Financial Services Internal Audit Director

About Crowe

Crowe is a leading national audit, tax, advisory and consulting firm with global reach and local expertise. We are an independent member of Crowe Global, one of the top 10 accounting networks in the world, with access to more than 40,000 people in over 140+ countries and across more than 800+ offices globally.

Our vision is to be recognised as essential to the future success of our clients by helping them to answer tomorrow’s questions and make smart decisions that have lasting value through the highest quality audit, tax, advisory and consulting services.

Crowe is where talented people can realise their potential, are successful and enjoy what they do by making a positive difference to our clients, communities and each other.

At Crowe, our aim is to create a community where regardless of gender, identity, sexuality, race, ethnicity, education or background, everyone is valued, can flourish and achieve their full potential.

In the UK, Crowe has an outstanding and rapidly growing consulting practice focused on financial services.  We provide companies with a broad range of services, with a particular focus on governance and enterprise risk management, sustainability, operational resilience and third-party risk / supply chain management, AI, data and analytics, technology and cyber risk, and change and transformation.

Role Summary

Based in our central London office near St Paul’s and building on recent successes and planned strategic growth, there is an exciting opportunity for high calibre and ambitious professionals to further their career with a progressive and growing consulting team.

The current team is led by 4 partners and comprises a team of around 40 within our wider 100+ partner and 1400+ staff UK firm.

Our consulting practice is thriving and growing in scope and size, and as part of our ambitious growth plans, we are looking to set up an Internal Audit team focusing on Financial Services businesses. 

You may have the skills and experience but do not want to be just another headcount in a large firm and you see the appeal in working as part of a relatively small but growing, dynamic team and want to play a key role in the growth and success of our UK consulting business.

As the first Director in our financial services internal audit team, you will have a broad role as a financial services professional –supporting the management and delivery of internal audit services, external quality assessments (EQAs) of internal audit functions, outsourced quality assurance and maintaining the internal audit methodology, technical knowledge and professional practices of a client delivery team.

The role holder will also help develop the go-to-market strategy for the financial services team, including leadership for client-facing events, driving relationships with industry and trade bodies, and generating market opportunities to grow the team’s coverage of the financial services mid-market sector.

This role will also include responsibilities to support Crowe’s development of the System of Quality Management (SOQM) to ensure that financial services delivery is compliant with the International Standards of Quality Management (ISQM1) and adheres to relevant regulatory and market expectations.

Utilising your extensive commercial management and business development skills, you will collaborate with other teams and departments to provide integrated services and holistic solutions to clients and participate in initiatives to attract new clients/expand services to existing clients. You will have the opportunity to deliver value-led advice and outcomes to your clients and the wider firm. 

It is the ideal role for someone who has already gained specialist skills and experience within financial services against a background of financial services regulatory requirements and Internal Audit standards. The successful candidate will have a track record of success and be comfortable in taking responsibility to multi-task across a variety of client and internal initiatives, and have to think for themselves.

Providing excellent service to clients is fundamental to our business, so the individual needs to have a proven track record of delivery to senior stakeholders and be confident and influential in a range of situations with client management.

Key Objectives and Responsibilities

Client delivery

• Taking the lead in the delivery of large and complex EQAs, internal audit consulting and outsourced quality assurance monitoring engagements for financial services internal audit functions.
• Supporting the management and delivery of internal audit co-sourced and outsourced services.
• Providing secondment support, as required, for the professional practice component of financial services internal audit teams and delivering technical training sessions for internal audit practitioners within Crowe’s client base.
• Provide oversight and take accountability for your teams’ outputs. Effectively leverage capabilities from each member of the engagement team.  Ensure client needs are proactively understood, met and exceeded. 
• Ensuring projects are well managed and commercially viable by budgeting effectively and billing clients promptly.
• Incorporating insights from quality assurance engagements into the good practices to be delivered by Crowe’s internal audit team and broader assurance specialists.
• Developing and maintaining contacts within the internal audit market, including Heads of Internal Audit, Audit Committee Chairs, and others directly involved in or influencing EQA and quality assurance procurement decisions within our chosen markets.
• Representing Crowe at client meetings and industry forums.
• Own, direct and deliver Crowe’s internal audit financial services Quality Assurance and Improvement Programme. This includes:
  • Delivering effective Hot and Cold Reviews for financial services files, including the provision of detailed feedback and training for delivery leads to continually enhance Crowe’s System of Quality Management.
  • Working with Crowe’s specialist and support teams to lead resolution of financial services internal audit risk and quality issues, as well as directing changes to the team’s critical infrastructure.
  • Supporting the efficient delivery of ISQM 1 compliance audits on behalf of the Senior Leadership Team and communicating ‘lessons learned’ through departmental working groups
• Preparation and presentation of reports to senior management and Audit Committees/Boards.

Practice and proposition development

• Lead and undertake research into emerging financial services regulatory developments and providing technical updates to the team and periodic training sessions
• Provide technical advice and training to the financial services team, including team briefings to deepen the team’s knowledge base regarding specific high risk / complex subjects.
• Develop and update internal audit methodology, tools and other processes for us in the delivery of financial services advisory work
• Resolve technical queries from colleagues and sharing acquired knowledge with the wider Crowe team to capture efficiency gains
• Maintain financial services knowledge base and developing benchmarks in priority areas
• Lead the development of relevant propositions, which are aligned and supports the delivery of the financial services internal audit strategy.
• Provide challenge and thorough points of view, and provide input into the priority and approach of proposition development.
• Develop and enhance the competitive advantage of Crowe in the consulting and internal audit marketplace.

Business development and marketing

• Network, engage and manage relationships effectively with management at clients and potential clients to generate leads.
• Generate leads and own and lead business development conversations and activities, converting into extensions at existing clients or new client opportunities. Generate material revenues at an appropriate margin, with the majority from new clients and relationships.
• Own, manage and deliver client proposals, including complex and important projects and pitches.
• Own and deliver key marketing and brand campaigns and significant thought leadership activities.
• Responsible and actively sought out to provide expert input through speaking, leadership positions, participations in external groups, and publications.
• Identify collaborative opportunities with other subject matter experts within the firm to provide clients with the best value outcomes and taking the initiative in making relevant introductions as necessary.

People

• Act as a role model for an effective and supportive working culture and environment, whereby consistent excellence is strived for in everything that we do.
• Support a culture of innovation and thought leadership, and knowledge sharing to support team development. Support the creation of work environments that unlock, nurture and harness the potential of our team to achieve string business performance and excellent people experiences.
• Lead and supervise client engagements and individual projects, providing support and on-job training to the junior members of the team.
• Demonstrate actions and behaviours that adhere to Crowe’s objectives, values and standards.
• Role model the behaviours of a High Performing Team (trust, open debate, commitment and performance focus), holding each other accountable by calling out actions and behaviours that are inconsistent with the team’s values and culture.
• Lead, coach and develop effectively members of our financial services internal audit team.
• Accountable for internal work and leading key aspects of change initiatives, adopting a coaching mindset of leading while delivering high quality output (within time allocation, on time and to specification). In the context of a relatively small team, being prepared to “roll your sleeves up” and support and engage in delivery to achieve a positive outcome.

Key Experience and Attributes

The successful candidate will have:

• Industry leading knowledge of the Financial Services sector, the UK regulatory environment, current regulatory requirements and risk issues, along with a deep understanding of internal audit methodologies, IIA Global Internal Audit Standards, and CIIA Code of Practice at a level to confidently engage with Heads of Internal Audit / Chief Audit Executives
• Strong leadership and supervisory skills
• Project management skills
• Exceptional written / communication skills, ability to influence, lead, engage and manage stakeholders.
• A recognised accountancy or internal audit professional qualifications.
• Good analytical and organisation skills and the ability to think logically and intuitively.
• Experience with companies and clients with a range of sizes, capabilities and issues, including mid-market businesses.
• Experience of business development or the promotion and agreement of assignments
• Strong project management skills and capabilities. Ability to manage multiple projects and multi-task, combined with a desire to apply skills and experience in new contexts or new situations to add value.
• Strong business acumen, with an ability to see the big picture and to think from a client perspective about how to develop innovative, practical and pragmatic solutions that can be executed to make a real difference.
• A positive attitude and a desire to learn, develop and grow as an individual.
• A real and demonstrable commitment to diversity and inclusiveness.
• Personal values that are consistent with Crowe’s values, including acting with integrity, and focusing on doing what is right for the client.

Desirable but not essential skills:

• External memberships (i.e. ICAEW, CIMA, CIIA, ACCA etc.) preferred but not essential.
• A range of exposure to financial services sub-sectors.
• Experience of skilled persons reviews associated with Section 166 regulatory action.
• Experience in business development, including a strong track record of sales or contribution to sales.

What working at Crowe Consulting offers

• Opportunities to develop new skills and progress your career
• Working with a ‘niche’ and fresh consulting business – within a long-established and highly supportive UK professional services firm.
• The freedom and flexible working environment to handle your role in a way that’s right for you
• Variety, both from the range of sizes of engagement we typically sell and manage, and the range of client issues that we are asked to help clients address.
• An opportunity to join an agile, progressive and growing team, acquire and develop new skills, and to be able to own and shape a career within the firm.
• An opportunity for career progression and to play a key role in the succession of existing team members over time, and as the business continues to grow.

Why choose Crowe?

At Crowe we understand that it is often the culture and values of a firm that are most important when looking for a new workplace.

Whether you’re working in statutory audit, corporate tax or you’re a marketing or HR specialist, we place our people at the centre of everything that we do; promoting a collaborative, inclusive and friendly culture while remaining passionate about supporting and developing our people as they build their careers. We listen to our people and adapt to their changing needs alongside the needs of our growing business. We invest in our people to help them be the best they can be.

We value new ideas and innovation, and welcome people who are committed to making a difference by delivering excellent services to our people, clients and communities.

At Crowe, you will find the specialist knowledge, the resources and the commitment to help you build a satisfying and rewarding career, with continued learning and development, highly competitive salaries and flexible benefits.

We want to create the best environment for our people to grow and thrive and recognise the importance of offering a flexible approach to our working environment, which we would be happy to discuss with you further.

Crowe is committed to equal opportunity and diversity in recruitment and employment. We value the differences that a diverse workforce brings to our organisation, driving effectiveness in our teams and providing our clients with a quality service.

Entry and progression within the firm is determined solely by the application of objective criteria, personal performance and merit which is supported by a clearly defined career pathway.

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