Financial Services Internal Audit Senior Manager
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.
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 a Senior Manager in our Financial Services Internal Audit team, you will have the opportunity to take lead on a variety of advisory and independent assurance projects for financial services firms across all FS sectors.
You will play an important role in developing new client relationships as well as continuing to maintain and supervise your client portfolio.
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
- Delivery of high-quality regulatory assurance projects to clients, delivering within defined project objective.
- Act as a role model for ensuring quality and risk are managed on the client portfolio and coaching other members of the team on any internal audit methodology requirements.
- Preparation and presentation of reports to senior management and Audit Committees/Boards.
- Managing the work in progress and billing on the client engagements, and promptly flagging any discrepancies and proposed solutions to the Engagement Partner.
Proposition development
- Make a significant contribution to the development and definition of Crowe’s offering by using your knowledge and expertise to act as a subject matter expert and own the development of relevant propositions, which are aligned and supports the delivery of the financial services internal audit strategy.
- Develop a detailed understanding of Crowe consulting’s other propositions and how they meet the needs of our clients.
- Detailed understanding of and ability to articulate what differentiates Crowe in the consulting market.
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, converting into extensions at existing clients or new client opportunities.
- Own, manage and deliver client proposals and business development activities.
- Full ownership and delivery of high-quality marketing and brand development initiatives, including thought leadership.
- Personally recognised as an expert in one of your areas of expertise. Able to provide opinion externally through publications, speaking events etc.
- 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
- Leading and supervising client engagements and individual projects, providing support and on-job training to the junior members of the team.
- Play a leading role in building efficiencies and continuous improvement for the team, whilst also ensuring work is allocated for all members of the team.
- 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, 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.
- Commercial accountability for team members’ time - demonstrating ability to manage and delegate work.
- Supporting a continuous improvement culture by identifying and delivering on opportunities to improve across the team.
Key Experience and Attributes
The successful candidate will have:
- Significant experience of regulatory assurance or internal audit experience working within a professional services or financial services firm(s).
- A robust understanding of the regulatory environment and good practice in financial services including knowledge and experience of key topics such as enterprise risk management frameworks and operating models, corporate governance / board effectiveness, market / credit / insurance / liquidity risk types, SMCR, operational resilience, consumer duty requirements, culture.
- A recognised accountancy or internal audit professional qualifications.
- Strong written / communication skills, ability to influence, lead, engage, and manage stakeholders.
- 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.
- Confident in ability to actively support business development and expanding client relationships.
- 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 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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