Internal Audit Operations Manager Ref. 2101

Stonewall Top Employer AwardSocial Mobility Foundation AwardThe Times Top 100Disability confident leader

Mission Enablers
Cheltenham, Central London
London £52,171 – £56,163 Cheltenham £50,639 – £54,496 Depending on skills, qualifications and experience.

At MI5, MI6 and GCHQ we help protect the UK and UK interests from threats to national security at home and abroad.  We work closely as partners in the intelligence community to safeguard Britain’s people, interests and businesses from various threats including cyber-attacks, espionage, terrorism, and organised crime.  

We currently have an exciting opportunity to join our Internal Audit and Consultancy Team as an Operations Manager. The Internal Audit and Consultancy function is a diverse team that works as a trusted business partner with the agencies: protecting value, delivering insight and developing talent and future leaders. We have privileged exposure to the work of the community and take pride in delivering high quality and impactful work, while continuously seeking opportunities to innovate our ways of working. It’s challenging, varied and meaningful work that you simply won’t find anywhere else.

THE ROLE

Our Internal Audit team provides independent assurance to the Accounting Officers and Management Boards over the effectiveness of the UK intelligence community’s system of internal controls. We aim to improve the Organisations’ operations through its systematic, transparent and risk-based approach to evaluating the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance processes. This in turn supports the agencies to achieve their mission and strategic objectives.

As an Internal Audit Operations Manager, you will coordinate and manage the administration and operational activities within, and on behalf of the entire Internal Audit function.  This will include performance, people and financial management.

While the role is challenging, our flexible working policy ensures a healthy work-life balance. Wherever possible, we accommodate reduced hours or job share options, balanced against business needs.

THE ROLE

As an Operations Manager you will:

• Manage the Internal Audit administrative support team, including day-to-day requirements such as meetings and events;
• Manage the reporting and monitoring process for audit performance, including audit delivery, action tracking, input to Audit Risk and Assurance Committees and other key executive and senior management committees;
• Support the annual audit planning process;
• Support the ongoing maintenance of the Internal Audit methodology, including the associated quality assurance processes, and developing and supporting the audit management system
• Support people related activities including recruitment and induction activities, and the reporting requirements to support resource management;
• Support the internal audit team’s stakeholder engagement activities;
• Manage training and development requirements across the internal audit function
• Manage internal communications, including maintaining the function’s intranet website;
• Maintain the function’s Business Continuity plan;
• Manage the function’s budget, which will include analysis and reporting.

REQUIREMENTS

For success in this role we are looking for people with the following skills and experience:  

• A proactive self-starter who can work autonomously, and prioritise your workloads.
• Strong administrative and organisational skills;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly and credibly with a range of different people from different backgrounds.
• Confidence and flexibility to establish good working relationships with team members and stakeholders;
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight timescales, using your own initiative as well as playing an active role within a team;
• Ability to think laterally and continually improve processes and ways of working to improve the overall working environment;
• A commitment to equality, diversity and promotion of a positive and partnership culture;
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office and data analytics tools to create visual and interactive reports

You must have demonstrable experience of working in an Internal Audit function, and it is highly desirable that you that you possess an Internal Audit qualification. This is because a key element of the role involves managing the annual audit planning exercise and maintaining the Internal Audit methodology. In summary, maintaining the audit universe requires a strong insight into internal audit standards, processes and accepted good practice.

A basic knowledge of project management disciplines is also highly desirable, as you will be managing and delivering projects from start to through to completion.

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

At MI5, MI6 and GCHQ we’re proud of our inclusive and supportive working environment that’s designed to encourage open minds and attitudes. As an organisation that values and nurtures talent, we’re committed to helping you fulfil your potential. With comprehensive training and development opportunities, tailored to your needs and the requirements of your work, we’ll enable you to flourish in your role and perform to the very best of your abilities.

LOCATION

London and/or Cheltenham (located within an hour’s journey of Birmingham and Bristol)

Travel within the UK is essential, with a possibility of occasional overseas travel.

BEFORE YOU APPLY

This role is based in Cheltenham or London. Please note, we do not cover relocation costs.

Honesty and integrity are crucial. You should read about the vetting process and satisfy yourself that you meet the criteria outlined in the vetting pages of the website prior to submitting an application.

Giving misleading information or omitting or concealing information during the recruitment and vetting process is viewed very seriously. You should ensure that you follow our guidance from when you apply.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS

The first thing we will ask you to do is complete our pre-screening questions to find out if you meet our initial criteria. If you do meet these criteria we will then ask you to fill out a full application form where you will need to create a log in and provide your full name, email address and a memorable password.

Our recruitment team will conduct a sift of your application and successful applicants may be invited to a short video interview. All successful applicants who pass this stage will be invited to attend a competency based face to face interview in London to further explore your skills and motivation for the role. If successful at interview, you will be required to attend a security interview with a vetting officer.

OFFER OF INTERVIEW

As part of our commitment to being a ‘Disability Confident Leader’ we offer an interview to all candidates with a disability who meet our minimum criteria for the role that they are applying for. This is known as the Offer of Interview (OOI). To secure an interview for this vacancy, the minimum criteria (in order of application process) are:

Eligibility Questions - You will be asked a series of questions relating to this vacancy. If you meet the criteria here you will be directed to the application form.

On successful completion of this application form you will be invited to a video interview. This is our offer interview.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

To be eligible to apply, you must be a British Citizen. One of your parents must be a British Citizen or must have one of the nationalities or citizenships from one of the following: British Overseas territory, British subject, British National (Overseas), British protected person, citizenship of the Commonwealth, EEA nationality, or citizenship of the United States of America. If deceased, have had such citizenship or nationality before death. If you hold dual nationality, of which one component is British, you will nonetheless be considered. If successful, you will not normally be required to give up your non-British citizenship but, as a condition of your employment or secondment, MI5 may impose restrictions on your postings, work travel and/or general use of that nationality. Candidates must normally have been resident in the UK for seven out of the last ten years. This is particularly important if you were born outside the UK. Each case will be carefully considered on its own facts.

You can apply at the age of 17 years and 6 months, if successful you will not be offered a start date prior to your 18th birthday.

Please note, you should only launch your application from within the UK. If you are based overseas, you should wait until you visit the UK to launch an application. Applying from outside of the UK will impact on our ability to progress your application.

Further information on our eligibility criteria can be found on the Applying section.


DISCRETION

Owing to the sensitivity of our work, we do not publicly disclose the identities of our staff. Discretion is vital. You should not discuss your application, other than with your partner or a close family member.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The UK Intelligence Agencies are Equal Opportunities employers, committed to reflecting the society we protect.  Our recruitment process is fair, transparent and based on merit. We particularly welcome applications from diverse and under-represented groups.

Please be aware that we withhold the right to bring forward the closing date for this role from the original closing date once a certain number of applications have been received. Please be mindful on this and submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.

This Program / Vacancy is closed to applications.