Senior Audit Manager Job Profile

 

Grade: Level 8

 

Job purpose: Under the direction of the Chief Auditor, the Senior Audit Manager will be responsible for:

 

·   Achieving the financial statement audit and value for money plans through the management and quality control of audit     assignments, in accordance with relevant auditing standards and objectives.

·   Communicating the results of assignments both verbally and in writing to Public Accounts Committee and senior officials.

·   Management of client relations, including resolving any difficult areas that are not dealt with at the Auditor level.

·   General management of the Service.

·   Deputising where necessary for the Chief Auditor in the event of his / her leave or unplanned absence.

 

Supervision:  Line Management of the Audit Manager (Level 7) and /or  Senior Auditor(s) (Level 6).  Ongoing Assignment Supervision of teams of Audit Manager, Senior Auditors, Auditors and Assistant Auditors.

 

Job outline:

 

1.    Support the Chief Auditor in a deputy role in the management and operation of the Service including direct line management of staff and budget compilation.

 

2.    Assist the Chief Auditor in the production of an annual Business Plan and budget in keeping with Service objectives, targets and activities.

 

3.    Monitor the performance of the external and value for money services against service targets.

 

4.    Control the annual funding budget, authorise expenditure, ensure the collection of revenues and approve monthly budget outturn reports and expenditure reforecasts.  Supervise staff contributing to this function.

 

5.    Produce for approval by the Chief Auditor, an annual audit plan for financial statement and value for money audits which considers the necessary audit cover in accordance with statutory and regulatory duties, relevant auditing standards and the audit approach within an agreed resource budget.

 

6.    Determine client assignment fees.  Raise and ensure the issuance of terms of engagement letters to audit clients.  Negotiate terms of agreement with clients.

 

7.    Produce operational plans for the Service by deciding upon the assignment team members and assignment durations.  Review progress against plan and revise plan accordingly.

 

8.    Manage the staff allocated effectively with regard to individual members’ skills and talents and their development and training needs.

  

9.    Lead assignment teams (comprising audit staff at all levels) for financial statement and value for money audits.

 

10.  Control the work and output to achieve timely completion of each assignment and the audit plan.

 

11.  Build a strong team, show initiative, help others and promote, foster and maintain good relations with clients and colleagues.

 

12.  Conduct quality reviews and approve plans for each stage of audit assignments.

 

13.  Draft audit management letters for financial statement audits (including the suggested audit opinion) and audit reports for value for money reviews.

 

14.  Communicate the results of assignments to management and to the Legislative Council and the PAC both in writing and verbally. In so doing you will be required to communicate often technical issues to audiences with little technical knowledge.

 

15.   Manage the budget of the External Audit Section and the Value for Money Sections. Compile job costs and monitor the time-recording system to ensure that the appropriate charges are levied.  Negotiate fee increases with clients as appropriate.

 

16.  Take responsibility for the overall management of the portfolio of external audit clients ensuring that clients receive a high quality audit service, which recognises their concerns, reacts to their needs, and represents good value for money.  This will include maintaining continuous contact with those clients, establishing close working relationships with them and resolving any areas of difficulty.

 

17.   Set annual objectives, conduct one to one sessions, 6 monthly and annual performance reviews for self and staff line managed.  Contribute to the assessment of performance of all staff supervised on administrative functions.  Complete assignment assessments for lead auditors and comment on the performance of assistant auditors on each audit assignment led.

 

18.   Assist the Chief Auditor to ensure all staff receives appropriate training to enable them to carry out their duties effectively, maximise their potential and where possible ensure succession plans are achieved. Design and deliver training courses as may be required. In particular to coach ACCA students.

 

19.   Assist the Chief Auditor by undertaking specified tasks, assignments, projects, or roles as specified.

 

20.   Develop professional knowledge and skills by studying for, and successfully progressing towards the achievement of, the ACCA qualification and by keeping up to date with professional, financial, legislative and other relevant developments in the public and commercial sector.

 

 

Physical and financial assets:

 

Management of the revenue and expenditure budgets for the External Audit (2008/09 Revenue Estimate £58,826) and the VFM (2008/09 Revenue Estimate £34,000).  Authorising the Audit Service expenditure budgets and collecting revenues.  The Chief Auditor may from time to time delegate responsibility for physical assets.

 

Special Conditions:

 

Although the normal place of work will be the Audit Office, Castle Gardens, and the normal hours of work will be consistent with that typical of an SHG employee, the nature of Audit work is such that it may from time to time be necessary to work unusual hours and at any location on St. Helena.

 

Qualifications and experience:

 

The individual must possess these skills and abilities, or explain and demonstrate that s/he can perform the essential functions, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some combination of skills and abilities.

 

The Senior Audit Manager is required to have achieved:

 

(a)    The second professional level of a member of the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies; or an appropriate equivalent qualification, or to have extensive knowledge of audit practice and be successfully studying for such a qualification.

 

(b)    At least 2 years of staff management experience.

 

(c)    An appropriate experience or awareness of Financial Statement Auditing and Value for Money Auditing.

 

The Senior Audit Manager is desired to have achieved, in addition to the above:
 

(a) At least 5 years’ recent audit experience.

 

(b) An equivalent of the professional qualifications deemed necessary for the Chief Auditor post (currently full membership of a member of the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies).

 

Person Specification:

 Knowledge


Skills / Aptitude

Qualifications / Training

 

Contacts / Relationships

            Required:

·    To liaise with external audit clients (including General Managers and Senior Accounts staff in non-government organizations, key points of contact in SHG) for financial statement audit assignments on a regular basis.

·    To liaise with key points of contact in SHG (including HOD’s, Senior Executive Officers) whilst conducting value for money audits.

·    To discuss financial statement and value for money reports with Public Accounts Committee members at informal meetings.

·    To deal with any queries or issues required by SHG Senior Management (Financial Secretary, Chief Secretary, HODs and their senior management) on an ad hoc basis.

·    To liaise with SHG personnel at all levels for delegated administrative functions