At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the ethics framework and ensure compliance with ethical standards across the firm.
- Company: Join Gravita, a tech-enabled accounting firm empowering ambitious businesses.
- Benefits: Flexible working hours, hybrid model, and exceptional development support.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Shape the future of accounting while promoting a strong ethical culture.
- Qualifications: Expertise in ethics, independence, and significant experience in professional services.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 € per year.
We’re Gravita: the accountants fuelling ambitious businesses. We’re a full service, tech-enabled firm, working with entrepreneurs and businesses to help them achieve their goals, and make an impact in the world. Our team use their incredible expertise alongside intuitive technology to help businesses and entrepreneurs plan better and grow faster. Our mission is to become the UK’s leading tech-enabled accounting firm for SMEs. We have ambitious goals and our high-calibre team work hard to achieve them. We are one team with one agenda, working collaboratively in a respectful environment to deliver a great service to our clients.
The Role
To lead and own the firm’s ethics and independence framework, ensuring full compliance with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales Code of Ethics and Financial Reporting Council Ethical Standard, while embedding a strong ethical culture across the firm. The role has end-to-end accountability for ethics, including both personal and corporate independence, and acts as the firm’s senior subject matter expert and decision-maker on ethical matters. This is a Director-level leadership role with firm-wide remit.
- Ethics & Independence Framework Ownership
- Design and maintain a firm-wide ethics and independence framework aligned with professional and regulatory standards
- Translate principles-based regulation into clear, practical policies and guidance
- Ensure integration with wider risk, audit quality, and governance frameworks
- Personal & Corporate Independence
- Own both personal independence (partners and staff) and corporate/firm independence (entity-level relationships and services)
- Oversee and continuously improve:
- Financial interests monitoring
- Partner/staff independence declarations
- Firm independence assessments (including network considerations)
- Act as final decision-maker on complex independence matters
- Ethics Advisory & Decision-Making
- Act as the firm’s central authority on ethical matters
- Provide advice to partners and engagement teams on:
- Independence threats and safeguards
- Conflicts of interest
- Non-audit services
- Client acceptance and continuance
- Exercise judgement on high-risk or sensitive cases, escalating only where appropriate
- Conflicts & Ethical Risk Management
- Oversee conflicts identification, assessment, and resolution processes
- Approve high-risk engagements and manage ethical risk exposure
- Ensure robust documentation and defensibility of decisions
- Culture, Training & Behaviour
- Lead the development of a strong ethical culture across the firm
- Design and deliver training tailored to partners, managers, and staff
- Promote ethical decision-making frameworks rather than rule-based compliance
- Support and strengthen speak‑up / whistleblowing mechanisms
- Monitoring, Assurance & Continuous Improvement
- Establish and lead an ethics monitoring and assurance programme
- Conduct thematic reviews (e.g. independence compliance, conflicts handling)
- Identify systemic risks and implement improvements
- Regulatory Engagement & Inspection Readiness
- Ensure compliance with applicable ethical and independence standards
- Act as lead contact for ethics-related aspects of regulatory inspections
- Support responses to findings and remediation actions
- Breaches, Investigations & Enforcement
- Oversee identification, investigation, and resolution of ethics breaches
- Determine appropriate remediation and disciplinary outcomes (with HR where appropriate)
- Ensure lessons learned are embedded into policy and training
- Governance & Reporting
- Provide regular, high-quality reporting to:
- Chief Legal & Risk Officer
- Appropriate governance Boards and Committees
- Develop and maintain ethics MI, including:
- Breaches and incidents
- Independence compliance metrics
- Query volumes and themes
Qualifications, Knowledge & Experience
- Deep expertise in ICAEW Code of Ethics
- Deep expertise in FRC Ethical Standard
- Significant experience in audit, risk, or compliance within a professional services firm
- Demonstrable experience handling complex independence and ethical judgement calls
- Strong ability to influence senior stakeholders, including partners
- Experience building or transforming frameworks
Leadership & Behavioural Expectations
- Operates with authority and independence of judgement
- Able to challenge senior stakeholders constructively
- Balances commercial awareness with ethical integrity
- Seen internally as a trusted, pragmatic adviser rather than a blocker
Your Career with Gravita
When you join Gravita, we’ll support you on your own growth journey. We want to be the place you learn, grow and unlock your true potential. We’ll work with you to build a progression plan to outline how you’ll grow at our company and everything we’ll do to help you get there. We’re also passionate about learning and development, to help you focus on your future.
The Nitty Gritty
Our standard working week is a 37.5-hour week on a hybrid basis. Core working hours are 10am - 4pm Monday to Friday. Flexible working and happy employees are at the top of our list here at Gravita and we have been working hard to support our teams through the fast-paced changes. Your development won’t be forgotten, our development support is extraordinary for a firm of our size. It's a busy, fast-paced environment here at Gravita.
Ethics Director employer: Gravita Business Services Ltd.
At Gravita, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that champions growth and collaboration within a dynamic, tech-enabled environment. Our commitment to fostering a strong ethical culture is matched by our dedication to employee development, offering tailored progression plans and extensive learning opportunities. With a flexible working model and a supportive team atmosphere, joining us means becoming part of a forward-thinking firm that values your contributions and empowers you to shape the future of accounting.
Contact Detail:
Gravita Business Services Ltd. Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Ethics Director
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to potential colleagues on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching Gravita’s values and mission. Understand their approach to ethics and independence, and think about how your experience aligns with their goals. This will help you stand out as a candidate who truly gets what they’re about.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your skills can contribute to building a strong ethical culture at Gravita. Highlight your past experiences with ethical decision-making and how you’ve navigated complex situations in the past.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can go a long way in showing your enthusiasm for the role. Plus, it keeps you on their radar as they make their decisions.
We think you need these skills to ace Ethics Director
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Ethics Director role. Highlight your experience with ethical frameworks and compliance, and show us how your skills align with our mission at Gravita.
Showcase Your Expertise:We want to see your deep understanding of the ICAEW Code of Ethics and FRC Ethical Standard. Use specific examples from your past roles to demonstrate how you've successfully navigated complex ethical situations.
Be Authentic:Let your personality shine through in your application. We value a strong ethical culture and want to know how you embody these values in your work. Share your thoughts on ethical decision-making and how you influence others.
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity at Gravita.
How to prepare for a job interview at Gravita Business Services Ltd.
✨Know Your Ethics Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in the ICAEW Code of Ethics and the FRC Ethical Standard. Brush up on key principles and be ready to discuss how they apply to real-world scenarios. This will show that you’re not just familiar with the rules, but that you can also translate them into practical guidance.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Director-level candidate, it’s crucial to demonstrate your leadership capabilities. Prepare examples of how you've influenced senior stakeholders or led teams in ethical decision-making. Highlight your ability to challenge constructively while maintaining a collaborative spirit.
✨Prepare for Complex Scenarios
Think about high-risk or sensitive cases you’ve handled in the past. Be ready to discuss your thought process and the judgement calls you made. This will illustrate your ability to navigate complex ethical dilemmas and reinforce your role as a trusted adviser.
✨Emphasise Cultural Fit
Gravita values a strong ethical culture, so be prepared to discuss how you would contribute to this environment. Share your ideas on promoting ethical decision-making and training within the firm. Showing that you align with their mission will set you apart from other candidates.
