Chief Assurance Officer

Save the Children International has an exciting opportunity for a highly skilled and experienced Chief Assurance Officer to join our global team. 

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 organisationally to the Chief Financial Officer and provides strategic and ethical hands-on leadership. 

Working at Save the Children 

Save the Children is the world's leading organisation for children, employing ~25,000 staff. We save children's lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Through our work in 116 countries, we put the most deprived and marginalised children first. 

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment. 

The work here is challenging but is also immensely rewarding. At Save the Children, you will be in good company, working with talented, like-minded individuals who are determined to ensure that all children survive, learn, and are protected. Your contribution will help ensure children's voices are heard at the highest levels, and that we achieve our global strategy, Ambition for Children 2030, and reach every last child.

The Opportunity

Job Title: Chief Assurance Officer

Reporting To: Chief Financial Officer

Work Pattern: Hybrid/remote; flexible working options available

Contract: Permanent

Grade: M5

Location: Any approved Save the Children office location. For a full list of locations we can hire in, please visit: Hiring Locations

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 provide assurance over 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 organisations 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 organisation’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 

1. 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
2. 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 
3. Strategic Advisor to Audit and Risk Committees: Demonstrable experience in advising Audit and Risk Committees to effectively fulfil their governance responsibilities 
4. 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 
5. 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
6. Ethical Leadership with Integrity: Commitment to exemplifying and upholding the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct, ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
7. 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
8. 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
9. Exceptional Communication: with the ability to inspire and engage colleagues at all levels, fostering a sense of purpose and commitment 
10. 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

Application Information

Please attach a copy of your CV and Cover Letter with your application. A full copy of the role profile can be found here. It is recommended that you save a copy of the role profile as it will no longer be available after the advert closes.

To effectively manage high volumes of applications whilst maintaining a positive candidate experience, we reserve the right to bring forward the closing date. Please submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.

Our recruitment process:

1. Application review based on your CV and Cover Letter
2. Competency-based interviews with the recruiting and hiring teams
3. If successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment, subject to passing background checks

We need to keep children and adults safe so our selection process includes rigorous background checks and reflects our commitment to the protection of children and adults from abuse. All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our Code of Conduct and all policies and procedures relating to anti-harassment, safeguarding, and DEI.

Save the Children does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Equal Opportunities  

DEI is core to our vision, values and global strategy. Save the Children is committed to creating a truly diverse, equitable and inclusive organisation, and one which will support us in our vision to ensure every child attains the right to survival, protection, development, and participation.   

We are committed to equal employment opportunities, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, disability, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, caring or parental responsibilities, age, or beliefs and religion. We are committed to diversifying our staff to better represent the communities we serve and actively welcome underrepresented groups to apply.  

Reasonable adjustments will be made should any candidate invited to interview require this.