Specialist, Internal Audit, Controls, Compliance, and Risk

Pearson; Manchester; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Pearson Professional Assessments is seeking an experienced Specialist Internal Audit, Controls, Compliance, and Risk to join the global business assurance team in Salford Quays. The role involves planning and delivering internal audits, supporting external audits, and maintaining ISO management systems.

Occasional travel to offices, suppliers or test centres may be required, with flexible planning for global stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience planning, conducting and reporting audits.
• Lead Auditor or Internal Auditor qualification, preferably aligned to ISO 27001.
• Working knowledge of regulatory, industry or security-compliance frameworks such as ISO 27001 and SOC 2.
• Understanding of information systems, including Office 365, Azure, server and desktop platforms.
• Strong awareness of cyber-security risks and information-security controls.
• Knowledge of business continuity, quality, process and risk methodologies.
• Strong stakeholder management, relationship-building and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and conduct internal audits against a range of methodologies and frameworks.
• Plan audit activity, complete fieldwork and produce clear, evidence-based reports.
• Raise findings that identify control weaknesses and opportunities for improvement.
• Support external audits by coordinating schedules, evidence, interviews and actions with the relevant audit body.
• Support the implementation and maintenance of ISO management systems, including ISO 27001.
• Conduct supplier audits to an agreed scope with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Track corrective and preventive actions and verify their ongoing effectiveness.
• Communicate audit outcomes and requirements clearly across technical and non-technical audiences.

Skills

Lead Auditor

ISO 27001

SOC 2 awareness

Cyber security

Stakeholder management

Risk methodologies

Tools

Office 365

Azure

Server platforms

Job description

Specialist Internal Audit, Controls, Compliance, and Risk

Hybrid | Salford Quays

Permanent

Join Pearson Professional Assessments as a hands-on auditor, helping independently evaluate management controls, protect certification and strengthen business assurance across a global assessment environment. Also known in the market as: Internal Auditor; ISO 27001 Auditor; Compliance Auditor; Controls Auditor; Risk and Governance Auditor.

About the Role

Based in Salford Quays, this permanent role sits within our business assurance team. You will work alongside the Global Audit Manager and audit colleagues to plan and deliver internal audits, support external audits and help maintain effective ISO management systems.

This is an opportunity for an experienced auditor who enjoys end-to-end ownership. You will turn audit evidence into clear findings, work with stakeholders to agree practical actions and follow those actions through so improvements are sustained.

The team works across Pearson Professional Assessments and related assessment operations. Occasional travel to Pearson offices, suppliers or test centres may be required, and some planned flexibility may be needed when supporting global stakeholders.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and conduct internal audits against a range of methodologies and frameworks.

• Plan audit activity, complete fieldwork and produce clear, evidence-based reports.

• Raise findings that identify control weaknesses and opportunities for improvement.

• Support external audits by coordinating schedules, evidence, interviews and actions with the relevant audit body.

• Support the implementation and maintenance of ISO management systems, including ISO 27001.

• Conduct supplier audits to an agreed scope with suppliers and internal stakeholders.

• Track corrective and preventive actions and verify their ongoing effectiveness.

• Communicate audit outcomes and requirements clearly across technical and non-technical audiences.

What We’re Looking For

• Demonstrable experience planning, conducting and reporting audits.

• A Lead Auditor or Internal Auditor qualification, preferably aligned to ISO 27001.

• Working knowledge of regulatory, industry or security-compliance frameworks such as ISO 27001 and SOC 2.

• Understanding of information systems, including Office 365, Azure, server and desktop platforms.

• Strong awareness of cyber-security risks and information-security controls.

• Knowledge of business continuity, quality, process and risk methodologies.

• Strong stakeholder management, relationship-building and communication skills.

• Ability to translate management-system requirements and controls into practical business activity.

• A proactive, continuous-improvement mindset with the confidence to work collaboratively and independently.

• Ability to complete internal audits with minimal supervision and travel occasionally when required.

Location & Working Pattern

This is a hybrid role based in Salford Quays, working 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday. You will need to be able to attend the office and travel occasionally to other offices, suppliers or test centres. Some planned flexibility may be required when supporting audits across global time zones.

Why Join Pearson?

You will join a collaborative assurance environment where your work directly supports effective controls, certification and trusted assessment operations. The remit offers variety across internal audit, external assurance, suppliers and management systems, with meaningful ownership from planning through action closure.

Who we are:

At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to help people realize the life they imagine through learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. We are the world's lifelong learning company. For us, learning isn't just what we do. It's who we are. To learn more: We are Pearson.

Pearson is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a member of E-Verify. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit and business need. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status or any other group protected by law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.

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