Head of Assurance
We're looking for a Head of Assurance to join our Governance & Assurance team at our Head Office in Islington.
£65,000.00 per annum, working 35 hours per week. Benefits include 25 days Annual Leave, pension schemes, staff discounts, healthcare and career progression.
Want to feel like you have an exciting future? You'll feel at home here.
Making you feel at home means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.
Working with the senior leadership team, Board and CEO office functions to ensure that the organisation has a high standard of compliance with regulatory and legal frameworks, risk management and assurance. This role will also deputise for the Director of Governance and Assurance and Company Secretary.
All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.
What you'll do:
1. Manage and develop systems for identifying, checking and demonstrating effective controls and compliance with all legal and regulatory responsibilities relating to the governance and management of Look Ahead's services; including health and safety, data protection and security, and financial and regulatory reporting.
2. Be the Association's expert on compliance and business assurance, working collaboratively with Directors and Senior Managers to provide support and advice.
3. Keep up to date with legislative, regulatory, and best practice requirements and changes, assessing the risks and potential impact on Look Ahead and advising staff and Board members as appropriate.
4. Lead and maintain the Association's Risk Registers and Risk Maps and conduct the regular review and development of those registers/maps.
5. Drive and support the further development of appropriate controls to manage and, where appropriate, minimise risk to the Association's operations and viability (including risk of theft and fraud).
6. Develop the Association's business assurance framework to demonstrate appropriate first, second- and third-line assurance on all key risks.
7. Support the annual review of the Operational Plan and support the Senior Leadership Team in monitoring the delivery of the Plan.
8. Work with external advisers, consultants, regulators, commissioners, inspectors etc., where necessary, to improve controls and compliance and to demonstrate third party oversight and assurance.
9. Promote and support an appropriate culture within the Association to identify, assess and manage compliance.
10. Share relevant lessons learnt and good practices across the organisation.
11. Provide briefings, guidance and training on compliance and business assurance.
12. Prepare and present reports to managers, committees, and the Board, as required.
13. Deputise for the Director of Governance & Assurance & Company Secretary when required.
14. Support the Director of Governance & Assurance to manage the Internal Audit programme.
15. Support the Director of Governance & Assurance to manage the insurance contracts.
16. Carry out other duties at the request of the Chief Executive or Director of Governance & Assurance & Company Secretary. This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead.
About you:
1. Positive and proactive approach with a friendly, flexible and approachable manner.
2. Diplomatic and works co-operatively with others to get things done, willingly giving help and advice to colleagues.
3. Able to work on own initiative and as a member of a team.
4. Professional and consistent approach to work and maintenance of standards.
5. Able to perform under pressure.
6. Treats people with respect and dignity, dealing with them fairly regardless of their background or circumstances.
7. Able to work outside normal office hours if required and to attend evening meetings.
What you'll bring:
Essential:
Qualifications:
1. Educated to degree level.
2. Good knowledge of compliance and business assurance processes.
Knowledge and Skills:
1. Knowledge of the housing sector and its statutory and regulatory environment.
2. Experience of managing or working with a risk and assurance function.
3. Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to interpret and present complex data.
4. The ability to develop good working relationships with a wide range of people.
5. Ability to research and prepare succinct briefings and reports appropriate to the identified audience.
6. Ability to influence and challenge appropriately.
7. High level written skills.
8. Good organisational skills.
9. Calm under pressure and comfortable working in a busy environment.
10. High levels of IT literacy including Word, Excel, and bespoke reporting databases.
11. Strong attention to detail.
Experience:
1. Compliance and business assurance, or related experience such as business improvement, internal audit or legal.
2. Experience of working in a regulated environment.
3. Working and communicating with a wide range of stakeholders.
4. Working in a Housing or Supported Housing organisation.
Desirable:
1. Relevant qualification relating to compliance or years of senior job-related experience.
About us:
Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 120 services, providing support to around 6000 customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness, young people and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.
We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:
1. We focus on Excellence and innovation.
2. We are Caring and Compassionate.
3. We are Inclusive and Trusted.
4. We work in Partnership and are One-Team.
Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.
If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.
We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds. #J-18808-Ljbffr