Senior Auditor - Working for Essex

About the role

Senior Auditor

Permanent, Full Time

£37,209 to £43,775 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Closing Date: 1st June 2025

The Senior Auditor will support the delivery of internal audit activity within the Council and to external clients.

The Senior Auditor will be responsible for undertaking complex risk-based audits, making proportionate and appropriate recommendations to improve the internal control environment, effectively communicating findings and recommendations to auditees, including Senior Leaders. The role will provide advice and guidance on the internal control framework. The Senior Auditor will also be responsible for occasional assignment management of junior audit staff .

The Senior Auditor will hold an appropriate professional qualification (CIA / PIIA / CCAB or equivalent).

To read more about our business area, please visit Corporate Services and Transformation

Accountabilities

· Responsible for delivering complex Internal Audit service assignments efficiently and effectively, within agreed budgets, ensuring appropriate technical standards are met and working papers and audit files are maintained in compliance with internal quality standards and the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards.

· Responsible for occasional assignment management of internal audit and counter fraud staff, as delegated by the Strategic Internal Audit Manager.

· Responsible for ensuring all audit assignments are appropriately scoped to cover key risks and responsible for preparing an audit approach that describes the nature, timing and audit procedures to be employed for an individual audit, including the production of an audit work programme.

· Responsible for self-managing the delivery of allocated assignments, managing priorities and proactively reporting any delivery slippage to the Strategic Internal Audit Manager.

· Responsible for the preparation and presentation to the relevant auditee of the final report, ensuring that recommendations are proportionate to risk, practical and add value to the client.

· Works collaboratively with the Counter Fraud Team to support fraud prevention and detection, highlighting potential fraud risks in audit assignments and undertaking occasional investigations into fraud or control failures.

· Provides expert professional advice and support regarding management of the internal control environment to key stakeholders, including Senior Leaders and Members. Delivering pragmatic and proportionate risk-based advice and recommended improvements.

· Works collaboratively with client personnel at appropriate levels, committed to improving client satisfaction, ensuring engagement objectives and expectations are developed with the client and their needs are met.

· Responsible for keeping abreast of organisational and business/economic developments, new standards, and gain an understanding of their links and impact to the client’s business, using this to appropriately inform audit activity.

· Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

The Experience You Will Bring

· CMIIA, PIIA, or CCAB qualified.

· Evidence of continuing professional development through the relevant professional body and expert knowledge in relevant professional area.

· Ability to self-manage and manage assignments including occasional staff management.

· Significant internal audit experience within a complex organisation.

· Evidence of a deep knowledge of current audit and assurance techniques and guidelines.

· Evidence of sound analytical skills – being able to find solutions to complex problems and explain them clearly.

· Evidence of significant achievement in an internal audit role, including the innovative use of audit techniques (including use of Computer Aided Audit Techniques (CAATs)) to assist in the delivery of business objectives.

· Evidence of excellent communication skills with the ability to effectively negotiate and persuade, with a proven track record of delivering difficult messages to auditees/clients.

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex . With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

In February 2025 , Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR ) on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles , including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk

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