Senior Controls Assurance Lead

**Description**:
Would you like to be part of a brand-new 1st line Risk function, and help the organisation deliver best in class Controls Assurance? The Operational Risk team is a new 1.5 team responsible for driving the Risk & Control agenda across the UK Health business with a very clear understanding of the factors that drive the risk profile of a Health business, can you make a positive and leading contribution? The Controls Assurance team will play a key role in driving a robust and resilient risk culture throughout AXA UK Health, deepening the capability of the Health business to understand and manage its risk, whilst maintaining a strong and pervasive focus on positive business and customer outcomes.

The purpose of this role is to oversee, assure and develop the AXA Health control environment to ensure it supports business strategy and financial plans within the regulatory landscape in which the business operates. The role will involve testing and assurance of existing controls as well as strengthening and developing the AXA Health control framework.

This is an exciting opportunity and time to join the Risk team at AXA Health. At AXA we’re adopting a Hybrid way of working, empowering our people to balance their time between home and their local office in a way that works best for them, their team and our customers. (Applicants requesting P/T and/or job share will be considered).

**What you’ll be doing**:

- The role will work with the Head of Controls Assurance in designing an enterprise-wide controls assurance approach to drive consistent and clear processes, monitoring, reporting and escalation; b) Implementing common standards, procedures and governance processes to create and maintain consistent and best in class assurance protocols and testing programmes.
- Once established will be responsible for leading controls assurance, testing programmes, dip tests, deep dives etc across a number of areas. The areas of focus will depend on business need and the experience of the role holder.
- Whilst it is expected that the team works to a plan, this should be balanced with the need to provide responsive and agile support to the Health ExCom on emerging risks and areas of concern.
- Lead engagement between 1st line Risk and Internal Audit and Compliance Monitoring, as appropriate, for topics under review.
- As part of the team, ensure that all Internal Audit and CMT plans are appropriately designed and integrated with 1st line testing, agreed with the ExCom and communicated to impacted stakeholders.
- In conjunction with the Risk Business Partners, provide advice and guidance on best practice controls development and documentation where it has been identified that gaps exist within the existing control framework or new high risk processes. Where applicable, also advise on the development of new and / or existing Policies and Procedure documents to ensure robust levels of control.
- Lead root cause analysis to assess systemic control issues, or high rated Risk Incidents, and provide recommendations for remediation approaches and enhancements to the control framework.
- In addition to strengthening the AXA Health control environment, identify opportunities for greater efficiency and simplification of controls. Identify opportunities for automation of control and drive business case development for investment.
- Lead engagement of Committees and Working Groups across the business and other relevant senior management teams in matters relating to controls development and assurance.
- Design and then contribute to reporting on the status of AXA Health’s control environment.
- Develop the Control Assurance Team’s skills and abilities by facilitating the sharing of best practice and knowledge.
- To form strong stakeholder relationships across the business, to ensure consistent understanding of risk, control and conduct related matters.

**Qualifications**:

- Demonstrated expertise in risk and control, supervision, quality assurance / control / Internal Audit / Compliance Monitoring processes.
- Deep understanding, or willing to build, of AXA’s control standards and policies.
- Experience of managing IT General controls and third party assurance (necessity dependent on role coverage).
- In-depth understanding of relevant insurance / Healthcare regulation and supervisory expectations for large complex financial institutions.
- Proven stakeholder management and influencing skills up to and including Executive level - ability to engage business teams on the value of controls assurance activity and influence buy-in of proposed solutions to control issues.
- Superior verbal and written communication skills, and in particular ability to design and contribute to the content of key risk and control reporting.
- Commercial and pragmatic outlook, able to work at pace, respond quickly to change and remain delivery focussed.

**Eligibility**: As a precondition of employment for this role, you must be eligible an