Head of Control Effectiveness and Assurance

Legalandgeneral; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus plan

Life assurance

Healthcare plan (permanent employees)

25 days holiday

Family leave

Electric car salary sacrifice

Employee discounts

Net-zero offices

Job summary

Legal & General Retail seeks an experienced leader to shape and strengthen the first‑line control effectiveness capability across Retail and to ensure key controls are well designed and operating effectively for positive customer outcomes.

You will lead the control effectiveness framework and assurance programme, developing innovative testing approaches and partnering with Risk, Compliance, Internal Audit, Technology and the business to drive stronger governance and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in control effectiveness, assurance, risk, audit or controls testing within a regulated environment.
• Strong knowledge of control design and operating effectiveness across manual, automated and technology‑dependent controls.
• Strong AI‑tech experience, having either built or implemented an AI tech solution.

Responsibilities

• Leading Retail’s control effectiveness strategy, first‑line assurance methodology and annual review programme.
• Providing objective challenge on control design, operating effectiveness and the robustness of management assessments.
• Conducting control testing, reperformance, evidence‑based reviews and data-led analysis.
• Identifying themes, trends and systemic weaknesses across risk events, issues, audits and monitoring activity.
• Developing automated and scalable approaches to evidence collection, control monitoring and assurance testing.
• Using analytics, workflow tools and AI‑enabled functionality to improve coverage, efficiency and insight.
• Building strong relationships with Risk, Compliance, Internal Audit, Technology, Data and business stakeholders.
• Leading continuous improvement while supporting effective governance, customer outcomes and the development of colleagues.

Skills

Control design

Assurance

Risk management

Audit

Analytical thinking

Education

Professional qualification

Tools

AI tooling

Analytics platforms

Job description

Head of Control Effectiveness and Assurance

• Full-time


• Permanent/Regular or Fixed Term Contract/Temporary: Permanent (UK and ROW) / Regular (US)


• L&G Business Unit: Legal & General Retail


• L&G sub Business Unit: RETAIL - CENTRAL


• Primary Location: Cardiff, Four Central Square


• Job Family: Risk & Regulatory Compliance

Legal & General (L&G) is a leading UK financial services group and major global investor.

We’ve been safeguarding people’s financial futures since 1836, and strive to build a better society, while improving the lives of our customers and creating value for shareholders.

We are one of the world’s largest asset managers and provide powerful asset origination capabilities. Together, these underpin our retirement and protection solutions: we are an international player in pension risk transfer, in UK and US life insurance, and in UK workplace pensions and retirement income.

Who we are

Our Retail business supports customers throughout their lives, to help them save, plan, protect and enjoy retirement.

We’re a leading provider of retirement and protection solutions. We aim to support our c.12.8 million policyholders and workplace members throughout their lifelong financial journeys.

We focus on helping the customers of today and tomorrow achieve better long-term outcomes. We either talk with them directly or work with intermediaries and employers to meet their needs. We use the latest technology to connect with them quickly, efficiently and wherever possible in highly personalised ways.

We’re looking for an experienced controls and assurance leader to shape and strengthen our first‑line control effectiveness capability across Retail. In this role, you’ll provide technical expertise and objective challenge, ensuring key controls are well designed, operating effectively and supporting positive customer outcomes.

This is an opportunity to lead our control effectiveness framework and assurance programme while developing innovative, technology‑enabled approaches to testing. Working closely with senior stakeholders across the business, you’ll turn control outcomes into meaningful insight and help build a more effective, consistent and forward‑looking control environment.

What you’ll be doing:

• Leading Retail’s control effectiveness strategy, first‑line assurance methodology and annual review programme


• Providing objective challenge on control design, operating effectiveness and the robustness of management assessments


• Conducting control testing, reperformance, evidence‑based reviews and data‑led analysis


• Identifying themes, trends and systemic weaknesses across risk events, issues, audits and monitoring activity


• Developing automated and scalable approaches to evidence collection, control monitoring and assurance testing


• Using analytics, workflow tools and AI‑enabled functionality to improve coverage, efficiency and insight


• Building strong relationships with Risk, Compliance, Internal Audit, Technology, Data and business stakeholders


• Leading continuous improvement while supporting effective governance, customer outcomes and the development of colleagues

Who we’re looking for:

• Significant experience in control effectiveness, assurance, risk, audit or controls testing within a regulated environment


• Strong knowledge of control design and operating effectiveness across manual, automated and technology‑dependent controls


• Strong AI‑tech experience, having either built or implemented an AI tech solution


• Experience developing assurance frameworks, methodologies and risk‑based testing approaches
  
• A strong understanding of automation, continuous control monitoring and data‑led assurance


• Experience using analytics, workflow tools or AI‑enabled functionality to improve control testing and insight


• The ability to identify broader themes and systemic weaknesses within complex control environments


• Strong judgement, analytical capability and the confidence to influence and constructively challenge senior stakeholders


• A relevant professional qualification in risk management, internal audit, accounting, governance or compliance would be desirable

Whatever your role, we reward performance and behaviour with a package that looks after all the things that are important to you. Here are some of the benefits we offer:

• The opportunity to participate in our annual, performance‑related bonus plan and valuable share schemes


• Life assurance


• Healthcare Plan (permanent employees only)


• At least 25 days holiday, plus public holidays, 26 days after 2 years’ service. There’s also the option to buy and sell holiday


• Competitive family leave


• Participate in our electric car scheme, which offers employees the option to hire a brand‑new electric car through tax efficient salary sacrifice (permanent employees only)


• There are many discounts we offer – both for our own products and at a range of high street stores and online


• We’re creating net‑zero carbon workplaces by 2030 by investing in our sustainable, modern offices across the UK, all designed to bring people together and elevate the in‑person experience

At L&G, we believe it's possible to generate positive returns today while helping to build a better future for all.

If you join us, you’ll be part of a welcoming, inclusive culture, with opportunities to collaborate with people of diverse backgrounds, views, and experiences. Guided by leaders with integrity who care about your future and wellbeing. Empowered through initiatives which support people to develop their careers and excel.

We care passionately about outcomes rather than attendance and are therefore open to discussing all kinds of flexible working options including part‑time and job shares. Although some roles have limited flexibility due to customer demand, we accommodate requests when we can.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t meet every single criterion in this advert. Instead, think about what you excel at and what else you can bring in terms of strengths, potential and connection to our purpose.