HO Professional Practices - IA in London

This is a unique opportunity to shape the future capability and credibility of our Internal Audit function at a pivotal time of change. As Head of Audit, Professional Practices, you’ll play a critical role in defining how we deliver high-quality, consistent and forward-looking assurance across the organisation. As a core member of the Group Internal Audit (GIA) Operating Committee, you’ll work alongside the four delivery Heads of Audit, managing the operational effectiveness of the function — but with a distinct remit focused on audit quality, methodology, and professional capability rather than delivery.

You’ll lead how we define “good assurance practices” — be the custodian of the audit methodology, embedding best practice, and providing independent assurance over the quality of our work. Your insight will shape how we operate, how we continuously improve, and how we maintain credibility with senior stakeholders and the Audit Committee. This is a high-impact leadership role with visibility at the most senior levels, including regular engagement with the Chief Internal Auditor, the senior audit leadership team and the Audit Committee Chair. This role has real influence over the effectiveness and reputation of the Internal Audit function. We support hybrid working, with regular time in our London, Swindon or Glasgow offices, balanced with home working.

Responsibilities

This role sits at the centre of our Internal Audit leadership team, with responsibility for strengthening how audit is delivered across the function. Your focus will be on:

• Defining and evolving the audit methodology and professional standards
• Leading the Quality Assurance (QA) framework and assurance plan
• Driving continuous improvement and innovation
• Building technical capability and professional excellence

You’ll provide independent assurance over audit quality, identifying themes, root causes and improvement actions, and ensuring audit outputs are clear, consistent and impactful. Working closely with the Senior Leadership Team and Operating Committee, you’ll influence how we prioritise, improve and deliver assurance across all audit portfolios — ensuring we operate as one high-performing, joined-up function. Internal Audit is at an exciting point of transformation, and this role is central to building a function that is trusted, modern and aligned to evolving regulatory expectations and industry best practice.

In this role you will:

• Lead the Quality Assurance framework, developing and delivering a risk-based QA plan and presenting outcomes to the Audit Committee
• Provide independent assurance over audit quality, ensuring outputs are accurate, consistent and aligned to methodology
• Evolve the audit methodology, ensuring compliance with professional standards, regulatory expectations and leading practice
• Identify themes, risks and root causes from QA activity, driving meaningful improvement actions across the function
• Lead the development of technical training and capability frameworks to strengthen audit quality and professionalism
• Act as a senior leader within the IA function, contributing to strategic direction, operating model and continuous improvement initiatives
• Engage with senior stakeholders including the Audit Committee, CIA, Audit Directors and Senior Audit Managers to influence outcomes and strengthen assurance delivery
• Build and maintain external networks and benchmarking insight to ensure the function remains aligned with industry best practice

Qualifications

We’re looking for a highly experienced audit professional with deep technical expertise and a passion for quality, methodology and continuous improvement. We’ll need you to bring:

• Extensive experience in internal or external audit within complex, regulated environments (financial services strongly preferred)
• Deep expertise in audit methodology, quality assurance frameworks and professional standards
• Significant experience designing, implementing or leading audit methodology and/or quality assurance programmes in a regulated environment
• Proven experience presenting audit quality or assurance insights to senior executive forums and/or Audit Committees
• Strong track record of driving measurable improvements in audit quality, consistency and effectiveness
• Demonstrable experience applying IIA standards, regulatory expectations and audit best practice frameworks
• Experience operating at a senior leadership level within an Internal Audit function
• Ability to challenge and influence senior stakeholders independently, with clear evidence of impact
• You will hold a relevant professional qualification (e.g. ACA, ACCA, CIIA, CISA) or equivalent
• A proven track record of influencing at Executive and Audit Committee level, with the credibility to provide independent challenge
• Strong experience identifying thematic issues, root causes and driving sustainable improvement
• Demonstrated ability to lead function-wide change, innovation and capability development
• Exceptional judgement, with the ability to remain objective, independent and evidence-led
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate complex findings into clear, impactful insight

About your rewards

We continually review and evaluate our offering to ensure we have a broad range of market competitive benefits available for our colleagues. When you put a lot in, it’s only fair to expect a lot out. So, when you help us do the right thing for our customers, we want to reward you. There are all sorts of employee benefits available at Nationwide, including:

• 30 days holiday
• Access to private medical insurance
• A highly competitive pension to help you build a strong foundation for retirement
• Access to an annual performance-related bonus
• Training and development to help you progress your career
• A great selection of additional benefits through our salary sacrifice scheme
• Life assurance to provide peace of mind for you and your loved ones in the event of your death
• Wellhub – access to a range of free and paid options for health and wellness
• Up to 2 days of paid volunteering a year

Banking – but fairer, more rewarding, and for the good of society. We forge our own path at Nationwide. As a mutual, we’re owned by our members — those customers who bank, save or have a mortgage with us. We challenge the financial sector status quo. We don’t see customers as the engine of profit. We put their needs first. Always.

If you’re inspired by fairer finances, passionate about making a meaningful impact, and truly care about customers, you’re one of us. At Nationwide, you are challenged to grow and rewarded for doing so. Valued. Recognised. Inspired to be your best. We are purpose driven. Uncompromisingly customer. Unstoppably Nationwide.

What to do next

To apply, simply click the ‘Apply Now’ button. Please ensure you attach your CV and complete a few short application questions. If you’d like to find out more about the role or have any questions, please contact Johanna.Polzmann@nationwide.co.uk (Executive Resourcing).