Chief Assurance Officer Full Time

The CAO leads the Global Assurance function for the Save the Children movement, delivering high-quality, independent, and strategic audit and assurance services. Playing a key role in strengthening the organization’s risk and control environment and fostering a culture of accountability, the CAO’s scope encompasses, amongst others, three of the movement’s largest entities – Save the Children International (annual income $1.4 billion), Save the Children US (annual income $1 billion), and Save the Children UK (annual income $0.4 billion). Accountable directly to the Audit Committees and Boards of these entities, the CAO reports organizationally to the Chief Financial Officer and provides strategic and ethical hands-on leadership.

The Opportunity

Reporting To: Chief Financial Officer

Work Pattern: Hybrid/remote; flexible working options available

Contract: Permanent

Grade: M5

Preferred Time Zone: Europe, Africa, MENAEE (GMT +/- 3 hours)

Salary: In accordance with our global compensation and benefits framework, location-specific salary scales and benefits will apply. For candidates based in the UK, we can offer circa £90,000 per annum

Right to Work: The successful candidate must possess the unrestricted right to work in their preferred location for the duration of employment

International Travel Requirements: up to 20%

Budget Responsibility: c.$1 million

People Management Responsibility: Manager of matrix-managed teams; 18 direct/indirect reports based across multiple time zones (the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia-Pacific)

Principal Accountabilities:

• Provides inspiring leadership to Save the Children’s Global Assurance function across multiple global hubs (and serving multiple Save the Children entities) – building strong professional capability and a culture of excellence and continuous improvement
• Acts as the Association’s senior global lead on internal audit/advisory provision, providing strategic and intellectual leadership on auditing the risk, internal control and governance arrangements across entities that are audited by GA
• Drives an Association-wide methodology, practice, and ‘products’ for GA’s work – rooted in the IIA’s new Global Internal Audit Standards; and in a manner that is cost-effective, aligned to our global strategy and risk framework
• Ensures the development of the annual audit plans for all entities audited by GA – based on meaningful risk assessments and a sound understanding of shared risks, for the approval and endorsement of their respective Audit and Risk Committees
• Delivers high quality annual programmes of work across all entities to assure their risk and internal control culture, and alignment to global strategy. Discusses with CEOs and senior leaders results from the audit work undertaken in their organizations and makes pragmatic recommendations to resolve audit findings
• Effectively positions Global Assurance as a key business partner in identifying the key strategic issues for the attention of the SCA and individual Member/National Boards, and helps senior leaders better understand risk and internal control challenges through relevant, concise, and insightful ‘products’
• Builds a strong and meaningful partnership with the Chief Risk Officer, and critical ‘second line’ functions across the Association (including but not limited to Safeguarding, Counter-Fraud, Risk Management, Safety and Security, and Legal Compliance) to further the organization’s risk and internal control culture in an increasingly joined-up manner
• Supports – especially through the CAO’s Annual Statement on Risk and Internal Control to the Board – the Trustees of all entities in fulfilling their governance responsibilities through an effective articulation of the root causes for the challenges that the organisation is experiencing.

Experience And Skills

Essential

• Visionary Strategic Leadership: Demonstrable ability to establish an ambitious vision and implement strategies that align with our organisation’s mission and goals, even in the face of uncertainty and ambiguity
• Senior-level Internal Audit Expertise: Leadership experience in internal audit within an international context; and demonstrable experience of collaborating with senior stakeholders to enhance the control environment
• Strategic Advisor to Audit and Risk Committees: Demonstrable experience in advising Audit and Risk Committees to effectively fulfil their governance responsibilities
• An Effective Mediator and Negotiator: An effective diplomat, with strong negotiation, influencing, and mediation skills and a demonstrable ability to maintain objectivity and independence in the execution of internal audit work
• Strategic and Outcome-Focused Thinking: A strong conceptual and strategic thinker with a clear ‘outcomes’ focus and demonstrable ability to focus on key issues and the ‘big picture’, able to craft an assurance strategy that meets organizational and oversight requirements in a global, complex and culturally diverse setting, beyond a ‘compliance-only’ approach
• Ethical Leadership with Integrity: Commitment to exemplifying and upholding the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct, ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
• Champion of Innovation and Improvement: Proven experience in driving continuous improvement and innovation, fostering a culture of creativity and excellence to stay ahead of industry trends
• Talent Development: Proven track record in investing in the growth and development of team members, with a commitment to nurturing and unlocking the potential of teams
• Exceptional Communication: with the ability to inspire and engage colleagues at all levels, fostering a sense of purpose and commitment
• Results-oriented: Proven ability to achieve outcomes aligned with key organizational goals while navigating multiple, competing risks and demands

Desirable

• Experience working in a global not-for-profit organisation
• Arabic, French, or Spanish language skills

Education and Qualifications

• Essential: Internal audit qualification (CIA) or equivalent
• Desirable: Further specialist risk, audit, finance or IT qualifications