Head of Internal Controls and Risk

Head of Internal Risk and Controls

Location: Remote site visits as required 

Working Hours: Monday to Friday – 37.5 hours per week 

Contract Type: Permanent   

Salary: £90,000 to £110,000 car allowance £9,600, pension, family healthcare and bonus up to 25% 

We're the biggest name you've never heard of. You've probably eaten our food - you just didn't realise it. We make innovative fresh products, with around 18,500 colleagues working across the UK, US and China. We’re the market leader in the UK fresh prepared food industry supplying meals, salads, desserts, pizza and bread to leading grocery retailers (including Tesco, M&S, Sainsbury's and Waitrose). We’re ambitious. We’re full of ideas. And we’re ready for more people who share our values and passion for quality to join us. 

Head of Internal Risk and Controls

We’re proud to offer you a career with real scope for development. To reward your hard work and ambition as a talented Head of Internal Risk & Controls with plenty of support and opportunity. And empower you to drive your own success and create a career you can be proud of too. 

This opportunity has arisen as a result of changes to the UK Corporate Governance Code that will require Bakkavor to enhance its documentation and testing of risks and controls across the business Working arrangements for this role are based on a hybrid environment with travel required to London and Spalding as required. Occasionally international travel may also be required from time to time. 

Accountabilities 

To remain up to date with UKCGR legislative requirements and, under the direction and supervision of the Finance Director – Transformation, Treasury & Risk (Finance Director), undertake the following activities (please note accountabilities/activities may change based on legislative requirements): 

• Identify any financial and non-financial control gaps/weaknesses that are affected by the UKCGR and establish and embed new controls to ensure these gaps are covered. 

• Provide end to end accountability for Risk and Control Management in line with expected standards. 

• Provide senior management status on the design and operating effectiveness of key controls across business functions. 

• Work with senior leadership on any risk issues flagged and act as a point of contact for any escalations.  

• Act as an escalation point for emerging risk, opportunities and issues in the controls being operated and provide advice and support, covering testing activities for remediation of controls in line with expected standards. 

• Take accountability over the Bakkavor Business Control Environment (BCE) to ensure identification of changes in the control set based on changing business requirements, regulations and emerging threats/opportunities.  This will include a refresh of the current BCE upon which will be updated based on UKCGR requirements, and include promoting/raising awareness of the BCE to all sites. 

• Monitor and challenge 1st Line of Defence (LOD) risk management. 

• Review and challenge of 1st LOD strategic risk plans and objectives. 

• Support the automation of the internal controls and risk management processes. This may include system identification, selection and support implementation. 

• Establish governance and oversight processes to ensure 1st LOD and oversight committees meet applicable roles and standards. 

• Quarterly meetings with Risk owners to document an update on key risks and opportunities across the business and present updates to the Audit and Risk Committee. 

• Facilitate, at least annually, risk and opportunities horizon scanning workshops with executive leads, the Audit Committee and the Board. 

• Establish testing procedures to monitor quality control and compliance with regulations, polices,  processes, and controls in line with expected standards. 

• Support the Finance Director on managing Bakkavor’s outsourced Internal Audit arrangement. 

• Support the business units in the development of processes and controls in line with requirements of UKCGR and other reporting requirements 

• Perform controls testing across key controls where needed and in conjunction with internal audit and non-key controls in line with the expected standards. 

• Provide financial and non-financial controls training to Bakkavor staff and relevant stakeholders as required. 

About you 

• Significant (5 years plus) risk experience with a track-record of liaising at all levels of the business and being a credible peer. 

• Ability to generate succinct and impactful conversations that combines technical knowledge and business ‘easy to understand – non- jargon’ language. 

• Ability to take end to end accountability across risk management. 

• Demonstrated knowledge of industry standards, regulations, and methodologies. 

• Knowledge of good control frameworks and technology to provide enhanced risk and control processes. 

• Bias for action, an appetite to succeed and has appropriate balance between strategy formulation and need for moving to action. 

• Excellent relationship management skills which inspire trust and confidence in the individual and the team. 

• Proven ability to deliver BAU activities within tight timescales to high quality. 

• Knowledge and understanding of the UK Corporate Governance Reform. 

 
Experience and Background 

• Experience in designing, implementing, and reviewing security and process controls. 

• Experience in business analysis and understanding of core financial business processes (procure to pay, record to report, order to cash etc). 

• Experience of core ERP and / or business systems. 

• Experience of using data analysis tools. 

• A good understanding of technology platforms supporting the industry. 

• Ability to present on specific industry subjects to a large group of people.  

• An understanding of system risks and controls, to relate them to the wider business environment and to express opinions clearly to all levels. 

• Ability to develop excellent internal and external relationships.  

• Ability to deliver work within tight timescales, to budget and to a high quality.  

Qualifications 

• Big 4 professional services or dynamic consultancy environment experience. 

• Significant experience in industry or professional services. 

• Degree and/or ACA/ACCA/CIMA or equivalent Risk Management Certifications  

• Knowledge of FMCG sector 

What you can expect from us 

When joining us you can expect a highly competitive rewards package including group pension, bonus, private medical insurance, and other flexible benefits - alongside excellent career progression prospects across the Bakkavor group.