Risk Advisory Associate Director

Company Description

At S&W, we help our clients thrive by simplifying the complex, illuminating new paths, and shaping solutions that make a difference. As one of the UK’s top 10 fastest-growing accountancy firms, we have been a trusted partner since 1881—helping businesses and individuals meet challenges and seize opportunities across generations.

Built on expertise and driven by ambition, we provide a comprehensive range of services, including tax and accountancy, advisory and assurance, corporate finance, and restructuring. We are defined by our purpose—to help navigate challenges, unlock potential, and achieve the extraordinary.

Job Description

What will you be doing?

This is an exciting role in a developing practice, and you will be helping to support the strategy and be part of a team who are client focused. We are looking for candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds, but who have an enthusiasm and passion to what they do; have the ability to apply their experience to intelligent solutions to the organisations they work with. We seek broad experience of risk, governance, controls and internal audit to provide value to clients by providing pragmatic and tailored solutions which will really benefit and improve their businesses.   

You will be joining a growing and ambitious professional services team with a strong emphasis on its people and their development. You will work with some of the UK's most interesting companies and will have a role in developing the future of our Risk Advisory practice, working in collaboration with the broader Consulting team and the wider S&W Partners. The role will be based in London but will operate nationally.

As Risk Advisory Associate Director , your responsibilities will include among others

Business/Practice Development

• Having / building an extensive network (internal and external) to generate new project opportunities and grow / extend existing projects. 
• Supporting and leading on developing responses to invitations to tender. Bringing innovation to develop new approaches to tendering for work.
• Supporting refinement of key service propositions.
• Inputting into thought leadership and external communications / events to raise market awareness and build network.

Client Relationship

• Building strong client relationships, ensure they receive an efficient and proactive service and that client expectations are met.
• Adding value to the client relationship, identifying and developing opportunities to improve the clients' businesses and/or develop additional services for S&W Partners.
• Lead and deliver client engagements and assignments, ensuring exceptional client service.

Technical

• Working with clients to define, refine and confirm project objectives and outcomes.
• Understanding clients’ businesses to ensure services and support are value adding. 
• Leading and delivering high quality engagements (predominantly risk management, controls design, implementation and testing, and internal audit) across a broad client base.
• Leading project teams and developing junior team members to reach their potential.
• Manage delivering on a portfolio of work and balance and prioritise conflicting priorities.
• Agreeing, monitoring and reporting on project economics.
• Utilising technology to improve the quality and efficiency of projects.
• Adapt and tailor risk advisory solutions for clients.
• Be responsible for the client administration processes, including client onboard and managing firm risk.
• Building relationships with experts across S&W Partners to deliver client focused Risk Advisory solutions.
• Maintaining an interest in industry and regulatory trends to share with clients. 

Staff Management

• Play a lead role in supporting the building and development of the Risk Advisory team, identifying training and development needs and having a role in building capacity and capability.
• To delegate appropriate work and provide appropriate mentoring to more junior staff, aiding their development.
• Take a lead role on client engagement, leading and supporting the team.

Training And Development

• Play an active role in personal development.
• To assess the training, development (and recruitment) needs of the team to support the internal audit, GRC, ERM propositions.

Qualifications

To be successful in this role, you should

• We want to work with like-minded individuals who will value our clients and thrive on the impact their services can provide.  We are looking for ACA, ACCA or IIA qualified candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds, that have an enthusiasm and passion to what they do, and an ability to apply their experience to intelligent solutions for the clients that they work with. 
• Technical expertise - strong background in core internal audit, controls and related risk advisory methodologies. The ability to translate this into clear scopes and terms of reference and be able to oversee and lead engagements To be able to answer staff and client technical queries and make technical decisions.
• Commercial awareness - to have a good understanding of the commercial factors affecting the client and to be able to monitor the commercial effectiveness of work done by S&W Partners by reviewing costs against budget.
• Business Development - ability to develop trusted advisor status with clients. Supporting and leading on the development of proposal documents.
• Planning and organising - to ensure all client work is carried out within the appropriate timescales through continual monitoring of progression of the work. Management of a portfolio of client, to oversee the end-to-end internal audit, controls or risk management engagements, from planning through to fieldwork and reporting.
• Problem solving - technical knowledge to resolve client issues and organisation to be flexible to meet client and director demands.

Additional Information

As a colleague here at S&W you will have access to benefits that include

• Competitive salary
• Private medical insurance
• Life assurance
• Pension contribution
• Hybrid working model (role dependent)
• Generous holiday package
• Option to purchase additional holiday
• Shared parental leave
• Fully funded training towards professional qualifications
• Cycle to work scheme
• Season ticket loan
• Eye care support

We are proud to value the differences that a diverse workforce brings, representative of society and our clients. At S&W we have a wide range of highly active employee resource groups and we’re delivering multiple diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives across the organisation. It is our commitment to provide a workplace where all colleagues, regardless of identity, background, or circumstance, feel respected as individuals and feel that they can achieve their full potential and work in a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment.

We are happy to make any reasonable adjustments to accommodate for your needs throughout the application process. Please let your Recruiter know.