Head of Controls Assurance

Job content

Description
Would you like to be part of a brand-new 1st line Risk function, and lead the Controls Assurance team? You will be 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. As a senior member of the 1st Line Risk Team, the Head of Controls Assurance 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 holder will be responsible for developing the appropriate policies and procedures, designing and building an infrastructure for conducting and maintaining Control testing and assurance across AXA Health’s business, including 3rd parties and subsidiaries. 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 initially need to set up and agree the 1st line Controls Assurance service provision in conjunction with the Health ExCom, 2nd line Compliance and Internal Audit teams. This is to ensure appropriate and proportionate coverage of activity according to business appetite for testing and assurance, and full integration with 2nd and 3rd line testing plans (including IFC / IFRS).
• Design an enterprise wide controls assurance approach to drive consistent and clear processes, monitoring, reporting and escalation.
• Implement 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 the proportionate provision of controls assurance, testing programmes, dip tests, deep dives etc across a number of areas:
• 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.
• Act as the main point of contact between 1st line Risk and Internal Audit and Compliance Monitoring, ensuring 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.
• Oversee and manage Internal Audit ‘pipeline’ on behalf of AXA Health. This includes ensuring reports are clear and success criteria for the resolution of issues is agreed.
• 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.
• Undertake 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 support business case development for investment.
• Support / lead the response to legal and regulatory developments that may impact the control environment across AXA Health and provide strategic recommendations on the response.
• Full engagement of relevant Committees and Working Groups across the business and other relevant senior management teams in matters relating to controls development and assurance.
• Development of 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

• Broad experience in risk and control, supervision, quality assurance / control and monitoring processes.
• Specific subject matter expertise in operational risk, project management or audit.
• Proven stakeholder management and influencing skills – particularly at a senior level, with the ability to engage Exec teams on the value of controls assurance activity and influence buy-in of proposed solutions to control issues.
• Ability to drive and influence change in a business the size of AXA Health.
• Broad understanding of relevant insurance / Healthcare regulation and supervisory expectations for large complex financial institutions.
• Superior verbal and written communication skills, and in particular ability to assess 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.
• People management experience, including coaching of others to support development and technical expertise.
  
  

Eligibility: As a precondition of employment for this role, you must be eligible and authorized to work in the United Kingdom.

What We Offer
At AXA Health, we’re appreciative of the people who work for us and our rewards package is reviewed regularly to reflect that. You can expect to receive a reward package that is highly competitive:

• Competitive annual salary, up to £86,400 p/a dependent on experience and qualifications.
• Flexible working if required in a hybrid environment
• Annual bonus scheme
• Pension scheme with employer contributions as well as your own.
• Life assurance 10x reference salary (4x if not in the Pension Scheme).
• 28 days holiday
• Private Medical Benefit Scheme after the qualifying period
• Interest free season ticket loan scheme.
• Flex benefits such as holiday purchase, cashback and retailer discounts, dental care and bikes for work.
• Discounted Gym membership.
  
  

At AXA, we want to become one of the most inspiring companies to work for and to achieve this ambition, we need the best talent to come and work for us. We look for candidates with the right skills and values to join us and selection is based on a fair and equal process. We’re proud to be committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all backgrounds. As a financial services company, all successful candidates will be subject to preemployment checks, so we can ensure regulatory compliance. To apply, click‘Apply Now’ and you’ll be able to upload your profile/CV from there. If you require an alternative method of applying or would like to discuss this role further, please send an email to Robert.Girling@axa-uk.co.uk

Proud to be part of the AXA Group, a global insurance brand and a worldwide leader in financial services, AXA Insurance businesses employ over 5,500 in a network of offices across the UK. Our expert teams care for a huge range of customers, helping them protect their cars, homes and businesses against life’s uncertainties. Whether bought directly, through brokers or through a number of corporate partners, our market-leading products are trusted by millions.

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About AXA
With a presence in over 60 countries, and 165,000 employees serving the needs of 107 million customers, AXA is big.

But never too big to care for every single person who works here. So when you join us, we promise to put our collective might behind you and your career.

You’ll work in an open and supportive environment where you’ll be developed, challenged and encouraged to move around to achieve even bigger and better things – nationally and internationally. You’ll learn directly from senior leaders, from the best in our business. And you’ll enjoy real responsibility, really early on.

Every large company today talks about supporting diversity and inclusion. But at AXA UK, these values form an integral part of everything we do. For us, it’s about bringing together the best talent, helping people to realise their full potential by being 100% themselves at work and delivering outstanding service to everyone – regardless of difference.

AXA Health is the UK healthcare specialist for the AXA Group. Whatever our customers’ health goals, we help them get there. That could be getting someone physio for an injury that’s holding them back, or finding them the right specialist to take their treatment forward. Our team are experts in their fields: from experienced cancer nurses to pioneering data analysts; from our highly respected customer service team to our wide-ranging in-house team of clinicians. We all work together to be the best we can be.