Senior Auditor

Location : Our offices are based in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness however we welcome applications from across the UK 

Type : Permanent role 

Salary : £42,853 to £48,982 per annum, plus competitive benefits.  

Hours : 36.25 hours

Are you an experienced qualified senior auditor who thrives on making a difference and passionate about ensuring public services are run properly for the people of Scotland? If so, we can offer you the chance to lead audit teams and contribute to the leadership of Audit Scotland. You will help to create a better Scotland through leading financial, performance and Best Value audit work and our wider engagement with public services. 

We are Audit Scotland. We're Scotland’s public sector auditor, independent of government. We employ more than 320 talented professionals who know that their work helps ensure the efficient delivery of public services in Scotland. We believe that public money (around £57 billion a year) should be spent wisely.   

There's plenty of change ahead, and the need for robust public audit that provides assurance about public spending and helps public services improve is more important than ever. We want to make sure Scotland makes the very best of the opportunities and that change is delivered well –transparent financial reporting and delivering value for money are key to this.  

There has never been a more interesting or important time to join us. We offer a rewarding place to work, a supportive and open culture and a wide range of professional development opportunities. Benefits include 42 days of annual leave including public holidays, personal development allowances and flexible working hours. We’ve also been named one of the top 40 workplaces in Scotland and the UK’s fourth best accountancy workplace in the Sunday Times’ 2021 Best Companies awards. 

Overall purpose of the role 

You will conduct and manage complex financial audit work. You will make audit judgements, oversee and manage the work of the team to deliver our audits to a world-class standard. You’ll interface with clients and stakeholders providing assurance which helps support improvement and focus upon what’s important.  

How you can help us 

As one of our senior members of staff, you’ll be inspiring with your ability to:  

• Make professional, evidence-based judgements and identify potential recommendations.   
• Work with colleagues to decide the breadth and depth of auditing required in proportion to the circumstances, including the audit methodology.   
• Take lead responsibility for planning and delivering audits or key audit areas, to time, cost and quality (depending on the size and risk-profile of the audit).   
• Draft clear, authoritative, concise audit outputs.   
• Support senior leadership in promoting our work externally.   
• Establish and maintain relationships with officers at audited bodies and appropriate stakeholders to support the effective delivery of audit work.  
• Coordinate the work of staff across the audit to manage peak period workloads.  
• Undertake supportive conversations with your team and positively challenge where necessary.   
• Support the development of Audit Scotland’s work programme by sharing intelligence whether based on local audit knowledge, monitoring key public sector issues or by developing stand-alone briefings.  
• Contribute to the management of Audit Scotland by participating in and contributing to corporate activities.  
• Once you have demonstrated expertise in this area, you’ll have opportunity to progress your career and  
• Take risk-based decisions about the audit approach and breadth and depth of auditing required in proportion to the circumstances. 
• Make complex audit judgements and lead the team to make audit judgements and strategic recommendations based on all the evidence collected.  
• Prepare and finalise audit outputs and be responsible for the content of the finished products.  
• Be responsible for planning and delivering audits to time, cost and quality standards. This includes responsibility for all elements of managing an audit, including resourcing, cost monitoring (and taking appropriate action), impact work and supporting media enquiries.  
• Identify, build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders and proactively use these networks to add value to our work and reputation.  
• Provide leadership, build capacity and resilience in the team and motivate, support and develop people to achieve their full potential.   
• Line manage staff, actively managing their development and addressing performance issues.   
• Maximise the impact of our work, including presenting and promoting audit outputs and findings at the highest client and stakeholder level e.g. the Scottish Parliament or Accounts Commission; governing boards, audit committees or external stakeholder events. 
• Be responsible for identifying lessons learned to improve audit quality and efficiency and, where appropriate, share these across the organisation.   
• Lead on distinct areas to support the development of Audit Scotland’s work programme.   
• Contribute to the management of Audit Scotland by promoting, contributing to and, where appropriate, leading on corporate activities. 

Specific knowledge and experience 

You will be a fully qualified accountant (CIPFA, ICAS, other CCAB, CIMA or equivalent). Preferably you will have practical experience of delivering high-quality audits, ideally in a public sector environment. Those without recent audit experience will be expected to build up their audit skills as a key part of the role. 

You’ll undertake professional and personal development to maintain technical expertise, meet CPD requirements and enhance your career prospects at Audit Scotland. 

Self-aware in your own abilities, you can plan and manage your own work. You will have well developed auditing, accountancy and analytical skills. You will have the ability to convert your analysis into clear judgements backed up by clear recommendations for improvement. You know how to work seamlessly within an audit team and help to bring out the best in your colleagues, mentoring and coaching where necessary. 

You may also have experience of: 

• The public sector including knowledge of public finances and policy. 
• Dealing confidently with stakeholders, including staff in audited bodies. 

 As your career develops you will: 

• Demonstrate significant audit experience across the public sector. 
• Possess an awareness of key on-going activities across the organisation, covering both audit and non-audit work. 
• Be able to lead discussions with senior staff in audited bodies and stakeholder groups. 
• Gain experience of dealing with difficult situations in a professional and effective manner 

Interested? Next steps 

Click the apply button to complete an application form. If you wish, you can also share your CV. We offer a range of benefits, please visit our careers page for more information. 

Our application deadline is Sunday 24th October at midnight. We’ve reserved weeks commencing 8th and 15th November  for virtual interviews to take place. 

Diversity and Inclusion 

We value the unique perspective a diverse workforce brings to what we do. Therefore, we’re keen to increase representation in our workforce and support progression of minority ethnic groups. We are also a proud disability confident employer. 

How we work 

We employ more than 300 staff in a wide variety of roles, based at our offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness, at sites across Scotland and working from home.  

This isn’t your typical work from home or work from office type job. We’re flexible about working patterns and we’ve transformed how we deliver high-quality public audit. We support you to work in the ways that achieve the best results for you, your team and the business, including your physical location and how you manage your hours. Put simply, we trust you to do your job, and want you to have the ability to have a rewarding work-life balance and best support your individual circumstances, be that childcare, adult carer responsibilities or managing disabilities.  

We welcome applications from across the UK. Some travel to our offices or client sites will be necessary at times, but you don’t need to live in Scotland to work for us.