Group Senior Internal Audit Manager

Job description 

Are you ready to lead and shape the strategic vision of an Internal Audit function that delivers high-impact, independent assurance and advisory services to the Scottish Government and 25 public sector organisations?

Working with another Group Senior Internal Audit Manager, you will contribute to the development and delivery of the Internal Audit Strategy. You will be a senior leader, providing people management, engagement supervision and oversight to teams delivering independent assurance and advisory services to the Scottish Government and 25 public bodies in accordance with the Global Internal Audit Standards (GIAS). You will lead the internal audit function to deliver our Directorate Mission: to provide assurance insights and advice to support our clients and partners to continuously improve the achievement of outcomes and the delivery of services in Scotland.

You will be a trusted advisor and critical friend for clients across the portfolio – providing quality insights and advice, sharing learning and good practice from the profession and sector. You will also support delivery of the Nominated Officer function – ensuring appropriate handling of whistleblowing allegations, including timely, confidential, and compliant responses in line with organisational policies and regulatory requirements.

You will be committed to your own professional development and will drive the continuous professional development of our people. You will support the Director of Internal Audit and Assurance in ensuring we have the skills, experience and capability to deliver now and in the future. You will stay ahead of developments in the profession, driving innovation and continuous improvement in our ways of working. You will have professional networks in the public and private sector, and you will look for opportunities to share learning and drive improvement in the function and across the wider public sector. You will play a key role in supporting the Director of Internal Audit and Assurance in her role as the Head of the Internal Audit profession in central government in Scotland.

 Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development of the Internal Audit Strategy and the wider Directorate strategy.
• Lead and shape the delivery of assurance activities in line with the GIAS in the UK Public Sector, balancing strategic oversight with hands-on delivery of complex audit work.
• Apply professional insights and expertise to provide a critical friend/trusted advisor role to Accountable Officers, their leadership teams, and Non-Executive members across a portfolio of government bodies.
• Workforce planning, resource and talent management. Ensuring we have the skills, capability and capacity to deliver the audit service now and in the future.
• Shape, and oversee delivery of the Quality Improvement Plan for the function - taking a continuous improvement approach and leading teams to develop innovation in ways of working.
• Engagement supervisor role across portfolios. Ensuring audit services are delivered in line with GIAS and associated guidance.
• Ensuring audit plans and assignments are delivered to a high quality, within budget and in line with Divisional Key Performance Indicators and metrics. A smaller proportion of your time will focus on delivering audits in the highest risk or most complex areas.
• Demonstrate expert knowledge of the central government and wider public sector landscape. Proactively collaborating with colleagues on the development of cross-government insights. Providing expert advice, insight and challenge – sharing industry and cross-sector good practice and learning at Audit Committees and other key forums.
• Contribute to capability building in audit, risk, assurance, controls and governance across government. Championing the internal audit profession and building awareness, credibility and trust in the services we offer.
• Leadership and line management of Senior Internal Audit Managers and wider leadership of the extended management team.

Qualifications

Chartered member of the Institute of Internal Auditors UK & Ireland or an equivalent professional qualification in Accountancy - current full member of one of five CCAB bodies  (ICAEW, ACCA, CIPFA, ICAS, Chartered Accountants Ireland), or CIMA.

Success profileSuccess profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on.  You can find out more about the role of Internal Audit in the Scottish Government  here - Internal audit and assurance: further information - gov.scot Technical / Professional Skills:

• Audit Methodology and Standards - Sound understanding of the GIAS and application in the public sector in the UK.
• Understanding and Managing Risk - Skilled in identifying and understanding risk, including how this applies from an audit planning and engagement perspective across complex client portfolios, and risk identification, management and mitigation in the leadership and delivery of a professional internal audit service.

You can find out more about the role of Internal Audit in the Scottish Government  here - Internal audit and assurance: further information - gov.scot Experience:

• Leadership and Team Management - Proven track record in successfully leading, managing, and developing internal audit teams at Head of Internal Audit level. Ability to assess skills and resource gaps in audit service delivery and implement effective solutions. Experience in ensuring the internal audit function has the resources to implement the audit function's strategy and achieve its plans and mandate, in line with the requirements of GIAS.
• Stakeholder Engagement - Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships at all levels ensuring the service meets professional standards and client needs. Effective collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, and ability to make connections with other assurance providers, and peers in professional networks. Experience working with senior leaders, Audit Committees and external bodies. Skilled in presenting complex findings and influencing decision making at a senior level. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex audit findings into meaningful insights for senior and specialist audiences. 

Behaviours: 

• Seeing the Bigger Picture - level 4
• Making Effective Decisions - level 4

You can find out more about Success Profiles here: Success profiles: candidate guide - gov.scot How to applyApply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 1000 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the skills, experience and behaviours listed in the Success Profile above. Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.   Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment. If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and presentation. Assessments are scheduled for w/c 1 December however this may be subject to change. About usThe Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland. We have responsibility for a wide range of key policy areas including: education, health, the economy, justice, housing and transport. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles. Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service, working for Ministers and senior stakeholders to deliver vital public services which improve the lives of the people of Scotland. We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer.As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules. Working patternOur standard hours are 35 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role. From October 2025, the Scottish Government will require staff in hybrid-compatible roles to work in-person 40% of the time, either in an office or other agreed work location. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us. Security checksSuccessful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre-employment checks – Identity, Right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions).You can find out more about BPSS on the UK Government website, or read about the different levels of security checks in our Candidate Guide.  Equality statementWe are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation. Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them. Further informationFind out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website. Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.