Head of Internal Audit
Hybrid 
Permanent/Full Time
Closing date: 28th March 2025

Our offer to you
We pride ourselves in being a great place to work, providing a supportive culture with opportunities to grow and develop your career, achieve a healthy work life balance and to be recognised for the great work you do. You will receive:

• Competitive salary and pension scheme
• 33 days holiday (inclusive of bank holidays) - increasing to 38 days over 5 years
• Hybrid, Flexible working
• Cycle to work scheme Electric Vehicle Scheme
• Health and Wellbeing portal – access to financial, health and wellbeing support and an Employee Assistance Programme
• Discounts – you will have access to Blue Light and NHS Discounts as well as discounts on mobile phones, gym membership, cinema tickets, restaurants, holidays and shopping

About Us
This is a fantastic opportunity to join a team of over 1,416 employees and over 31,000 volunteers, united by our goal of saving lives through essential first aid services, training and campaigning.  As a charity with rich heritage and a long history of serving humanity, we are proud of our past and excited about creating a healthier, safer, more resilient future. 
St John Ambulance works at the heart of communities, supporting and enabling them to access and receive physical and mental health first aid. We do this through developing and providing effective community response and outreach services (e.g. Ambulance response & Nighttime Economy) and using our longstanding expertise to empower people with vital clinical skills and the confidence to use them (e.g. our Volunteers and Community Advocates, NHS Cadets and Young Responders programmes). There is also a buoyant social enterprise network which delivers first aid training and supplies medical consumables to businesses and consumers.
This is an exciting time of transformation with an opportunity to lead and mature the charity’s data maturity by leading a new data strategy. 

Job Summary
The Head of Internal Audit is responsible for managing the Internal Audit department to provide independent, objective assurance to the Risk and Assurance Committee on the design and effectiveness of the internal control framework in St John. Supported by a co-sourced partner, the Head of Internal Audit leads the charity’s independent third line of assurance. The department helps management accomplish the organisation’s objectives by bringing a systematic disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management and governance processes. The function is also responsible for the management of the whistleblowing framework and leading on counter-fraud work, including performance of fraud and whistleblowing investigations.

About You
Educated to GCSE level or equivalent (Grade C / 4) including Maths & English, minimum 5, Relevant CCAB accountancy qualification certification (such as CIIA, ACA, CIMA, ACCA, CIPFA), Ability and confidence to deliver, with a high degree of autonomy and with high quality standards, navigating multiple stakeholders, 5+ years of progressively responsible professional internal audit and/or internal controls (second line) experience, Ability to nurture and build effective partnerships with key stakeholders and Senior Management to achieve results, Excellent stakeholder management and team working, Excellent interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence (EQ), with ability to communicate effectively at all levels.

About the Role

• Develop and implement a strategy for Internal Audit in line with the strategic goals of the organisation and with approval from the Risk & Assurance Committee.
• Develop and drive forward the Internal Audit methodology, process, practices and reporting to maintain adherence to and exceed where appropriate professional standards, Internal KPIs and key stakeholder (Chief Executive Officer, Chiefs and Risk & Assurance Committee Members) expectations ensuring these are all aligned and support the strategic objectives.
• To be visible and seen as a key expert in the audit arena and a subject matter expert and effectively influence all individuals at every level from Operations to the Board. To drive and support the development of the overall internal control framework and culture.
• Manage the operational running of the Internal Audit department, including efficient deployment of resources to carry out Internal Audits, issuing reports to management, following up on audit recommendations, monitoring key performance indicators and maintaining the departmental budget, recruitment, training and development of staff.
• Devise and execute a risk-based annual audit plan. Work independently to scope, plan and deliver high quality financial, operational and compliance audits through to report finalisation, to tight deadlines.
• Manage the relationship with the co-source partner, working with them to scope, schedule and deliver audits to time and budget.
• Maintain high standards of documentation supporting audit conclusions ensuring adherence to the internal audit manual and IIA professional standards. Continually review the Internal Audit procedures to ensure that they are relevant and conform to the newly issued IIA professional standards.
• Prepare the Internal Audit quarterly reporting dashboard and support drafting of papers for the Audit & Risk Committee.

Please see the job description for more detail (this can be viewed on our website or once you click apply)

Find out more about us, including our new Ask Me campaign, at www.sja.org.uk 

If you are a current St John Ambulance employee, please apply here: Click here

For all other candidates, or St John Ambulance volunteers wishing to apply; please apply below

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive high volume of applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

St John Ambulance are committed to increasing the diversity of our team and making sure we best reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.   At St John, everyone is valued and supported to thrive, we have several networks including Multi Culture, Disability and Accessibility, Pride, Family and Carers and Women’s groups.  We do not tolerate any form of discrimination and engender a sense of belonging for all, by creating an environment of mutual respect, where we value unique differences and demonstrate authentic allyship. We believe passionately in equality, diversity and inclusion.   

'St John Ambulance is committed to safeguarding and we promote safe recruitment practice. Therefore, all successful applicants will undergo pre-employment checks, including DBS Clearance, as part of the onboarding process, if applicable to the nature of the role'.

 

Please note: St John does not accept speculative CVs and will only review CVs sent in application for an advertised vacancy.