Audit Officer (Audit Services Group)

Overall purpose of the role

You will help deliver financial, performance and best value audit work. You will contribute to the planning, development and delivery of our audits to a world-class standard. You will build relationships and liaise with your client and stakeholder contacts, providing assurance which helps support improvement and focus upon what’s important.

What you will be doing

As a key team member working across a range of audits, you will be involved in:

• Supporting the planning, development and delivery of audits across the public sector in Scotland
• Performing tests of controls and financial statements audit work on a variety of clients across the public sector, including central government, local government and the NHS
• Conducting data analysis using appropriate techniques to answer audit questions and presenting clear findings
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with client staff and other stakeholders
• Gathering audit evidence through a variety of procedures, making audit judgements and evaluating and discussing findings with the audit team and client staff
• Assisting in the drafting and clearing of audit recommendations
• Supporting the completion and promotion of audit reports, including the preparation of materials for audit committees, the Accounts Commission and the Scottish Parliament.

Knowledge and experience

You are focused and curious in your research and analysis of data and problems, recommending practical solutions. You’ll have developed analytical skills and the ability to convert analysis into conclusions for discussion with more senior members of your audit team and help contribute content to the drafting of audit reports. You know how to work seamlessly within a multi-disciplinary audit team and work collaboratively with your colleagues.

You will be able to:

• demonstrate experience in audit, financial management, financial accounting or management accounting, with core accountancy and financial management skills.
• exhibit an ability to be disciplined with time management skills and capable of managing a varied workload
• build and maintain positive working relationships with colleagues, clients and stakeholders
• interpret and follow audit and technical guidance to carry out your work in line with requirements and regulations
• prioritise your work; working on more than one project at a time with multiple deadlines and sometimes for different managers
• use research, information gathering and analysis skills
• use data analysis tools, for example Excel
• use problem solving skills to generate effective solutions for your clients, stakeholders and colleagues
• build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders and demonstrate client empathy
• use the software necessary to carry out audit work such as Microsoft Office
• apply professional judgement and exercise professional scepticism

Person specification - specific knowledge and experience 

You may:

• have commenced a programme of professional qualification programme (CCAB) OR
• hold other relevant accountancy qualification (MAAT or equivalent) OR
• have experience in the operation of key accounting or financial management systems (such as payroll, creditors payments or budgetary control) in a medium or large organisation.

You can continue professional qualification training in line with an individual learning agreement or Audit Scotland’s performance development scheme which supports your continuous professional development.

Essential:

• You have experience in audit or financial management or financial or management accounting, with core accountancy and financial management skills (S)
• You have effective time management skills with experience of managing, and prioritising, a varied workload (S & I)
• You have effective data analysis, research and problem-solving skills (S & I)
• You can follow, technical (audit and accounting) guidance to carry out your work (S & I)
• You can build and maintain positive working relationships with colleagues, clients and stakeholders (S & I)
• You are proficient in using Microsoft Office (S & I)

Desirable:

• You have experience of the public sector including knowledge of public finances and policy (I)
• You have digital ICT audit experience (I)

*S = Shortlisting criteria I = Interview criteria

Audit Scotland

Our vision is that public money is well spent to meet the needs of Scotland's people.

To achieve this, we support the Auditor General for Scotland and the Accounts Commission to provide clear, independent and objective assurance on how effectively public money is being managed and spent. Our work covers about £59bn of public spending, almost 300 public sector accounts, and the services and projects that affect all people and communities in Scotland.

As well as what we do, how we do it is integral to delivering our vision and critical to our wellbeing and our organisational success. We put our organisational values of equality, independence, innovation, integrity and respect at the heart of everything we do.

Diversity and Inclusion 

We value the unique perspective a diverse workforce brings to what we do. Therefore, we’re keen to increase representation in our workforce and support progression of minority ethnic groups. We are also a proud disability confident employer. 

Reasonable Adjustments

Audit Scotland’s recruitment process may include various stages and activities including application forms, online assessments, and interviews, to assess whether you meet the requirements of the role.

As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to providing inclusive and accessible recruitment where everyone is supported to perform at their best.

When applying for a job with Audit Scotland, you will be asked in the application form if you need an adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process. Please include the reason you require an adjustment and details of what adjustment/s might help.

Some examples of adjustments that have been given to candidates include changing the time, location or format of interviews and providing additional time in any assessments and interviews. This is not an exhaustive list, and we will consider any adjustments that you might need.

As part of our commitment to equality and diversity, our equality network groups would be delighted to offer an insight into Audit Scotland’s culture of inclusivity. If you consider yourself to have a visible or hidden disability and wish to hear more about life at Audit Scotland or wish to speak with someone about the possibility of any adjustments, please contact [email protected] or call 0131 625 1500 for further information and a member of the HR team will be in touch.

How we work 

We employ around 340 staff in a wide variety of roles. They work flexibly at home and in the office as well as from audit sites across Scotland. This isn’t your typical work from home or work from office type job. We’re flexible about working patterns and we’ve transformed how we deliver high-quality public audit. We support you to work in the ways that achieve the best results for you, your team and the business, including your physical location and how you manage your hours. Put simply, we trust you to do your job, and want you to have the ability to have a rewarding work-life balance and best support your individual circumstances, be that childcare, adult carer responsibilities or managing disabilities.  

We welcome applications from across the UK. Some travel to our offices or client sites will be necessary at times, but you don’t need to live in Scotland to work for us. 

Other conditions 

Audit Scotland is committed to ensuring that: 

• We minimise our impact on the environment in accordance with Government policy affecting public sector organisations.
• We uphold the principles of equality, fairness & diversity.
• We all work within a safe environment and adhere to good standards of health & safety.
• All information is protected and managed appropriately.

We maintain independence and political neutrality.