Save the Children International has an exciting opportunity for a Head of Audit to join our global team.

Team and Job Purpose

To evaluate and enhance the governance, risk management, and control systems in support of the Boards and Management of Save the Children entities, ensuring robust oversight and accountability. Our team is dedicated to providing thorough assessments and insightful recommendations that strengthen organisational resilience and integrity. By fostering a culture of continuous improvement, we contribute to the achievement of Save the Children's mission to protect and advocate for children's rights globally.

Role purpose

To ensure a consistent and seamless delivery of global assurance services, the Global Assurance Head of Audit will coordinate with regional teams to unify processes and standards across all operations, promoting integrity and accountability. The role involves managing and conducting audits, reviews, and investigations to provide clear, evidence-based assurances, supporting Save the Children's mission to uphold the rights and welfare of children worldwide. By deputising for the Chief Assurance Officer and serving as a key contact for Save the Children UK's leadership, the role enhances collaboration and strategic alignment across the organisation.

Job Title: Head of Audit

Reports To: Chief Assurance Officer

Work Pattern: Hybrid/Remote with flexible working options available

Contract Length: Permanent

Grade: M4

Location: Any approved Save the Children International office location. For a full list of locations that Save the Children International can hire in, please visit: SCI Careers

Time Zone (that the role holder must be available to work in): Europe, WCA, ESA, MENAEE Time Zones (UTC/GMT + / - 3 hours)

Right to Work: The successful candidate must possess the unrestricted right to work in their current or preferred location for the duration of employment.

Language Requirements: English; A second language such as French, Spanish, Arabic, etc will be an added advantage

International Travel Requirements: Yes, up to 50%

Budget Responsibility: As relevant to audits and other tasks.

People Management Responsibility: Number of people managed in total: 4-6

Manager of a team: Yes

Team Manager (manager of multiple teams): Yes

Principal Accountabilities

Oversee the delivery of high-quality, outcomes-focused internal audit assignments that align with the Global Assurance methodology, ensuring timely, high-quality delivery that reflects SCI/A's strategic objectives.
Proactively build in-depth knowledge of SCI/A operations, acting as a trusted advisor to the organisation while fostering a culture of continual learning and development within the team.
Establish and maintain strong, collaborative relationships, fostering an environment of openness and shared learning to achieve strategic objectives and enhance operational effectiveness.
Lead the Global Assurance team in developing and delivering solutions-focused reports that promote horizontal learning across Save the Children International, ensuring that best practices are identified, shared, and implemented to strengthen the organisation’s control environment.
Oversee and manage a diverse team of audit specialists, developing individual work plans and personal development strategies to address skills gaps, and conducting regular performance appraisals.
Collaborate with the Chief Audit Officer to contribute to the systems and process development within the organisation, undertaking specific advisory work and influencing efforts to enhance the understanding of risk, controls, oversight, and accountability.
Monitor and address potential fraud risks by working closely with the global fraud team to conduct thorough investigations into allegations of fraud or serious negligence, ensuring that appropriate actions are taken to maintain integrity and accountability within the organisation.
Provide independent, objective advisory services to management to enhance internal control, risk management, and governance practices.

Experience and Skills

Essential

Experience in audit and advisory roles within complex organisations, with significant expertise in risk management, internal controls, and governance practices
Considerable experience in leading diverse teams and managing cross-functional projects.
Experience in participating in and leading on risk-based reviews of systems and processes (with a good understanding of the three lines of defence model) and identifying weaknesses and areas of improvements with minimum supervision and support.
Result -orientated and able to complete multiple projects with conflicting priorities, accurately and in a timely manner.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, including producing high-quality written reports and other communications in English. Ability to deliver difficult messages with tact and confidence and change existing mindsets.
Highly developed interpersonal skills including influencing, negotiation, coaching and collaboration.
Willing to travel overseas and work with minimum supervision under difficult conditions in some of the most fragile parts of the world.
Ability to work flexibly across time zones and adapt to changing priorities and complex environments, promoting continuous improvement in processes and methodologies.
Strong cultural awareness and ability to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
High standards of ethics and integrity, and commitment to Save the Children values.

Desirable

Aware of grant requirements of major donors such as USAID, EC/ECHO, DfID and the UN.

Education and Qualifications

Desirable

Be a qualified internal auditor or accountant (IIA, CISA, CIMA, ACA, CPA, etc)

Working at Save the Children International

Save the Children is the world's leading organisation for children, employing ~25,000 staff. We save children's lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Through our work in 116 countries, we put the most deprived and marginalised children first.

We know that great people make a great organisation, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

The work here is challenging but is also immensely rewarding. At Save the Children, you will be in good company, working with talented, like-minded individuals who are determined to ensure that all children survive, learn, and are protected. Your contribution will help ensure children's voices are heard at the highest levels, and that we achieve our global strategy, Ambition for Children 2030, and reach every last child.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Equal Opportunities

DEI is core to our vision, values and global strategy. Save the Children is committed to creating a truly diverse, equitable and inclusive organisation, and one which will support us in our vision to ensure every child attains the right to survival, protection, development, and participation.

We are committed to equal employment opportunities, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, disability, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, caring or parental responsibilities, age, or beliefs and religion. We are committed to diversifying our staff to better represent the communities we serve and actively welcome underrepresented groups to apply.

Reasonable adjustments will be made should any candidate invited to interview require this.

Application Information

Please attach a copy of your CV and cover letter with your application. A full copy of the role profile can be found here via the job listing. It is recommended that you save a copy of the role profile as it will no longer be available after the advert closes.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the job advert may be closed earlier than advertised subject to the volume of suitable applicants. Please submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Candidates who are successfully shortlisted should expect to hear from us within 2 weeks of the advert deadline.

Our recruitment process:

Application review by our recruiting team based on your CV and cover letter
Two-stage competency-based interviews with the hiring team
Some recruitment may include an additional assessment or case study stage, or a third stage interview
If successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment, followed by your contract subject to passing background checks

We need to keep children and adults safe so our selection process includes rigorous background checks and reflects our commitment to the protection of children and adults from abuse. All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our Code of Conduct and all policies and procedures relating to Anti-harassment, Health and Safety, Safeguarding, and DEI and Equal Opportunities.

Save the Children does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.