Internal Audit Specialist - Investments

abrdn Holdings Limited; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

40 days annual leave

Pension plan (employer contribution)

Discretionary bonus

Job summary

Aberdeen plc is seeking an Internal Audit Specialist in the UK region to drive audit delivery, support planning and deliver high-quality work across the function. You will validate issues, build effective stakeholder relationships and contribute to governance forums, helping the business understand risk and take action where it matters most.

This role offers a blended working model, with three days in the office, and emphasizes judgement, curiosity and clear communication to support robust risk

Qualifications

• Understanding of IIA standards and internal audit practices.
• Experience in accounting, audit or risk roles.
• Strong analytical skills to diagnose issues and identify root causes.
• Clear written and verbal communication, with ability to present findings.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship-building abilities.
• Knowledge of financial services regulations and governance requirements.

Responsibilities

• Support development of the audit plan by researching audit universe entities, contributing insight from stakeholder engagement and proposing audit ideas focused on key risks.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with stakeholders, Audit Managers, Senior Managers and Heads of Audit, including contributing to governance committees and forums where appropriate.
• Plan, scope and perform audit work to support delivery of the Audit Plan, taking the Audit Lead role on audits where appropriate.
• Analyse issues to identify root causes, communicate findings clearly and constructively to senior business stakeholders, and complete timely follow-up activity.
• Complete issue validation to expected methodology and quality standards, identifying where closures are inadequate or further work is required.
• Role model Internal Audit’s vision, culture, strategy and plan, supporting colleagues, sharing innovative ideas and helping audit teams deliver work on time and to the expected quality.

Skills

IIA standards

Internal audit

Analytical skills

Communication

Stakeholder engagement

Regulatory knowledge

Job description

About the Department

Aberdeen plc is one of Europe’s largest investment companies, and we are built on a long-standing culture of caring about the future and making a positive impact. Together we invest for a better future. We do it to make a difference to the lives of our clients and customers, our employees, society, and our shareholders. Our business is structured around three distinct areas focused on our clients' changing needs: Aberdeen Investments, Aberdeen Adviser, and interactive investor. As an Internal Audit Specialist, you will help protect and strengthen that purpose by supporting robust risk management and helping Aberdeen invest in tomorrow with confidence.

Internal Audit is a key independent function supporting Aberdeen in maximising sustainable, high-quality returns for clients, customers and shareholders while effectively managing the risks faced by the business. The team provides insight, assurance and challenge across business and functions teams, focusing work on the highest risk areas and promoting good audit practice across the Group. It is an ambitious, innovative function where colleagues are encouraged to share ideas, build deep business knowledge and support one another’s development. Through clear, constructive audit work, the department helps enable our clients to be better investors.

About the Role

As an Internal Audit Specialist, you will play a key role in driving audit delivery across the Internal Audit function. Working at Specialist career level in the UK region, you will be aligned to a business or functions team while also contributing to audits in other areas when needed, giving you a broad view of Aberdeen and meaningful development opportunities.

You will support audit planning, deliver high-quality audit work, validate issues and build effective stakeholder relationships, helping the business understand risk and take action where it matters most. This is an opportunity to invest in your tomorrow by developing your audit expertise in a purpose-led, forward-thinking environment where your judgement, curiosity and communication skills will make a real impact. The role has no line management responsibility and is offered on a blended working basis with 3 days a week expected in the office.

Key Responsibilities

Support development of the audit plan by researching audit universe entities, contributing insight from stakeholder engagement and proposing audit ideas focused on key risks.

Build and maintain effective relationships with stakeholders, Audit Managers, Senior Managers and Heads of Audit, including contributing to governance committees and forums where appropriate.

Plan, scope and perform audit work to support delivery of the Audit Plan, taking the Audit Lead role on audits where appropriate.

Analyse issues to identify root causes, communicate findings clearly and constructively to senior business stakeholders, and complete timely follow-up activity.

Complete issue validation to expected methodology and quality standards, identifying where closures are inadequate or further work is required.

Role model Internal Audit’s vision, culture, strategy and plan, supporting colleagues, sharing innovative ideas and helping audit teams deliver work on time and to the expected quality.

About the Candidate

A good understanding of IIA standards and internal audit working practices. (essential)

Experience in a relevant role such as accounting, audit or risk. (essential)

Strong analytical skills, with the ability to diagnose issues, trace root causes and assess underlying implications methodically. (essential)

Clear written and verbal communication skills, with confidence presenting information, ideas and findings in one-to-one and group environments. (essential)

Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence effectively and build trusted relationships at different levels. (essential)

Sound understanding of laws, regulations, standards, governance and compliance requirements relevant to financial services, risk or audit. (essential)

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer.

We want you to be the real you throughout our recruitment process. Sharing your diversity information helps us understand the reach and impact of our hiring practices, and build a workplace where all people can thrive and belong. This information is kept separate from your application and is not visible to recruiters, hiring managers, or assessors at any stage.

Our Benefits

There's more to working life than coming home with a good salary. We have an environment where you can learn, get involved and be supported. When you join us, your reward will be one of the best around. This includes 40 days’ annual leave, a 16% employer pension contribution, a discretionary performance-based bonus (where applicable), private healthcare and a range of flexible benefits – including gym discounts, season ticket loans and access to an employee discount portal.

Our Business

Enabling our clients to be better investors drives everything we do. Our business is structured around three distinct areas – our vectors of growth – focused on our clients’ changing needs. You can find out more about what we do here.

An Inclusive Way of Working

Whatever way you like to work, if you have the talent and commitment to join our team, we’d like to hear from you. At Aberdeen we’ve adopted a ‘blended working’ approach. This approach combines the benefits of face-to-face collaboration, coaching and connecting in our offices with the flexibility of working from home. It enables colleagues to find a balance that works for their roles, their teams, our clients and our business.

An inclusive culture, where diverse perspectives drive our actions, is at the core of who we are and what we do.

If you need assistance with your application, or a reasonable adjustment to your interview arrangements – for example, because you are neurodivergent, or have a physical, sensory, cognitive, mental, visible or invisible disability – please let us know and we’ll be happy to help.

#aberdeenplcjobs We’re committed to providing an inclusive workplace where all forms of difference are valued and which is free from any form of unfair or unlawful treatment.

We define diversity in its broadest sense – this includes but is not limited to our diversity of educational and professional backgrounds, experience, cognitive and neurodiversity, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, religion or belief and ethnicity and geographical provenance.

We support a culture that values meritocracy, fairness and transparency and welcomes enquiries from everyone. If you need assistance or an adjustment due to a disability please let us know as part of your application and we will assist.

At Aberdeen, our ambition is to be the UK’s leading Wealth & Investments group. We are focused on growing our direct and advised wealth platforms and repositioning our specialist asset management business to meet client demand.

We are committed to providing excellent client service, supported by leading technology and talent.

You can find out more about what we do here.

Aberdeen comprises three businesses, interactive investor (ii), Investments and Adviser, each of which focuses on meeting and adapting to our clients’ evolving needs.