Senior Internal Auditor

Watercare; Auckland; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Training and development

Life and income protection insurance

Generous parental leave

Employee discounts

Job summary

Watercare is seeking a Senior Internal Auditor to join our Internal Audit team in Auckland. You will plan and deliver financial, operational and compliance audits, evaluating controls and risk management across the organisation.

With Chartered Accountant or CIA credentials and at least six years in internal audit, you will test controls, prepare concise reports, and collaborate with senior leaders to drive practical improvements and strengthen governance.

Qualifications

• Professional qualification such as Chartered Accountant or CIA.
• Six+ years' internal audit experience in large/public sector or corporate.
• Strong understanding of internal audit principles and professional standards.
• Experience assessing risk, internal controls and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Plan and coordinate audit assignments to support the internal audit plan.
• Deliver financial, operational and compliance audits across the organisation.
• Evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of business processes, risk management practices and internal controls.
• Assess compliance with company policies, procedures, and legislation.
• Identify control weaknesses and recommend practical improvements.
• Prepare clear, concise audit reports for senior stakeholders.
• Use data analytics to identify trends and emerging risks.
• Collaborate with staff to test controls and agree improvements.
• Support documentation and testing of internal controls relating to compliance.

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Ki te ora te wai, ka ora te whenua, ka ora te tangata When the water is healthy, the land and the people are healthy

Now is an exciting time to join Watercare, we're planning to spend $14 billion over the next 10 years to ensure we can continue to support our growing city in a climate-resilient way. When you average that out, that's an investment of $3.8 million every day!

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Senior Internal Auditor to join our Internal Audit team. Reporting to the Head of Internal Audit, you will provide high-quality internal audit and assurance services across Watercare, helping the organisation strengthen controls, manageriskand make well-informed decisions. You will evaluate the effectiveness of our internal controls, support compliance with policies and legislation, and help ensure operational effectiveness and the safeguarding of company assets.

In this role, you will:

• Plan and coordinate audit assignments to support the delivery of the internal audit plan
• Deliver financial, operational and compliance audits across the organisation
• Evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of business processes, risk managementpracticesand internal controls
• Assess compliance with company policies, procedures, professionalstandardsand relevant legislation
• Identifycontrol weaknesses and recommend practical improvements
• Prepare clear,conciseand value-adding audit reports for senior stakeholders
• Use data analytics and other innovative approaches toidentifytrends, control issues, potential fraudindicatorsand emerging organisational risks
• Work collaboratively with Watercare staff to understand business processes, testcontrolsand agree practical improvement actions
• Support the documentation and testing of internal controls relating to company compliance activities
• Contribute yourexpertiseto special projects and non-audit advisory assignments.

You will be joining a small, trusted team with visibility across one of New Zealand’s most essential infrastructure organisations. This role will suit someone who enjoys variety, values constructive challenge, and wants to use internal audit to make a practical difference to how the business manages risk.

You will be an experienced audit professional who can combine strong technicalexpertisewith sound judgement,curiosityand a practical approach to problem-solving. You will be comfortable engaging with senior leaders, explaining complex issues clearly and constructively challenging the way things are done.

You will bring:

• A recognised professional qualification such as Chartered Accountant, Certified InternalAuditoror an equivalent qualification
• At least six years’ experience in internal audit, ideally within a large, complex public sector or corporate organisation
• A strong understanding of internal audit principles,methodologiesand relevant professional standards
• Experience assessing risk, internalcontrolsand compliance requirements
• Proven experience developing trusted relationships with senior leaders and stakeholders
• Strong analytical,numericaland problem-solving capability
• Highly developed report-writing,communicationand presentation skills
• The ability to turn complex audit findings into clear, practical recommendations
• Strong planning and workflow management skills, with the ability to deliver audits within agreedtimeframes
• A proactive and collaborative approach, with the confidence to influence business decisions
• Experience mentoring or coaching other team members
• High attention to detail,accuracyand professional integrity.

We offer a competitive salary and staff benefits package including:

• Training and development opportunities
• Life and income protection insurance plans
• Generous parental leave
• Employee discounts at a range of large retailers