Senior Internal Auditor

Financial Ombudsman Services; England; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid/Remote option

25 days holiday

Pension plan

Private medical insurance

Job summary

Financial Ombudsman Service in the UK is seeking a Senior Internal Auditor to lead risk-based audits from planning through reporting. You’ll provide independent assurance to senior management and ARAC on governance, risk and controls, while building trusted relationships across the organisation.

You will use data analytics and AI-enabled approaches to enhance audit coverage, engage with senior stakeholders, and help evolve a modern, digital-first audit service.

Qualifications

• CCAB qualification (ACCA/ACA, CIA or CISA) required.
• Recent experience leading end-to-end internal audits: planning, risk assessment, testing, reporting and follow-up.
• Experience producing risk and control matrices, audit working papers and reports.
• Experience presenting audit findings to senior management or governance forums.
• Experience auditing in complex or regulated environments with sector/regulatory insight.

Responsibilities

• Lead internal audits from planning and scoping through fieldwork, reporting and follow-up.
• Develop risk-based terms of reference, audit programmes and control matrices.
• Assess design and operating effectiveness of controls with a sceptical mindset.
• Draft clear, concise audit findings and reports.
• Build relationships with senior stakeholders and sponsor progress.
• Lead close-out discussions and agree management actions.
• Monitor completion of audit actions and escalate risks.
• Deliver advisory reviews while maintaining independence.
• Incorporate external/regulatory insights into audit activity.
• Partner with business units and senior management on audit progress and themes.
• Use data analytics, audit tech and AI-enabled approaches to improve coverage.

Skills

CCAB

CIA or CISA

Education

ACCA/ACA

CIA / CISA

Job description

Senior Internal Auditor

Join a team where drives everything we do, fuels our growth, shapes our culture and builds our foundation.

We're not just hiring — we're inviting you to build the future with us. If you're curious, driven, and ready to leave your mark, this is your invitation to make your next move.

By joining our team, you'll enjoy the best of both worlds – hybrid working and the collaboration of a great office well as extensive opportunities for personal and career development.

About Us:

The Financial Ombudsman Service is an independent, not-for-profit organisation that plays a vital role in UK financial services. Every day we help resolve disputes between consumers, or small businesses, and their financial service providers.

Our colleagues are empowered and supported to help shape fair financial outcomes for consumers and the industry. You’ll join a purpose led organisation where your work can make a meaningful difference, strengthen trust in the UK financial system and contribute to how we continue to evolve.

The purpose of the role

As Senior Internal Auditor, you’ll lead high quality, risk based audits from planning through to reporting and follow up. Your work will provide independent assurance to senior management, the Executive Committee and the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee on governance, risk management and internal control.

You’ll develop trusted relationships across the organisation, use sound judgement to identify the issues that matter and translate complex evidence into clear, practical insight. You’ll also support our ambition to build a modern, digital-first and insight led internal audit service that uses data, technology and innovative approaches to add value.

What You’ll Do:

You will be a composite professional, passionate about quality, doing the right thing and making independent, evidence-based opinions and observations to help the organisation continuously improve its governance, risk management and internal controls.

You will use lateral thinking, critical thinking and your networks to identify issues and socialise solutions.

You will have strong interpersonal skills, confident in presenting to senior management or ARAC, in workshops and in in resolving issues diplomatically with management and stakeholders.

• Lead internal audits from initial planning and scoping through fieldwork, reporting and follow up, delivering to agreed scope, quality, timelines and budget.
• Develop risk based terms of reference, audit programmes and risk and control matrices using business strategy, performance information and assurance activity.
• Assess the design and operating effectiveness of controls, applying a sceptical mindset, and produce clear, balanced and evidence-based findings and reports.
• Draft clear, concise and value-added audit findings, draft and final reports
• Build credible relationships with senior stakeholders, keeping audit sponsors informed of progress, emerging findings and proposed actions.
• Lead close out discussions and agree proportionate, realistic and effective management actions.
• Monitor and validate the completion of audit actions, challenging delays and escalating unresolved risks appropriately.
• Deliver advisory reviews and investigations while maintaining independence, objectivity and professional standards.
• Bring external, regulatory and industry insight into audit activity to help identify emerging risks and opportunities for improvement.
• Act as a business partner to function in the business, engaging with senior management on audit progress, themes and emerging risks
• Use data analytics, audit technology and AI enabled approaches to improve audit coverage, efficiency and insight.
• Contribute to reporting for senior governance forums and to the continuous improvement of audit methodology, systems and ways of working.
• Play your part in a highly performing team, contributing to implementation of new innovations and helping to drive forward the development and effectiveness of the team.
• Work on a personal development plan to continuously drive forward the development of new technical and personal skills to enhance and progress your career.
• Work effectively with other assurance providers, co-sourced specialists and subject matter experts.

Minimum Criteria

• A recognised professional audit qualification - CCAB (including ACCA, ACA), CIA or CISA
• Recent experience of independently leading end-to-end internal audits, covering planning, risk assessment, testing, reporting and follow-up.
• Evidence of producing risk and control matrices, audit working papers and written reports that clearly link findings to evidence, risk and proportionate actions.
• Experience of presenting audit findings to senior management or governance forums and securing agreement to practical management actions.
• Experience of auditing in a complex or regulated organisation, with evidence of applying relevant sector or regulatory insight when assessing risk and controls.

It would also be nice for you to have or What you’ll bring?

• Knowledge of financial services and the UK regulatory environment.
• Experience of auditing complex programmes, change initiatives or IT general controls.
• Experience of using data analytics, audit software, automation or AI-enabled tools to support audit testing and insight.
• Experience of working with co-sourced audit partners or specialist subject matter experts.
• Experience of delivering advisory reviews or investigations.

Why You'll Love Working With Us:

• Flexibility: Work your way — remote, hybrid, or in-office
• Wellbeing: [Health plan, gym memberships, mental health support]
• Growth: We invest in your future with [courses, mentorship, promotions]
• Culture: Diverse. Inclusive. Collaborative. Fun.

We also offer an attractive, competitive salary and flexible benefits to suit our people. Here’s a list of some of the many benefits and perks you can get for working with us:

• 25 days holiday entitlement, with the option to buy extra or sell days
• Generous pension
• Various Family Friendly Policies, including enhanced maternity pay, carers and dependants leave
• Employer provided benefits such as Private medical insurance, virtual GP, Critical illness cover, Life assurance cover, to name a few
• Choice of voluntary benefits including Technology scheme, Cycle to work scheme, Will-writing service amongst others
• A fully equipped on-site gym open 24/7

Let’s Make This Easy.

Applications must be submitted by 11:59pm on Thursday 5th November

Successful applicants will be asked to complete a series of online assessments, followed by a telephone interview with a member of the Talent Acquisition team.

A full job profile is available on request and will be provided to candidates shortlisted to the first stage of the assessment process.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader and, under the scheme, will progress a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria to interview. Interviews may be conducted via video, telephone, or a panel Interview, with some vacancies requiring an online assessment to measure the minimum criteria

The Financial Ombudsman is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all team We view diversity as fundamental to our success and welcome applications from underrepresented groups across all communities.

Authenticity of applications

We value authentic personal applications. If we determine that your CV or supporting statement was generated using AI tools, your application may be withdrawn from consideration.