Internal Auditor

Job Description

DAI is seeking an Internal Auditor to join our busy internal Audit, Ethics and Compliance Team. This will be a full-time, permanent role. The position will be based in Apsley, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. Become part of the thriving DAI business, located in spacious, bespoke offices, 30 minutes out of Euston - with excellent rail and motorway links to London and region.

Main purpose of role is to assist with the internal audit requirements of DAI Global UK, its projects run from its European offices; and the departmental responsibilities of the Internal Audit, Compliance and Ethics function. The role holder will assist Director in helping to shape DAI Global UK’s Ethics stance and policies; compliance with internal policy, local legislation and client standards, and Internal Audit – seeking for assurance on the quality of the control environment.

The role will involve working both in the field to regulate project compliance, best practice and value for money and in the Apsley office to ensure that the company control environment is at its optimum. You will contribute towards the development of an annual plan, the role will help to carry it out in order to be able to assure and provide an internal verification of the effectiveness of control at DAI Global UK.

Key tasks, duties and responsibilities:

General:

• To comply with departmental strategy and to assist in delivering its annual plan.
• Assist with the co-ordination of the annual audit schedule and to attend and resource audits, as needed.
• To assist with and perform risk assessments of the business on an on-going basis whilst advising and guiding management on weaknesses and opportunities.
• Write and contribute to reports detailing actions and resolutions, providing recommendations for improving controls and the organisation’s operations.
• Identify training required, engaging staff development around best practice.
• To assist in maintaining a central departmental reference filing system.
• To train and educate – where necessary – ethics policies, controls and processes.
• To ensure compliance with DAI policy, client terms and conditions and external legislation.
• Any other reasonable job-related request.

Project/field work:

• Carry out periodic internal audits and reviews for the projects on an ongoing basis, assessing organisational controls, operations procedures and regulatory compliance.
• Verify that management corrective actions in response to internal audit recommendations are substantively implemented.
• Maintain and re-calibrate standard templates, processes and control documents.
• Conduct audit reviews for individual grants within projects where necessary.
• Undertake unplanned investigation work – which may involve whistleblower cases, suspected fraud, mismanagement, loss of assets, etc. in coordination with departmental necessities.
• Assess value for money and make consequent recommendations for improvement.
• Advise and assist with the development of project operational and finance manuals.
• Confidently engage with the client in meetings, using discretion and good judgement as required.

Office Interface:

• Test internal controls, targeting high risk areas; document control weaknesses and their impact, and make recommendations to repair and redress.
• Periodic review and testing of business systems and processes.
• To provide advice and support to the Finance team on improving internal controls and functionality to strengthen the internal control environment.
• Follow-up on recommendations from external auditors to ensure the recommendations have been implemented and adhered to.
• Work with the Quality & Systems Co-ordinator in constant delivery of the annual ISO audit schedule, providing support and advice, and ensuring DAI’s adherence.

Qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience:

Person Specification:

Minimum Qualifications:

• An ability to demonstrate an understanding of the approaches and objectives of a good internal audit function, particularly risk-based operational and financial audits, and undertaking assignments in developing countries and emerging market environments.
• Self-motivated and organised.
• Ability to effectively prioritise a varied workload and manage this in complex environments.
• Excellent computer literacy and strong analytical skills
• Ability to demonstrate competent and effective reporting writing skills in English.
• A desire and passion to live the values of the company and help to shape a more liveable world.
• Fluent English speaker
• Willingness and ability to travel overseas, upto a third of your working time is likely to be spent overseas to countries in the developing world, sometimes at short notice

Preferred Qualifications:

• An accounting qualification and / or degree in an appropriate, relatable subject.
• Experience of working in a global organisation and / or the international development industry.
• Experience in internal audit, process review and improvement, and risk management.
• A fluency in a second language (particularly French).

The salary offered for the role will be commensurate with relevant experience. The successful candidate will work alongside colleagues in the DAI Europe offices in Apsley, Hertfordshire.

DAI offers a generous benefits package including, after a qualifying period, company pension scheme, private health scheme, life assurance, income protection, gym membership and cycle to work schemes.

All applicants must be eligible to work in the UK.

If this role sounds interesting and you would like to be part of DAI’s growing business, bidding for and managing donor-funded projects round the world, we look forward to hearing from you.

Closing date for applications is 27^th October 2020 and interviews will be held progressively.

About the Organization

DAI is an international development company with corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Nigeria, and project operations worldwide. We tackle fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. Named one of the world’s top 40 international development innovators, DAI has delivered transformational development results in more than 150 countries for clients including development agencies, international lending institutions, private corporations and philanthropies, and national governments.