Internal Auditor

Buckinghamshire Council; Aylesbury; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee Assistance Programme

Costco membership

Discounted gym memberships

Travel discounts (Arriva)

Flexible working

Job summary

Buckinghamshire Council is seeking an Internal Auditor to join the Business Assurance team, offering a clear development pathway in internal audit, risk and assurance. You'll work across a broad range of services and external clients, reviewing processes, evaluating controls and making recommendations to improve governance and operational efficiency.

The role provides an excellent opportunity to build a long-term career, with progression through career grades, involvement in audit planning and

Qualifications

• Experience of working within a professional environment and delivering work to agreed standards and deadlines.
• Strong planning and organisational skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication.
• Strong analytical, numerical and problem-solving abilities.
• Good attention to detail and a methodical approach to work.
• Strong IT skills including Word, Excel and Outlook.
• An understanding of governance, risk management, financial procedures, data protection or audit principles would be advantageous.
• Qualifications appropriate to the grade level, with opportunities and support for professional development and progression.
• A commitment to delivering high standards of customer service and building positive working relationships.

Responsibilities

• Delivering internal audit and assurance assignments in line with professional auditing standards.
• Reviewing processes, systems and controls to identify risks and opportunities for improvement.
• Conducting interviews, surveys and information gathering with clients and stakeholders.
• Preparing clear evidence-based working papers, audit findings and reports.
• Supporting the development and delivery of audit plans and programmes.
• Assessing compliance with policies, regulations and best practice.
• Providing practical recommendations that help improve governance and operational performance.
• Building effective relationships with colleagues, managers and external clients.
• Maintaining professional development and keeping up to date with developments in audit, governance and risk management.

Skills

Audit experience

Governance & risk

Analytical skills

Communication skills

MS Office

Job description

Are you curious, analytical and passionate about improving services and reducing risk? Do you enjoy asking the right questions, investigating processes and helping organisations operate more effectively?

We're looking for an Internal Auditor to join our Business Assurance team. This is an exciting career-graded opportunity that offers a clear development pathway for an ambitious individual looking to develop a career in internal audit, risk and assurance within one of the country's largest unitary authorities, allowing you to build your audit expertise whilst contributing to the delivery of high-quality assurance services across Buckinghamshire Council and a range of external clients.

About us

Buckinghamshire Council is a relatively new organisation that combines the strengths and expertise of the previous five councils in the county to create positive change for local people, communities, and businesses. We are firmly focused on the future and have made a clear commitment to serve residents better and to provide stronger representation for Buckinghamshire, both locally and nationally.

Buckinghamshire Council is a Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy organisation with a strong commitment to innovation and continuous improvement.

The Internal Audit team is one of the core functions that makes up the Business Assurance Team; which is an integral service that is fundamental to the Council’s Corporate Governance and Assurance. We provide assurance in relation to all operations of Buckinghamshire Council as well as to our external clients.

This is an opportunity to gain experience across a broad range of services and disciplines, working with colleagues at all levels of the organisation. You'll develop a strong understanding of governance, risk management and internal control while building valuable professional skills that can support long-term career development.

About the role

As an Internal Auditor, you'll play a key role in helping the Council and its clients strengthen governance, manage risk and improve operational effectiveness. Working as part of a professional and supportive audit team, you'll undertake a varied programme of audits across a broad range of services, providing valuable insight and assurance that supports decision making and continuous improvement.

No two days are the same. You'll work with stakeholders from across the organisation, reviewing processes, evaluating controls, identifying risks and making recommendations that help services operate more efficiently and effectively. As you progress through the career grades, you'll take increasing ownership of audit assignments, contribute to audit planning, develop specialist knowledge and work towards relevant professional qualifications.

This role provides an excellent opportunity for someone looking to build a long-term career in internal audit, risk management or governance, whilst gaining exposure to a wide variety of services and business functions.

Some of your responsibilities will include:

• Delivering internal audit and assurance assignments in line with professional auditing standards.
• Reviewing processes, systems and controls to identify risks and opportunities for improvement.
• Conducting interviews, surveys and information gathering with clients and stakeholders.
• Preparing clear evidence-based working papers, audit findings and reports.
• Supporting the development and delivery of audit plans and programmes.
• Assessing compliance with policies, regulations and best practice.
• Providing practical recommendations that help improve governance and operational performance.
• Building effective relationships with colleagues, managers and external clients.
• Maintaining professional development and keeping up to date with developments in audit, governance and risk management.

Please refer to the full Job Description for a comprehensive overview of the role responsibilities and career grade progression requirements.

Any-Desk:

As an ‘any-desk’ worker, you’ll need to be connected to our network to access digital folders and resources, but this can either be from home or an office location when required. You will be required to work from the office a couple of times a week, depending on your role and team requirements.

About you

We're looking for someone who is naturally inquisitive, organised and motivated by solving problems. You'll have a strong eye for detail, enjoy analysing information and be confident communicating with a wide range of stakeholders. The successful candidate will be able to work independently, manage competing priorities and approach challenges with professionalism, integrity and sound judgement.

You will be a collaborative team player who is committed to continuous learning and development. Whether you are looking to build on existing audit experience or bring transferable skills from a related professional environment, you'll have the drive to develop your expertise and make a positive impact across the organisation.

We're particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate:

• Experience of working within a professional environment and delivering work to agreed standards and deadlines.
• Strong planning and organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workloads effectively.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to explain complex information clearly.
• Strong analytical, numerical and problem-solving abilities.
• Good attention to detail and a methodical approach to work.
• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel and Outlook.
• An understanding of governance, risk management, financial procedures, data protection or audit principles would be advantageous.
• Qualifications appropriate to the grade level, with opportunities and support available for professional development and progression.
• A commitment to delivering high standards of customer service and building positive working relationships.

Above all, you'll share our values of being Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy, demonstrating a commitment to delivering excellent outcomes and continuously improving the services we provide.

This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent cautions and/or unspent convictions

We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While we welcome innovation, we expect all submissions to reflect your own experience, skills, and achievements accurately. Please ensure your application is truthful and demonstrates your personal capabilities, as this will be assessed during the selection process.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

a fair and inclusive culture

• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

About the Business Unit

The Assistant Chief Executive directorate is central to Buckinghamshire Council’s journey to establish itself as one of the best councils in the country. With a clear focus on service improvement through transformation and a drive to build better relationships with the local community, the directorate is fast-paced; but extremely rewarding. Our teams are not only proactively delivering on projects and plans but also reacting to developing situations. If you are ambitious, innovative, and would relish the opportunity to influence change - a role within our service area could be your next career move.

The team includes exciting areas of work, including our Policy and Communications, Legal and Democratic Services teams – innovating the way we communicate with our colleagues, Members and the local community, and role-modelling best practice through policy, planning and legal services. If you think you can help us achieve our goals, and want to be a part of this exciting journey, we would love to hear from you!

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.