit teams.
• Providing support to the Technical and Compliance Department by answering audit related queries and development of audit related materials, including audit methodology, materials, and training.
• Reviewing the audit reports of public interest entities and other entities in scope of the Firm's technical review requirements to confirm compliance with auditing standards, company legislation and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Reviewing the proposed modified audit reports of the Firm's audited entities prior to issuance.
• Sharing best practices with audit teams to improve overall audit quality initiative that reduce risk and enhance audit quality.

Monitoring & Remediation

• Monitoring & Remediation – Undertaking the relevant audit quality related monitoring activities relating to the quality risks and responses devised for the Firm's system of quality management and reporting the findings of those activities to the Technical and Compliance Partner (individual responsible for monitoring and remediation).
• Involvement in the relevant root cause analysis requirements for identified deficiencies from reviews of completed engagements and audit regulatory findings. This includes, but is not limited to, taking the notes of those meetings, communicating the outcomes from the meetings, and performing the monitoring activities to ensure the remedial actions are effectively implemented.

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

Skills & Experience

• Professional accountancy qualification (e.g. ICAEW, ACCA or equivalent) with at least 3 years post-qualification experience (Manager) / 1-year post-qualification experience (Assistant Manager).
• Good working skills, knowledge and understanding of the UK auditing requirements including legislation (e.g., Companies Act 2006), auditing standards (ISAs (UK , the FRC's Revised Ethical Standard and accounting standards (UK GAAP and IFRS).
• Previous experience working in audit practice and/or in a similar audit quality position. The role would also be suited to an auditor demonstrating strong technical aptitude looking to move into an audit quality role.
• Able to develop and deliver audit quality training initiatives and materials.
• Deal with complex, multi-faceted issues and reach clear evidenced based conclusions.
• Possess excellent communication skills (verbally and written).
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and other applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint and SharePoint).