Cross Council Assurance Service (CCAS) – Internal Audit Pathway (FTC - 2 years)

A number of vacancies for Internal Audit Practitioner Level 4 Apprenticeships

*You may be eligible for an additional payment depending on the pay policy of the 'host' employer for apprentices. On completion of the first year there will be a bonus incentive payment, funded by CCAS

Start date: 5th September 2022

Location: London (Barnet, Barking and Dagenham, Lambeth, Lewisham and Waltham Forest) 

Now is a great time to be joining Internal Audit in local government. The sector has gone through unprecedented changes over the last few years and has been at the forefront of responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic. With change and new ways of working comes different risks that a council needs to manage. Internal Audit are right at the heart of supporting organisations to help mitigate these risks, through timely assurance provided in innovative ways, using data and technology wherever possible.

What you can expect as a CCAS trainee

Why it's great to be an apprentice - YouTube

As an apprentice on the CCAS Internal Audit Pathway you will become an important part of this work. You will review frontline and back-office services (e.g. finance), helping to provide an opinion on the effectiveness of the control framework and risk mitigations in those areas, to a range of stakeholders including residents, senior management and councillors. 

What you will do and gain

In addition to working towards a nationally recognised formal qualification, participants will develop as an internal audit professional and will have the opportunity to work cross-borough and alongside Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) colleagues.

You will spend 20% of your working hours gaining skills and knowledge to work towards the Level 4 apprenticeship standard. This will typically include on-line learning, attending workshops, webinars, coaching or shadowing.

This is a flexible / hybrid role with some office days, as we feel that these are important to support you as an apprentice learning new skills. 

You will be part of a group of trainee local authority internal auditors and will be given support from your host borough, the apprenticeship training provider and your fellow trainees and more senior internal auditors. There will be opportunities for work shadowing and mentoring. As a group, CCAS hold this as a top priority: you won’t be alone and you will be fully supported as you work through your apprenticeship. 

In addition to working towards your apprenticeship you will, with the support and guidance of supervising officer/s:

• conduct audit assignments and follow-up activities from the current audit plan;
• research the activities being audited by spending time with council services; walking through how they operate a task/process; and reviewing policies, processes and standards related to the activity being audited;
• Use your ideas, technology and data skills to enhance the way audits are delivered and provide maximum insight; and
• communicate the results of audit work to audit management and audit clients, by contributing to written (e.g., audit reports) and verbal communications.

Read more about this opportunity

What you’ll need

CCAS trainees are encouraged to apply from all backgrounds (school leavers/ apprentices/ graduates/ experienced hires).

Applicants must be 16 or over, living in England and not in full-time education.

Applicants must have a willingness to undertake professional qualifications and have as a minimum GCSE English and Maths Grade 4 (previously Grade C), or equivalent e.g. Level 3 Apprenticeship.

We are particularly interested in applications from residents of any of the following member councils, to support local jobs for local people: Barnet, Barking & Dagenham, Lambeth, Lewisham and Waltham Forest.

When and how to apply

The closing date for applications is Sunday 10th July. 

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend a group exercise via Microsoft Teams on Thursday 14th or Friday 15th July.  

Those that move to the final stage will be invited to an interview in person during the week of 18th July. The interviews will be conducted by a panel of three representatives from the host boroughs

Further Information

If you would like an informal conversation about the role and what to expect, please contact any of the borough leads:

Caroline Glitre, Head of Internal Audit at Barnet: 

caroline.glitre@barnet.gov.uk 

Chris Martin, Head of Assurance at Barking & Dagenham:

Christopher.Martin@lbbd.gov.uk 

Paul Rock, Assistant Director Internal Audit and Counter Fraud Service at Lambeth:

prock@lambeth.gov.uk 

Rich Clarke, Head of Assurance at Lewisham: 

Rich.Clarke@lewisham.gov.uk 

Kevin Campbell-Scott, Deputy Head of Internal Audit & Anti-Fraud at Waltham Forest: 

Kevin.Campbell-Scott@walthamforest.gov.uk

Diversity

All the host Councils are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All the host Councils operate stringent safer recruitment procedures. 

To deliver the Councils’ commitment to equality of opportunity in the provision of services, all staff are expected to promote equality in the workplace and in the services the Councils deliver. As such we value diversity and welcome applications from all backgrounds including from the LGBTQ+ community, genders, ages, disabilities, faiths/beliefs and candidates from Black, Asian, and ethnic minority backgrounds. For further information, please read the host Councils’ equality statements. 

The host Councils embrace all forms of flexible working (including part-time, compressed hours, and remote working) and are committed to offering employees a healthy work-life balance. Candidates are encouraged to talk about relevant requirements and preferences at interview. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want, but we do promise not to judge you for asking. 

The host Councils are Disability Confident Committed Employers. We welcome and encourage job applications of all abilities. If you require any reasonable adjustments in the application or interview, please contact the lead contact on this advert. We will make reasonable adjustments to make sure our disabled applicants and those with health conditions are supported throughout our recruitment process. We support the access to work scheme, further details are available at www.gov.uk/access-to-work/apply 

All posts with the host councils are subject to a probationary period of six months, during which time you will be required to demonstrate to the council satisfaction your suitability for the position in which you will be employed. 

Please ensure you regularly check the email account (including JUNK MAIL folders) that you use to submit your application, Should you not hear from us within four working weeks of the closing date for this post, then regretfully in this instance, you have not been shortlisted.