Risk & Assurance Manager in Birmingham

Salary: £56,385

Position: Permanent, Monday – Friday, 37 Hours Per Week

Location: Birmingham/ Hybrid – minimum 2 days a week in the office

We are brave, we are ambitious, we are honest, and we are Citizen! Manager’s Quote (Michelle Friday, Head of Governance & Assurance): This is a great opportunity to join a friendly and supportive team where your work will have real influence across Citizen. The role is varied and interesting, giving you the opportunity to build on strong foundations and help us continue to mature and improve our approach to risk, assurance and fraud prevention. I’m looking for someone who is curious, confident and keen to build positive relationships and bring ideas. If this sounds like you, I'd love to hear from you.

In housing you can make a real difference, the role of Risk & Assurance Manager will involve:

• Leading and developing Citizen’s approach to risk management, fraud risk, internal controls assurance and internal audit.
• Ensuring that effective frameworks, reporting arrangements and assurance activity are in place to support strong governance, regulatory compliance and informed decision-making.

Key responsibilities include:

• Risk Management
  • Lead the development and continuous improvement of Citizen’s risk management framework, including risk appetite, controls and reporting.
  • Lead the review and management of strategic and operational risk registers and provide horizon scanning, risk insight and briefings to senior leaders, Board and Committee members.
  • Advise and challenge directors, managers and risk owners on risk controls, mitigations and improvement actions and support a network of Risk Champions across the organisation.
• Assurance Internal Audit
  • Manage the development and implementation of appropriate controls assurance framework across Citizen in line with best practice.
  • Ensure Citizen has in place a robust programme of internal audits agreed with lead managers and approved by Boards, co-ordinating arrangements for identifying and agreeing areas for internal audits and recommending an annual programme of Internal Audit reviews.
  • Collaborate with the internal audit provider and SLT members to ensure alignment, consistency and appropriate commissioning of assurance activity across second and third lines of defence.
• Fraud
  • Manage Citizen’s fraud risk management approach, maintaining effective prevention, detection, reporting and response arrangements as part of the wider risk and assurance framework.
  • Maintain and review the Anti-Fraud, Bribery and Corruption approach and associated policies, through effective self-assessment and ensuring fraud-related risks are reflected in relevant risk registers and assurance activity.
• Staff Management & Relationships
  • Lead, motivate and develop a team to deliver high-quality risk and assurance services.
  • Build strong working relationships with colleagues, customers, partners and external bodies.

As Risk & Assurance Manager, we need you to have:

• Knowledge and application of enterprise risk management frameworks within a regulated sector and significant experience of successfully delivering risk management services within social housing, or similarly regulated sector.
• Significant experience of the design and implementation of internal controls assurance frameworks.
• Knowledge of anti-fraud, bribery and corruption frameworks, policies and good practice, including how these support wider risk management and assurance arrangements.
• Experience of motivating, leading and empowering staff teams to achieve business objectives and positive outcomes.
• Able to communicate clearly – excellent spoken, written and presentational skills to a variety of audiences.
• Highly developed organisational skills, able to manage multiple objectives, priorities and projects effectively.
• Full UK driving licence to enable you to travel across areas where Citizen operates, when required.
• Ideally, you will hold a relevant professional qualification e.g. Institute of Risk Management (IRM) however equivalent experience will be considered.

What We Offer:

• Innovative Environment: Be part of a forward-thinking organization that values creativity and innovation.
• Professional Growth: Opportunities for continuous learning and career advancement.
• Collaborative Culture: Work alongside a team of dedicated professionals who support and inspire each other.

Benefits:

• Annual Leave: Annual leave starts at 26 days per year plus bank holidays
• Annual leave purchase scheme – option to buy up to an additional 5 days per year
• Enhanced family leave (maternity, paternity and adoption)
• Organisational sick pay
• Generous Pension Scheme – The option to contribute 4%, 6% or up to 10% which Citizen will match
• Competitive Salary: We offer a competitive compensation package.
• Health and Wellness: Comprehensive health insurance and wellness programs.
• Work-Life Balance: Flexible working hours and generous leave policies.
• Employee Development: Access to training programs and career development resources.

Find out more here: Citizen | Benefits

Company Culture: We will work together as one team and embrace our Citizen values.

Closing date: 10th August 2026 at midnight

Interview date: W/C 17th August 2026

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and can make reasonable adjustments to support you through the process.

Please note we will be reviewing applications throughout the campaign and may invite candidates to interview at any time. We reserve the right to close this role earlier than the published closing date should a suitable candidate be identified.