Assurance Manager

Blair West are supporting a leading Financial Services business to find an Assurance Manager. This is a key hire within the organisation’s team, responsible for designing and maintaining a robust control monitoring framework that covers both automated and complex manual processes.

Reporting to senior leadership, the role also leads the delivery of the annual Internal Control report and works closely with second and third line teams to align assurance activities and strengthen compliance with regulator’s requirements.

The opportunity:

• Design, implement and maintain a comprehensive control monitoring framework across pensions administration.
• Ensure that regulatory obligations, including the General Code of Practice, are fully incorporated into assurance activities.
• Lead the full delivery of the annual Internal Control report, managing coordination with internal teams and external auditors.
• Collaborate closely with second and third line functions to align assurance activities and share insights.
• Provide assurance MI and reporting to senior stakeholders, supporting effective governance and decision-making.
• Identify control gaps and propose improvements to strengthen risk management and efficiency.
• Coach and develop a small team, creating a culture of collaboration, fair challenge, and continuous improvement.

You’ll be the ideal candidate for this position if you have:

• Proven experience working in a control assurance, risk, or audit environment.
• Background in a regulated industry, ideally pensions or financial services.
• Strong understanding of assurance frameworks and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Experience coordinating and delivering AAF 01/20 or similar internal control reporting.
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex processes and data.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management capabilities, with the confidence to challenge constructively.
• Experience coaching or leading a small team within an assurance or risk function.

The benefits included with this opportunity:

• Hybrid working pattern, providing flexibility alongside office collaboration.
• Opportunity to play a leading role in governance and assurance for one of the UK’s largest business in their sphere of Financial Services.
• Exposure to senior stakeholders and regulators, shaping best practice.

Our commitment

Blair West is an equal-opportunity employer. We embrace diversity and inclusion at every stage of the recruitment process. We are committed to fairness, equality, and ongoing diversity training for our team to give our candidates and clients a feeling of belonging during their experience with us. Please speak to their consultant if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during their experience with us.