Senior IT Audit Manager (Financial Audit)

National Audit Office; City of Westminster; Hybrid; GBP 77,000 - 86,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading public sector organization in the UK is looking for a Senior IT Audit Manager to oversee IT audit work. You will lead teams to deliver high-quality audits across complex IT systems. The ideal candidate will exhibit strong project management and technical expertise, ensuring the delivery of impactful outcomes for public services. This role offers a hybrid working model with competitive salaries based on location.

Benefits

Civil service pension scheme

Hybrid working policy

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of the relationship between IT audit and financial audit quality.
• Exceptional project management skills.
• Senior-level client IT management experience.

Responsibilities

• Support the Director, IT Audit in developing the audit programme.
• Lead specific IT audit engagements.
• Collaborate with teams to develop resourcing plans.

Skills

IT audit and financial audit quality

Technical expertise (Oracle eBS, SAP)

Project management

Client-facing report drafting

Hands-on IT audit delivery

Tools

Oracle

SAP

SQL

Job description

Overview

Contract type: Permanent
Location: London or Newcastle office – minimum 2 days per week in line with our hybrid working policy
Salary: Newcastle c.£77,000, London c.£86,000 (higher base salaries may be available for exceptional candidates) + civil service pension scheme

About the role

Senior IT Audit Managers play a vital role in delivering high‑quality external IT audit work to support financial audit teams, ensuring effective accountability and scrutiny. They lead specialist IT audit teams across complex ERP and other critical systems, driving high‑value outcomes for public services.

Responsibilities

• Support the Director, IT Audit in developing the NAO’s IT audit programme.
• Plan, budget and monitor the annual IT audit work programme, ensuring on‑time delivery.
• Lead specific IT audit engagements and manage the delivery of high‑quality audit work.
• Develop and maintain the quality of the NAO’s IT audit, reviewing and updating strategies and approaches.
• Train and coach IT Audit Specialists and financial audit teams on ERP solutions such as Oracle, SAP and Workday.
• Review annual audit quality outcomes, develop responses and update the System of Quality Management.
• Design and deliver IT Audit Specialist training programmes.
• Provide IT expertise to the wider office through sessions, guidance notes and meetings.
• Develop IT audit approaches for emerging technologies and related risks.
• Update and maintain NAO IT audit tools and documentation, ensuring current, efficient, high‑quality audits.
• Plan and execute the annual IT audit work programme.
• Own a portfolio of IT audits, ensuring appropriate support and delivery of quality work.
• Collaborate with Senior IT Audit Managers to develop resourcing plans, monitor quality and address delivery issues proactively.
• Work with Data Operations and AI/Data & Analytics teams to embed technology guidance across the NAO’s Digital Financial Audit Function.
• Scope and plan IT audit work with financial audit teams, testing automated controls and IT‑dependent manual controls.
• Build and maintain relationships with audited bodies, briefing and engaging senior stakeholders (e.g., C‑suite).
• Lead audit work, manage teams, collect evidence and ensure high‑quality outputs, reaching conclusions on assurance.
• Draft reports for audited staff and financial audit teams, communicating findings and recommending control enhancements.

Selection Process

1. Telephone interview – week commencing 1 December.
2. Timed technical exercise – week commencing 8 December.
3. Panel interview with presentation – week commencing 15 December.

How to apply

Submit the following by Sunday 7 December:
- Up‑to‑date CV
- Covering letter (max. 1000 words) outlining how you meet the candidate specification

Nationality Requirements

• UK nationals
• Commonwealth citizens with the right to work in the UK
• EU, EEA or Swiss nationals with or eligible for EUSS status

Equal opportunities and diversity

Disability and reasonable adjustments: Applicants with a disability can confirm their preference for a Disability‑confident interview and request reasonable adjustments via the HR Service Desk.

Skills and Experience – Essential

• Strong understanding of the relationship between IT audit and financial audit quality.
• Technical expertise in auditing IT systems (Oracle eBS, Fusion, SAP) with additional skills in Active Directory, Azure/Entra ID, Unix, Microsoft Dynamics, SQL.
• Hands‑on IT audit delivery and first‑stage review to pre‑empt quality issues.
• Exceptional project management, delivering efficient and high‑quality work while supporting team welfare.
• Experience advising financial audit teams and interpreting IT audit outcomes for assurance purposes.
• Drafting client‑facing reports from IT audit work.
• Senior‑level client IT management experience.
• Developing and delivering IT audit training.
• Knowledge of end‑to‑end business processes and how IT controls mitigate risk.
• Testing IT‑dependent controls within SOX‑style audits.
• Identifying, documenting, evaluating and testing general IT controls supporting IT‑dependent controls.

Desirable

• Strong relationship management and influencing skills for external stakeholder engagement.
• Collaborative, supportive of colleague development and organisational success.
• Designing, developing and implementing audit quality improvement initiatives.

Attributes

• Intellectual curiosity about technology and business processes.
• Co‑operative, collaborative, inclusive teamwork.
• Positive, determined mindset to overcome challenges.
• Excellent communication skills, tailoring complex IT issues for varied audiences.
• Ability to manage upwards, keeping senior leaders informed.
• Commitment to personal development and technical skill improvement.
• Role model, motivating teams to deliver excellent work while demonstrating NAO core values.