Group Head of Internal Audit

Overview of Responsibilities

The salary for this role is £B6,758 . Onsite working is expected for 3 days each week, however, we actively support requests for flexible working. 

This role can be based at any of the following sites: Culham, Oxfordshire.

This role requires employees to be eligible for SC Clearance (must have resided in the UK for the last 5 years), including The Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions and possibly a search of open source data. 

The Role

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to make a difference? Join our team and contribute to the future of fusion energy. As Group Head of Internal Audit, you will lead the development and delivery of a risk-based internal audit strategy aligned to UKAEA’s mission, ensuring strong governance, risk management, and internal controls across the Group. You will provide independent assurance to senior stakeholders, including the CEO, Board, and Audit & Risk Assurance Committee, on the effectiveness of controls and the management of risk, including oversight of UK Industrial Fusion Solutions. The role is central to strengthening the organisation’s control environment, embedding best practice, and driving continuous improvement in audit processes and standards. You will also play a key leadership role within the QSHE Risk and Assurance Directorate, influencing strategic planning and supporting major initiatives and transformation projects. In addition, you will champion the development of robust risk assurance processes that enable delivery of organisational objectives. This role requires strong leadership, strategic influence, and alignment with Government Functional Internal Audit Standards. 

You will be reporting to: Group Director of QSHE, Risk and Assurance with direct access to the Chief Executive and the Audit & Risk Assurance Committee.  

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute a comprehensive, risk-based audit plan, with the goal of both maximizing company performance and control, while minimizing risk. The plan should reflect a thorough understanding of the company’s operation, as well as changes in internal and external risks. 
• Set the strategy for the Group Internal Audit Stakeholder engagement plan and deliver to it. 
• Lead the internal audit function including the preparation of a risk-based audit plan, scheduling and assigning work and estimating resource needs.   
• Mentor management at all levels on effective leadership providing awareness or other best practice interventions to promote and sustain a proactive governance and assurance culture.  
• Ensure coverage of assurance mapping of corporate risks and provide Board, ARAC and other stakeholders an audit opinion of the adequacy of internal controls. 
• Regularly report to both the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee, Group Director of QSHE, Risk and Assurance and top management on the findings and progress of the audit programme and activities of the department 
• Independently report to and work with the Chairs of the UKAEA and UKIFS Audit and Risk Assurance Committees (sub-committee of the UKAEA/UKIFE Boards) providing assurance oversight. 
• Provide both management and the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee with an opinion on the effectiveness of internal controls of the Authority.