Location – London, Birmingham, Manchester, Reading, Watford
Digital Audit is a specialist team within our client’s Audit practice that combines a mix of technology, data, business and accounting expertise to how they audit clients across all industries. There are two sides to Digital Audit which include: using the firm’s latest tools to help digitise the way they deliver audits through automation, AI, data analytics and innovation – known as Digital Auditing. The other side is Auditing Digital which involves auditing clients’ technology to give them assurance that security and controls are in place. This includes infrastructure, Cloud, and applications.
As part of the team you’ll have the opportunity to work with a variety of clients, industries and technologies and you’ll develop the business skills, knowledge and relationships you need to build a career that’s more than just numbers. Our client is constantly investing in audit technology and the skills of their people to keep up with the rapid pace of change and to deliver trust that is deeper, broader and more forward-looking.
The role
As the UK Audit Data Acquisition Project Lead, you will be responsible for working directly with the UK Audit Data Acquisition Leader (DAL), UK Audit Data Acquisition Manager and other UK x-LoS team leads to drive the usage of the automated data extraction techniques to obtain data from clients’ accounting and operating systems. Data Acquisition toolkit (internal software platforms / DataShare) across many of the UK engagements. The role will be integral to the success of the firm’s broader Digital Audit strategy and will enable you to build a strong understanding for the role data acquisition plays in the modern day audit in order to leverage Next Generation Audit (NGA).
Key responsibilities
- Supporting the UK Data Acquisition Leader (DAL), including coordinating with senior stakeholders in the UK and Global teams
- Responsible for the development and execution of the Data Acquisition strategy – bringing the strategy to life
- Taking strategic decisions to ensure the successful delivery against agreed targets e.g. on resourcing, timelines, training and communication
- Leading and coaching a team, holding team members accountable for delivery of their remits weekly Data Acquisition leadership team meetings and hold members accountable for delivery of their remits
- Engaging with relevant stakeholders including Digital Audit leadership, Global product team and other territory PMOsies
- Oversight of the team, including UK Audit Data Acquisition Manager and onboarding SMEs
- Being a key point of escalation for any highly complex, high profile or strategically important client onboards to ensure successful resolution
- Delivery of pilot activities on new extraction tools, support for new accounting systemsERPs, or new downstream applications
- Ultimately responsibility for engagement amongst the audit practice, feedback from clients and engagement teams, and ensuring relevant feedback is provided to the Global team.
Skills and attributes
- Some knowledge/experience of existing Data Acquisition tools and techniques (for example, Database connection standards and Authentication (ODBC, Instant Client, BYOD, Rest API’s, DSN, Technology such as Azure Data Factorykit (DataShare), Databricks)
- Technical mindset and awareness of some of the complexities of data acquisition (Data Structures, infrastructure, databases types, VPNs, encryption/security)
- Understanding of audit requirements and having some technical competency (SQL/Python/Power BI, ADF, Databricks, API’s, Snaplogic, GITHub) to support troubleshooting and application development
- Experience in DevOps and/ or software development project management
- Experience in managing a team
- Good presentation/communication and influencing skills
- Strong ‘customer service’ mindset
- Good time and job management skills, communication skills and strong ability to work across a number of separate projects simultaneously while maintaining contact with other team members
- Strong market credentials in data & analytics working with large organisations and an ability to demonstrate knowledge and insight in data management, data cleansing and data analytics within the audit process
- Strong stakeholder management and interpersonal skills, including communication with senior stakeholders of a non-data background (being able to communicate technical issues in simple business terms) and excellent reporting writing skills
- Proven analytical and problem solving capabilities on complex engagements
- Potential and ambition to develop a long-term career in the firm
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