Head of Internal Audit

All the details
Summary
At M&S, we're transforming for the future. This is your opportunity to shape audit strategy at the heart of a business undergoing significant change, influencing decisions that drive resilience and sustainable growth.

The Internal Audit & Risk (IA&R) team at M&S provides independent assurance and actionable insight across a business undergoing significant transformation.

As
Head of Internal Audit
, you will lead the day-to-day operations of the Internal Audit function, shaping and delivering a dynamic, risk-based audit plan, elevating audit quality, and providing clear, commercially grounded insight to senior stakeholders. This highly visible role partners closely with the Director of Audit on strategy, stakeholder engagement, and Audit & Risk Committee reporting, while building a high-performing, collaborative team culture.

To stay close to customers, our support teams are in the office three days a week as we believe that skills are developed through collaboration, and that spending time together makes us more creative and connected.

What You'll Do
Your key accountabilities will include

• Regulatory & Professional Standards: Ensure all audit activity complies with recognised professional standards (e.g., IIA Standards, UK Corporate Governance Code) and maintain strong relationships with regulators and external auditors.
• Audit Committee Support: Provide assurance and insight to the Audit Committee, including preparing reports and advising on governance matters.
• Risk & Control Integration: Work closely with Risk and Compliance functions to ensure a coordinated approach to assurance and governance across the organisation.
• Quality Assurance & Methodology: Maintain and enhance audit methodology, including periodic quality assessments and benchmarking against best practice.
• Data Analytics & Technology: Drive adoption of advanced analytics, automation and continuous auditing techniques to improve efficiency and insight.

Who You Are
Your skills and experience will include

• Recognised accounting/audit qualification (ACA, ACCA, IIA/CMIIA or equivalent); IRM/CISA/CIA advantageous.
• 10+ years post-qualification experience in Internal Audit with a strong leadership track record, operating at Executive/Committee level.
• Expertise in risk-based planning, control design, testing strategies, and impactful reporting, applied pragmatically to drive business outcomes.
• Strong grasp of IIA Standards, Three Lines model, and QAIP; experience preparing and presenting to Audit & Risk Committees.
• Proven ability to build high-performing teams and manage co-source partners; experience in retail/multi-channel environments and major transformation programmes highly desirable.

What's In It For You
Being a part of M&S is exactly that – playing your part to bring the magic of M&S to our customers every day. We're an inclusive, dynamic, exciting, and ever evolving business built on doing the right thing and bringing exceptional quality, value, service to every customer, whenever, wherever and however they want to shop with us.

Here are some of the benefits we offer that make working for M&S just that little bit more special…

• After completing your probationary period, you'll receive 20% colleague discount across all M&S products and
• many of our third-party brands for you and a member of your household.
• Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days
• Discretionary bonus schemes awarded based on how you achieve your personal objectives and our performance as a business.
• A generous Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.
• A dedicated welcome to our teams with a tailored induction and a wide range of training programmes to develop your skills.
• Amazing perks and discounts via our M&S Choices portal to maximise your financial and personal wellbeing.
• Industry-leading parental, adoption and neonatal policies, providing support and flexibility for your family.
• Access to a fantastic range of wellbeing support for all colleagues including access to our 24/7 Virtual GP and PAM Assist to support you and your family.
• A charity volunteer day to support a charity or cause you're passionate about through a dedicated day away from work.

Everyone's welcome
We are ambitious about the future of retail. We're disrupting, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We're transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen.

We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together.

If you feel you'd benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don't hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.