Internal Audit Manager

GET TO KNOW US At Brown Thomas Arnotts, we are Reinventing Retail. Our purpose is to enrich our customer’s lives, which we achieve by living our values – Going Above and Beyond, Driving Creativity and Innovation, and Doing the Right Thing. We are one business with two iconic brands, bringing exciting experience to life through our digital and physical destinations.

Our customer engagement sets the bar in service and experiential retail, giving our customers something to love every time. KNOW THE ROLE This is an exciting opportunity to join Brown Thomas Arnotts as Internal Audit Manager on a specific purpose contract to cover a period of maternity leave. The role is responsible for delivering independent, risk-based internal audit, assurance and advisory services across the business, leading financial and operational audits, managing key risks and regulatory requirements, and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce costs and strengthen controls.

Reporting functionally to the Group Audit Committee and administrative to the Brown Thomas Arnotts Chief Financial Officer, and working closely with the other Group Audit and Risk teams, the role will ensure effective audit planning, execution and reporting in line with the IIA Global Internal Audit Standards. This is a hands-on position, the Audit Manager will lead the function and personally deliver key controls audits.

The role requires strong stakeholder engagement, collaboration across the wider Group Internal Audit function, and continuity of the audit plan and regulatory agenda throughout the cover period. The role is part of the wider Selfridges Group structure of 9 people across three countries (UK, Netherlands and Republic of Ireland) who report to the Audit Committee as a Group.

Based at Brown Thomas and Arnotts in Dublin, this role requires occasional travel regionally and to London.

Key Responsibilities

Identifying the business wide assurance environment and evaluating related risk Maintain and develop awareness of risks, issues and changes across the relevant business units Act as a trusted advisor to the Executive team and senior management, building strong working relationships across Finance, Buying & Merchandising, Store Operations, Loss Prevention, IT, HR, Legal, Sustainability, Group Internal Audit and the external auditor Facilitate the risk management process, maintain the corporate risk register and oversee reporting to the Risk Committee to support continuous improvement Facilitate the Regulatory Steering Committee to address necessary compliance with current and emerging regulations Ensure regulatory risk is reflected in the risk register and risk reporting.

Promoting best practice in internal control Work with management across the business to analyse issues, understand the root causes and provide help, support and practical solutions to strengthen control Constructively challenge the business, raising appropriate questions and influencing without direct authority Meet regularly with key stakeholders to review issues and best practices arising out of individual assignments and create and execute appropriate action plans to remediate.

Responsibility and Accountability for Internal Audit Lead the planning, fieldwork and timely reporting of internal audits, advisory reviews, financial reviews and special projects in line with IIA standards Evaluate internal controls, using data analytics and robust testing to identify risks, control weaknesses and opportunities for improvement Prepare clear, concise audit documentation and reports, presenting findings and agreeing practical action plans with senior management and the Audit Committee Build strong stakeholder relationships, constructively challenge the business and drive improvements in controls, risk mitigation and loss prevention Monitor audit actions to ensure timely implementation and effective risk mitigation Collaborate with Group Internal Audit teams, including conducting peer reviews and supporting consistent ways of working across Group banners Support the recruitment, onboarding, coaching and development of an Internal Auditor, including line management responsibilities as required Regulatory risk and compliance oversight Lead and act as secretariat to the Regulatory Steering Committee – agendas, papers, minutes, action tracking and escalation Own and maintain the regulatory obligations register, ensuring each obligation has a named business owner, a current compliance status and a mitigation plan, with the business remaining accountable for compliance Horizon-scan for new and changing regulation and lead impact assessments with the relevant business owners – for example GDPR, PCI DSS, the EU AI Act, NIS2, the European Accessibility Act, sustainability and ESG reporting, pay transparency, packaging and product sustainability requirements, anti-money laundering for high-value goods, and food and alcohol licensing Report regulatory risk status, emerging issues and overdue actions to the Risk Committee and Audit Committe Work closely with Legal, the Company Secretary, IT Security, Sustainability, HR and Group colleagues to ensure a joined-up approach to regulatory compliance Use regulatory risk insight to inform the risk-based internal audit plan.

Person Specification Qualified accountant, e.g. ACCA/ACA/CIMA or CIA with 6–8 years+ post-qualification experience in internal audit and risk management, including a minimum of 2 years in a management or audit lead role Experience of working within a group or multi-country internal audit function and/or retail sector experience desirable with proven experience in internal audit, risk management and control testing, including financial, operational and IT general controls Strong planning, organisational and analytical skills, with excellent attention to detail and the ability to deliver quality results independently and to deadlines Experience supporting IT system implementations, regulatory compliance, obligations registers and governance committees Experience of regulatory compliance, including maintaining obligations registers and running or supporting governance committees Excellent communication, presentation and stakeholder management skills Ability to influence and build trusted relationships at senior management and Audit Committee level Strong understanding of internal audit standards, retail best practices and data analytics tools, such as advanced Excel, Qlik or Power BI Commercially minded and customer-focused, with a pragmatic approach to audit recommendations that balance risk mitigation, operational efficiency and customer experience Demonstrates initiative, integrity, independence, adaptability and a commitment to continuous improvement KNOW WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU We believe that every team member should have the opportunity to curate a meaningful career that enhances professional and personal development.

That is why we foster a culture of belonging and inclusiveness where your voice is valuable. A great customer experience starts with a great people experience, and we’re proud to have been recognised by multiple industry bodies for our progressive workplace culture. As a Brown Thomas Arnotts team member, you will benefit from: Competitive Salary Contributory Pension Scheme Competitive annual leave entitlement Team Member discount across the world’s most iconic brands Recognition Days for Volunteering & Wellbeing Wellbeing Initiatives Extensive Learning & Development Offerings Leading Talent Programmes Flexible Working Model Additional Benefits KNOW HOW WE WORK Experience is our business: Our customer engagement sets the bar in service and experiential retail, giving our customers something to love every time.

We Are More Than Shops: We create enjoyable places, to excite, where people socialise, discover, learn and are inspired, and where local communities are enriched. We are Curators: Our unique range of product and services are key to the sense of excitement that Brown Thomas Arnotts is renowned for, whether for a special day or every day, things that make our customer’s lives better.

We Care for Our People: We believe a great customer experience starts with a great people experience. That is why we promote a culture where talent is nurtured and where creativity and learning are valued. Brown Thomas Arnotts is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where culture and creativity come together.

Our future success depends on the perspectives and contributions of all team members – their diverse backgrounds, abilities and experiences make our business stronger. We don’t discriminate on the basis of gender, marital status, family status, age, disability, sexual orientation, race, religion, and / or membership of the Travelling community.

We aim to ensure the candidate experience is accessible to all and every new team member who joins Brown Thomas Arnotts can expect to become part of a progressive community where different backgrounds, views & personalities aren’t just welcomed – they’re positively nurtured. After all, we want you to bring your whole self to work.

Please contact us at [email protected] to request accommodation.