Lead Commercial Auditor

Kelda Group Limited 0000411940 - Kelda Group Limited; Aberford; Hybrid; GBP 54,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Annual incentive bonus

Pension scheme (up to 12%)

Development opportunities

25 days annual leave + 2 wellness days

Life assurance 4x pensionable salary

Health cash plan & other cover

Retail savings scheme

Online GP service

Cycle to work scheme

Gym discounts

Job summary

Yorkshire Water is seeking a Lead Commercial Auditor to join the Commercial Assurance Contract Audit Team. The role involves auditing commercial contracts, analyzing costs, and identifying improvement opportunities to protect value for customers.

Based at Head Office with a mix of in-office and flexible work, you will drive audits, liaise with key partners, and deliver robust reports. A degree in Finance/Accounting/Quantity Surveying (MCIPS preferred) and advanced Excel skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent qualifications in Finance, Accounting or Quantity Surveying (MCIPS preferred).
• Experience in leading and managing an audit plan.
• Ability to communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels.
• Solid knowledge of auditing principles.
• Strong Excel analytics for spend, trends and patterns.
• Knowledge of NEC4 ECC and Alliance contracts is highly desirable.
• Detail-oriented with problem-solving tenacity.

Responsibilities

• Carry out commercial contract audits, ensuring costs claimed align with contracting terms.
• Liaise with key business partners to define audit scope, objectives and approvals.
• Undertake detailed data analysis of claimed costs to verify contractual obligations.
• Identify commercial control deficiencies and financial wastage, with recommendations.
• Ensure audit reports are accurate and well-supported by evidence.
• Collaborate with Commercial Managers and Capital Delivery stakeholders on audit progress.
• Support audits with external framework partners to guide internal stakeholders.

Skills

Audit plan leadership

Stakeholder communication

Auditing principles

Analytical problem solving

NEC4 ECC knowledge

Contract analytics

Advanced Excel

Education

Finance/Accounting/Quantity Surveying degree

MCIPS certification

Tools

MS Excel

Job description

Lead Commercial Auditor

Hello! Thanks for stopping by. Let us tell you about all the great reasons to join us here at Yorkshire Water:

• We offer a competitive salary, depending on experience, 4a, £54,024 - £67,530
• Annual incentive related bonus (£1000 maximum bonus opportunity for the performance year)
• Attractive pension scheme (up to 12% company contribution)
• Development opportunities in line with the Lead Commercial Auditor progression plan
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays - plus two extra wellness days!
• Life assurance cover of 4 times pensionable salary
• A great benefits package - choose from health cash plan scheme, critical illness insurance, dental insurance, life assurance flex and partner cover.
• Retail savings scheme
• Online GP service, cycle to work scheme, gym membership discounts and many more!

Location: Head Office - Buttershaw, BD6 2SZ, average of 2 days a week in office, pedning office move to Leeds (LS10) from September 1st.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Lead Commercial Auditor to join the Commercial Assurance Contract Audit Team at Yorkshire Water and be a part of helping Yorkshire Water to provide the best service to our customers. Could this be you?

What we do:

Everyone has an idea of what a water company does. Here in Yorkshire, we make sure that over 5.4 million people living in the region and the millions of people who visit our region each year, can rely on our services, and have clean and safe drinking water on tap and that their wastewater is taken away. But for us, it's so much more than this.

We look after communities, protect the environment, and plan to look after Yorkshire's water, today, tomorrow 24/7, 365 days a year. We provide essential water and wastewater services to every corner of the Yorkshire region, and play a key role in the region's health, wellbeing, and prosperity.

New environmental legislation, unprecedented levels of investment and changing expectations from customers means that this is an exciting time to discover opportunities within the water industry. The Commercial Assurance Contract Audit Team are a key part of how we plan to meet the changing expectations of customers and regulators.

This role will support the delivery of the annual commercial assumption, contract audit plan, and undertake commercial contract assurance reviews, to assess compliance with commercial contract arrangements, with a view to identifying value leakage and improvement areas.

In addition, you will undertake complex supplier analysis to identify any exceptions and develop a detailed understanding of the commercial arrangements, as well as undertaking trend spotting with our commercial supply with a view of identifying financial and commercial opportunities, working with key external audit partners to support the delivery of the audit plan.

Where you fit in:

• Carry out commercial contract audits, providing assurance that costs claimed are in line with contracted terms and conditions of the agreement.
• Liaise with key business partners gathering intelligence of contract performance, with the objective of defining the scope and objectives, seeking sign off prior to commencing a contract audit.
• Undertake and perform detailed data analysis of the costs claimed to ensure they are in line with the contractual obligations including pricing schedules.
• Identify commercial control deficiencies, and financial wastage, highlighting any economical sustainable recommendation.
• Ensure that audit reports are produced accurately based on robust findings and supporting evidence.
• Liaise closely with the Commercial and Managers including the Capital Delivery stakeholders, to discuss progress of audits, seeking guidance and direction on investigative leads and audit findings.
• Work with our external audit framework partners to support the audits and help guide internal stakeholders

What skills & qualifications you will need:

• Qualified to at last degree level in either Finance, Accounting or Quantity Surveying, or equivalent qualifications (MCIPS)
• Experience of leading and managing own audit plan.
• The ability to communicate effectively with people at all levels in the organisation.
• Demonstrate a basic knowledge of auditing principles.
• Effectively use fundamental concepts, practices, and procedures of a particular area of specialisation.
• Process and detail orientated, with the tenacity to independently solve problems.
• Knowledge and experience of the NEC4 ECC and Alliance contracts suite highly desirable
• Advanced MS Excel - strong analytical skills identifying spend irregularities, trends, and patterns.

You will also benefit from having:

• Background or related experience in a commercial environment.

Although we operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, it's important to us that we support flexible working patterns and job share options (when we can), to help you make the best of both your work and home life. We know that juggling childcare responsibilities or getting that ideal work/life balance isn't always easy!

Do we sound like your cup of tea?

If successful for the role, you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks that will include a Basic Disclosure Check, carried out through a Third-Party Company, prior to commencing employment. Depending on the role, you may also be required to go through the security vetting process for either a Counter Terrorist Check or Security Check clearance.

All our roles are subject to a medical questionnaire, and further medicals when required.

We are committed to removing barriers and ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to everyone. We offer a range of adjustments to make your application experience as comfortable and straightforward as possible.

If you have an accessibility need, disability, or condition that requires changes to the recruitment process, please include this information in your application. We will then discuss any reasonable adjustments required.