Internal Auditor

Business Area: Audit

Place of Work: Liverpool

Contract Type: Permanent

When you join USS, the size and scale of our pension scheme means you will have numerous opportunities to learn and develop your career. Given our size you'll have real autonomy and influence as you collaborate closely with a wide-ranging team of experts.

Our office is a vibrant place to work, and we offer flexibility of office/homeworking due to our hybrid model.

About the role

In your role as Internal Auditor you will make a meaningful and valued contribution from the outset. This role will provide a great opportunity to provide independent, objective assurance and advisory services designed to add value and improve USS’s operations. The Internal Auditor helps USS accomplish its objectives by evaluating and improving the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance processes.

What you will be doing

As a trusted part of the Audit team you will be responsible for:

Audit Planning & Execution

• Provide input into audit plan development so that plans are risk-based and align with USS’s strategic priorities.
• Work with the Pensions Audit Manager, and supported by other members of the IA team, conduct internal audits across all parts of USS’s Pensions and Group Functions segments. These audits will evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of internal controls and risk management systems.

Reporting

• Prepare clear, concise audit reports with actionable recommendations.
• Present findings to auditees.
• Track and follow up remediation actions.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build strong relationships with business units, Risk and Compliance teams.

Compliance

• Carry out audits in accordance with the USS IA Audit Manual, Global Institute of Internal Audit (IIA) Standards and Internal Audit Code of Practice.
• Undertake mandatory training and maintain Continuous Professional Development requirements.

Continuous Improvement & Innovation

• Leverage Data Analytics tools throughout the audit lifecycle to enhance the effectiveness of the team’s assurance capabilities.
• Support the IA team’s adoption of Artificial Intelligence tools to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of IA’s assurance capabilities.

About you

We know that sometimes people can be put off applying for a job if they don't tick every box, if you're excited about working for us and have most of the skills or experience we're looking for, then please apply, regardless of whether you meet all the requirements outlined in this profile.

To be successful in the role you will have:

• Degree level (or equivalent) learning.
• Professional certification (e.g., CIA, ACA, ACCA, CISA) preferred.
• Some experience of internal audit, external audit, risk management or compliance monitoring roles in financial services.
• Knowledge of UK regulatory frameworks (TPR, FCA) and IIA Standards.
• Inquisitive with strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
• High integrity and professional scepticism.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, and ability to convey messages clearly.
• Ability to challenge constructively and influence change.
• Aptitude to work with data.
• Proficiency in audit software and data analytics tools.

At USS, every individual contributes to building a secure financial future for our members and their families. We strive to create a work environment where everyone can thrive professionally while making a meaningful impact on the lives of others. We're also committed to helping you build your career by providing opportunities for development. We put a focus on recognising and supporting each individual's unique career path, driving this forward with the support of an engaged and proactive management team. Here at USS, we want you to thrive in and out of work with a friendly team, flexible culture and excellent range of benefits!

How we will reward you

• Great starting salary
• Generous annual leave package
• Access to a high quality pension scheme provided through Universities Superannuation Scheme
• Supportive people policies (including enhanced occupational sickness pay and family friendly pay)
• Financial contributions towards your personal development to help you maintain your physical and mental wellbeing
• Access to a range of health and wellbeing services i.e., private healthcare, discounted gym membership
• Learning and development opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and talent
• Employee Volunteer Day’s to support the communities where you work and live
• Cycle to Work Scheme
  
  

Our people are what makes us different. We work together to create a diverse and inclusive culture that embraces individuality, where people are welcomed and feel comfortable in the knowledge that they can be themselves. Our purpose firmly states the importance of members, putting them ‘front and centre’ of what we do. This is embedded through our values:

• Integrity
• Collaboration
• Excellence

Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) was established in 1974 as the principal pension scheme for universities and other higher education institutions in the UK. We work with around 330 employers to help build a secure financial future for almost 577,000 members and their families. We are one of the largest private defined benefit pension schemes in the UK, with total assets of around £76.8bn (at 31 March 2025). To find out more, please visit https://www.uss.co.uk

USSL is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We strive to ensure our recruitment process is as flexible and inclusive as possible so we can attract diverse candidates and recruit the best talent. We want all candidates to perform at their best during the recruitment process, so if you need any reasonable adjustments or if there is anything we can do to help support you through your recruitment journey please let us know by contacting resourcing@uss.co.uk.