Internal Audit Manager - IT

Howden Group Holdings; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Professional development

Employee ownership

Job summary

Howden Group Holdings is seeking an Internal Audit Manager - IT in London to lead IT audits across infrastructure, applications, cybersecurity, cloud and data governance. You will act as the IT risk SME, shaping audit planning and leveraging data analytics to identify controls weaknesses and opportunities for improvement.

Join a collaborative, hybrid-working environment in a global insurer with a strong ownership culture.

Qualifications

• Advanced IT audit expertise across ITGCs, application controls, cybersecurity and cloud environments.
• Practical data analytics skills (Python/SQL/Power BI/Alteryx) applied to audit delivery.
• Interest in AI and automation to improve audit efficiency and coverage.
• Strong project and delivery management with ability to coordinate multiple stakeholders, including third-party providers.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; capable of engaging senior stakeholders with credible assurance.
• Collaborative team player who supports peers without direct line management.
• Solid commercial and risk awareness in financial services / insurance contexts.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute IT audits across core domains including infrastructure, applications, cybersecurity, cloud and data governance.
• Act as SME in IT risk, guiding audit planning and continuous monitoring, with insights on evolving risk areas.
• Support broader audit delivery by embedding IT risk in business and operational audits.
• Oversee co-source/third-party delivery with scoping, oversight and sign-off quality.
• Lead data analytics applications in audit planning and execution, championing AI and automation.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with IT, security, data and business stakeholders.

Skills

Advanced IT Audit

Data Analytics

AI/Automation

Project Management

Communication

Team Collaboration

Risk Awareness

Education

IT auditing qualifications

Tools

Python

SQL

Power BI

Alteryx

Job description

Who are we?

Howden is a global insurance group with employee ownership at its heart. Together, we have pushed the boundaries of insurance. We are united by a shared passion and no-limits mindset, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 24,000 employees spanning over 56 countries. People join Howden for many different reasons, but they stay for the same one: our culture. It’s what sets us apart, and the reason our employees have been turning down headhunters for years. Whatever your priorities – work / life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering – you’ll find like-minded people driving change at Howden.

We are hiring for an Internal Audit Manager - IT

Why work at Howden?

We have always been employee-owned and driven by entrepreneurial spirit. Right from the beginning, we've focused on employing talented individuals and empowering them to make a real difference to the company, whilst building successful and fulfilling careers at the same time. Simply put, we hire talented specialists and give them what they need to make a difference for clients. Always have, always will.

People join Howden for many different reasons, but they stay for the same one: our culture. It’s what sets us apart, and the reason our employees have been turning down disappointed head-hunters for years.

Whatever your priorities – work/life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering – you’ll find like-minded people driving change at Howden.

What is the role?

Internal audit is an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to help Howden Group and its entities accomplish its strategic objectives by bringing a detailed, focused approach to evaluate and improve the efficiency of risk management, control and governance processes. Internal Audit reports functionally to the Howden Group Audit Committee and administratively to the Group CRO.

The goal of our function is not to find fault, but to help management and the businesses succeed in delivering their objectives successfully. We accomplish this by utilising our diverse range of skillsets to challenge the status quo and bring insight and value alongside our core assurance work.

What will you be doing?

Lead and Execute IT Audits Independently plan, scope, and deliver IT audits across core domains including infrastructure, applications, cybersecurity, cloud, data governance, and emerging technologies. Produce high-quality, concise audit reports aligned to Internal Audit standards.

Subject Matter Expertise (SME) in IT Risk Act as the primary IT audit specialist within the function, informing risk assessment, audit planning, and continuous monitoring activities. Provide expert insight on evolving risk areas (e.g. cyber resilience, AI/ML, automation, third-party risk, cloud transformation).

Support Broader Audit Delivery Embed IT risk considerations within business and operational audits (e.g. underwriting, claims, finance), ensuring end-to-end risk coverage. Provide hands-on technical support and guidance to audit team members, enhancing overall team capability.

Manage Co-source / Third-Party Delivery Oversee co-source partners on specialist IT audits, including scoping, execution oversight, quality assurance, and deliverable sign-off. Ensure alignment with internal methodology, expectations, and reporting quality standards.

Enhance Data Analytics and Audit Methodology Lead the application of data analytics in audit planning and execution, leveraging large datasets to drive insight and risk identification. Act as a champion for innovation within Internal Audit, particularly in the use of AI and automation to improve audit efficiency, coverage, and quality.

Stakeholder Engagement Build effective relationships with IT, security, data, and business stakeholders across the organisation. Provide constructive challenge, pragmatic recommendations, and credible assurance to senior management.

Continuous Improvement Contribute to the evolution of Internal Audit methodology, tools, and reporting, with a focus on technology-enabled audit practices. Identify opportunities to streamline processes and improve audit delivery through smarter use of technology.

What are we looking for?

• Advanced IT Audit Expertise Strong capability across ITGCs, application controls, cybersecurity, and modern technology environments (e.g. cloud, APIs, data platforms). Ability to assess complex IT architectures and articulate risks in a clear, business-relevant manner.
• Data Analytics & Digital Capability Advanced data analytics skills (e.g. Python, SQL, Power BI, Alteryx or equivalent), with practical application in audit delivery. Ability to interrogate large datasets, identify anomalies, and translate findings into meaningful audit insights.
• Innovation and AI Mindset Demonstrated interest and capability in leveraging AI and automation within audit processes (e.g. analytics acceleration, control testing, documentation review). Proactive mindset in identifying and implementing improvements to audit methodology.
• Strong Project and Delivery Management Ability to independently manage audit engagements end-to-end, delivering to deadlines with minimal supervision. Experience coordinating multiple stakeholders, including third-party providers.
• Influence and Communication Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce clear, concise, and impactful reports. Confidence engaging with senior stakeholders and challenging constructively where required.
• Collaboration and Team Contribution Strong team player operating as a senior individual contributor (no direct reports), supporting and developing peers through technical expertise. Willingness to coach and guide others without formal line management responsibility.
• Commercial and Risk Awareness Strong understanding of how technology risks translate into business impact, particularly within financial services / insurance contexts. Pragmatic and solutions-oriented approach to risk and control assessment.

Qualifications

• Relevant professional qualifications (e.g. CISA, CISSP, ACA, ACCA, CIA or equivalent) strongly preferred.
• Other Requirements Ability to operate effectively in a hybrid working environment (London-based presence expected).
• Flexibility to undertake limited travel (c. 10–15%) where required.

Technology Domain Knowledge

• Cybersecurity (e.g. NIST, ISO 27001)
• Cloud environments (e.g. AWS, Azure, GCP)
• IT general controls and application controls
• Data governance and data quality frameworks
• Third-party / outsourcing risk
• Data & Analytics Expertise Proven track record of embedding data analytics within audit delivery and/or assurance activities. Experience in developing or enhancing analytics capabilities within a function is highly desirable.
• AI and Emerging Technology Practical exposure to AI use cases within assurance, risk, or audit (or strong demonstrable interest and capability to lead in this space). Awareness of risks associated with AI, automation, and advanced technologies.

What do we offer in return?

A career that you define.

Our business succeeds by allowing our people to make a mark in the areas they care about most: personal development, volunteering, and fundraising for charity, or creating new insurance products that address society’s greatest challenges.

And we know that separate home and work lives don't really exist. If you're happy and healthy at home, you're more likely to be happy and fulfilled at work – and vice versa.

That's why we do our best to support our people in every aspect of their lives.

Reasonable adjustments

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations at Howden to ensure that our positions align well with your needs.

Besides the usual adjustments such as software, IT, and office setups, we can also accommodate other changes such as flexible hours* or hybrid working*.

Diversity and Inclusion

At Howden we value diversity - there is no one Howden ‘personality type’. Instead, we’re looking for individuals who share the same values as us: Our successes have all come from someone brave enough to try something new. We support each other, in the small everyday moments and the bigger challenges. We are determined to make a positive difference, at work and beyond. We consider our people our chief competitive advantage and as such we treat colleagues, candidates, clients, and business partners with equality, fairness, and respect – regardless of age, disability, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, or family circumstances.

Permanent

Permanent

Howden began in 1994, as just three people and a dog. Now there are 23,000 of us, and we're a leading global insurance group, managing $37bn of premiums for our clients. Our largest shareholder group is us – the people who work in the business – supported by three long-term, minority growth-equity partners who share our vision to build a business to last, one that will never be sold. The owner's mindset is something that's embedded in our culture; our people readily take ownership of their decisions, their actions, and their outputs. They’re invested in every sense. And we all know that by working together to drive the business forward, everyone will benefit from the extraordinary results we can achieve.