IT Risk & Controls Lead - 39 hours
Full-time, £50,000 - £55,000

At Pets at Home, we're passionate about pets and their well-being. As the UK's leading pet care business, we provide everything pet owners need to keep their furry friends healthy and happy. We're committed to delivering exceptional service and products while ensuring the highest standards of governance and compliance.

About the role

We're looking for an IT Risk & Controls Lead to work on a hybrid basis from our Handforth (Cheshire) Support Office.

As an IT Risk & Controls Lead, you will be a key player within our IT Governance team, reporting into the IT Governance, Risk & Compliance Manager. The role will be responsible for coordination of audits & risk management across our technology function. The role will also play a big part in supporting our internal controls improvement journey, by working to manage the design, implementation, and monitoring of IT controls as part of our ongoing internal compliance programme, building capabilities to support and protect businesses strategy and operations.

This role will work closely with IT stakeholders and our Financial Controls & Compliance team to strengthen the internal governance and controls environment, taking the business beyond compliance and positioning internal controls at the centre of business transformation initiatives, to support improvements in operational efficiency and effectiveness.

You will support the delivery of our Internal Controls framework and will work closely with IT managers and operators to ensure the correct processes, policies and procedures are in place to monitor and improve the effectiveness of systems of internal control, ensuring supporting actions being taken to manage risk.

You will offer advice and guidance on IT controls best practice and policy to managers and operators, whilst engaging in change projects on complex internal control and compliance issues.

This is a ‘hybrid’ role, so involves working two days per week from our Support Office in Handforth (Cheshire).

Key responsibilities (will include, but not limited to):

• Working closely with managers, operators and Internal and External auditors, coordinate all internal and external technology audits in line with the annual audit plan, including monitoring of remediation actions of control deficiencies.
• Acting as Risk Champion for the technology function, support Pets at Home risk management agenda, facilitating and supporting the management of technology risks, in line with risk appetite. Support and instigate risk identification, monitoring and implementation of appropriate mitigation controls and provide timely and concise reporting, illustrating compliance status, trends, and remediation of deficiencies.
• Support the Internal Controls programme, including system scoping and risk assessment by collaborating with cross-functional teams to stay up to date on significant changes that may have an impact on the design, implementation, and operating effectiveness of controls.
• Acting as a central point of contact and subject matter expert (SME) for IT controls, maintain the IT General Controls framework, embedding it into our Change Delivery Lifecycle, to ensure appropriate technology controls are designed and implemented.
• Support the delivery of quality IT controls output and testing, which is well evidenced, documented and reported.

About your experience

This role would suit a highly analytical and numerate individual who can demonstrate solid experience in internal or external IT audit, internal controls, risk assessment/management and IT governance. Strong working knowledge of IT general controls is key alongside an ability to help management develop appropriate risk mitigation techniques.

The role requires experience of managing dialogues with both Senior Management, internal auditors and external auditors.

Any experience of SOx would be a distinct advantage, in addition to experience of implementing/auditing against US SOx IT framework controls and an understanding of issues and challenges UK listed companies are facing in the Corporate Governance area and an awareness of the Government’s strategy.

Consultative in style and a clear communicator, you are likely to thrive working in a role that requires interaction with a wide range of stakeholders, supporting the organisation through change.

Why Join Us:

Pets at Home offers a dynamic and supportive work environment where your contributions are valued. Join us in making a difference in the lives of pets and their owners while advancing your career in IT risk and controls.

We can offer

· 36 days annual leave (inc Bank Hols), rising to 38 after two years.

· Additional day off for your birthday

· Healthcare options

· Company pension contribution of 6.5% of salary

· Restricted stock plan (free shares)

· Colleague discount of 20% (Across Pets at Home, Groom Room and Vets for Pets)

Pets just see people. They aren’t biased and they don’t discriminate. We take our inspiration from pets and we value and respect difference in all its forms. Our aim is to reflect the diversity of the communities we operate in and every colleague can help us achieve this. We encourage our people to be themselves so even if your skills and experience don’t perfectly align, if you think you can make a unique contribution through your values and behaviours, we want to hear from you!

About our purpose

Far more than a retailer, Pets at Home Group is the UK’s leading pet care specialist, fulfilling every possible pet and owner need, from food and accessories to grooming and vet services. Since 1991, we’ve been building a business around pets and their owners and we’ve set our sights on becoming the best pet care business in the world. Join us now and you can be part of that journey, developing your future as we develop ours. This is a place where you can take pride and passion in your work within an inspiring, professional team that’s focused on supporting pets and their owners to live happier lives together.

We’re driven by the wellbeing of pets and we make sure we look after our people too. We depend on your commitment and innovation, and reward it with competitive pay and comprehensive benefits. Together we’ll create the future of pet care!