IT Controls Manager

Company Description

At Smiths we apply leading-edge technology to design, manufacture and deliver smarter engineering solutions for mission-critical applications, solving some of the world's toughest problems for our customers, our communities and our world. We are a FTSE100, global business of around 15,000 colleagues, based in 50 countries. Our solutions have a real impact on lives across the planet, enabling industry, improving healthcare, enhancing security, advancing connectivity, and supporting new homes. Our products and services are often critical to our customers’ operations, while our proprietary technology and high service levels help create competitive advantage. We welcome colleagues with a curious mind, who are happy with responsibility, enjoy a challenge and are attracted by the idea of working at a business with an almost 170-year history of innovation, and four global divisions, all experts in their field. 

Job Description

Strengthening the Smiths Group internal control environment is a priority for management and the Board. The Group Internal Control team was established to address key finance control priorities and controls over the IT environment which include both general IT and segregation of duties controls. Collectively, this is driving a group-wide internal controls transformation and enhancement programme to support the business meet requirements in readiness for UK Corporate Reform (“UK SOX”) The scope of the programme includes developing and implementing a standardised financial and IT control framework, enabling this through a group-wide technology platform, and driving remediation in a pragmatic and sustainable way identifying opportunities to standardize and automate processes to enable enhanced standards to be achieved efficiently and sustainability.

This is a high-profile role within the business. The ideal candidate is comfortable in operating in an environment where there isn’t a pre-existing “playbook”, putting their experience into practice to closely work with the Smiths business to achieve practical, pragmatic and sustainable improvements in internal controls. The role holder will work closely with the IT function (BIS) and divisional and site IT teams in meeting control requirements and ensuring they have all the tools, techniques, and resources able to meet these sustainably. Additionally, the role holder will be involved in managing and coordinating the testing plan operated by the external consultancy. The role holder will establish governance mechanism to effectively deliver overall testing outcomes. The ideal candidate for this position will have prior experience of designing and implementing General IT controls and performing testing of controls for a large corporation or as a consultant with a top-tier practice firm. You will hold a qualification with CISA CISM or similar and preferably be a qualified accountant (ACA/ACCA) with experience with external audit

Responsibilities:

General IT Controls:

• Collaborate and communicate effectively with a wide network of stakeholders both internal (across the divisions and Group functions) and external audit to ensure effective two-way flow of information.
• Drive control design and implementation for general IT controls. · Drive changes to processes, systems, and practices through engagement with the leveraged BIS origination and business resources.
• Conduct controls testing (as part of group-wide controls testing programme) to support Director Sign-off, including ensuring resolution of exceptions and deficiencies identified.
• Develop remediation actions to address GITC control weaknesses and deficiencies identified as both internal and external assurance activities.

Testing project management:

• Execute testing project from initiation to closure, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
• Create detailed project plans, including tasks, timelines, and resource allocation.
• Drive the plan to meet project timeframes keeping project team, business stakeholders, and external vendor to account.
• Manage and coordinate the testing activities performed by the external consultancy including scheduling, status tracking, time management and budget.
• Utilise experience of effective stakeholder reporting to deliver comprehensive and impactful reporting. Continually challenge status quo and existing reporting practices to drive efficiencies in the reporting process and insight in the output.
• Manage queries and issues from the external consultancy with the stakeholders.
• Monitor progress, identify risks, and implement mitigation strategies
• Allocate resources effectively to meet project milestones
• Manage project budgets, track expenses, and optimize resource utilization.
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders, providing regular updates on project status, risks, and issues.
• Negotiate priorities and manage conflicting interests.
• Prepare regular status reports, highlighting achievements, risks, and upcoming milestones.
• Maintain comprehensive project documentation, including project charters, requirements, and test plans.
• Assess risks associated with project execution and propose risk mitigation strategies.
• Continuous improvement, facilitating lessons learned to improve testing approach for future years.

IT Automated controls:

• Drive control design and implementation for IT automated controls.
• Review standardization and consistency of IT automated controls across entities utilizing the same ERPs and across divisions to identify any automation opportunities.
• Perform testing over IT automated controls.
• Develop remediation actions to address IT automated control weaknesses and deficiencies identified as both internal and external assurance activities

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with 6+ years of experience
• Certification in CISA/CISM or similar
• Accountancy qualification (ACA/ACCA) (Desirable)
• Extensive knowledge of general IT controls and segregation of duties
• Knowledge and/or experience with IT frameworks, such as ITIL, COBIT etc
• Process improvement / standardization experience, preferably related to segregation of duties
• Knowledge of financial systems, including ERP applications (e.g. SAP, Oracle, QAD, Glovia, Syteline, Epicor)
• Previous internal or external audit experience desired (ideally with one of the Big 4)
• Highly organised, keen attention to detail
• Effective communicator across all levels within a business
• Able to deal with ambiguity and complexity
• Ability to deal with multiple competing deadlines and projects
• Ability to understand existing processes / ways of working and the curiosity to challenge and improve them
• Ability to influence and partner senior stakeholders to agree and drive segregation of duties remediation actions through to completion
• Self-motivated, enthusiastic, energetic with excellent collaboration and influencing skills in order to be able to demonstrate personal credibility to the business

Additional Information

We believe that different perspectives and backgrounds are what make a company flourish. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, economic status, disability, age, or any other legally protected characteristics. We are proud to be an inclusive company with values grounded in equality and ethics, where we celebrate, support, and embrace diversity.

At no time during the hiring process will Smiths Group, nor any of our recruitment partners ever request payment to enable participation – including, but not limited to, interviews or testing. Avoid fraudulent requests by applying jobs directly through our career’s website (Careers - Smiths Group plc)

We believe that different perspectives and backgrounds are what make a company flourish. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, economic status, disability, age, or any other legally protected characteristics. We are proud to be an inclusive company with values grounded in equality and ethics, where we celebrate, support, and embrace diversity.

At no time during the hiring process will Smiths Group, nor any of our recruitment partners ever request payment to enable participation – including, but not limited to, interviews or testing. Avoid fraudulent requests by applying jobs directly through our career’s website (Careers - Smiths Group plc)