About the Roles:

Mid Kent Audit Partnership provides audit and assurances services across four Kent Local Authorities; Maidstone, Swale, Ashford and Tunbridge Wells. We are an ambitious and forward-thinking service, seeking to add real value an improve the work of our partner authorities. We are seeking a talented and enthusiastic Auditor and Senior Auditor to join our friendly team - if you enjoy variety and flexibility in your work and take pride in delivering to the highest professional standards, then you’ll fit right in. The roles are full time, 37 hours per week, on a permanent basis.

Flexible working, including home working is offered as part of this role. Other working patterns may be considered for the right candidate.

We see teamwork as fundamental to our success, and you will be expected to both support the Management Team, as well our Auditors and Apprentice. In the Senior role, you will deliver your own audits as well as reviewing audit work carried out by other members of the team. The Auditor role will also deliver your own audits and we are looking for a candidate to build on existing experience to develop our career to the next level. Adaptability, excellent communication skills and strong team ethics will be vital to ensuring that we deliver agreed annual Audit plans for each of our partner authorities.

Our work is diverse as we conduct assurance and consulting engagements across all Council Services.

You’ll also have the opportunity to be involved in standalone projects, as well as our counter fraud and risk management work. Mid Kent Audit’s work is critical in helping the organisations we serve to create positive change. Previous experience in a public sector internal audit role will be invaluable, and you will share our team’s aspirations for continuous improvement, both within our internal audit services and at our partner authorities.

We create solid working relationships with officers, senior management, and Members, while providing insight and challenge. We see effective and honest  communication as a key part of fulfilling our role as ‘trusted advisor’ to each of our partner authorities. Your strengths in this respect will help us to maintain and build on this premise.

The Council considers this to be a customer focused role and the ability to converse at ease with customers and stake holders adapting communication style to suit differing audiences and provide advice in accurate spoken English is fundamental to the role.

About You - Senior Auditor:
This is a great opportunity to develop your career if you are already a Senior or Principal Auditor, or an Auditor looking to take the next step and progress your career within a shared service environment.

You will have previously worked in internal audit and will ideally hold the CIA, equivalent qualification or experience. You will continue to develop both personally and professionally and be keen to seek and accept the opportunities we offer in this respect.

About You - Auditor:
Applicants for the post will have worked in a local government internal audit or finance role previously and ideally be part or fully qualified IIA/CCAB.

You will be self-motivated and can work with a high degree of autonomy and the ability to prioritise work dealing with multiple deadlines simultaneously. You will need to demonstrate excellent interpersonal and communication skills (both verbal and written), including the ability to negotiate in dealing with a wide variety of clients, at differing levels of seniority.

To be successful in either role you will need to be highly self-motivated, have a positive ‘can do’ attitude, and be equally at ease working alone or as part of the wider team. You will need to be IT literate, dealing with common MS office packages and also auditing packages to deliver work programmes. You will also need good analytical, research and presentation skills.

You will participate in our shared goal of ensuring that Mid Kent Audit remains a widely respected and professional service by continually driving forward service improvements.

Selection Process:

Following the submission of your application form, it will be reviewed by the recruiting manager.

Those that are successful in securing an interview can expect job specific interview assessment, followed by an interview.

About Us:

Maidstone Borough Council is a confident organisation with ambition and aspirations to deliver high quality services to our residents and local businesses. We strive to make the borough an attractive place for all and secure a successful economy.

We continue to build on our strengths - assets, knowledge and expertise and our track record for innovation and improvement to create a financially sustainable future so that we can continue with our undiminished plans.

We will only achieve the results we are aiming for through the talents and hard work of all our people. You are encouraged to become part of our vision and in return you can expect support, training, and fair reward from us. We will give you the opportunity to develop the skills to do your job well and create a positive working environment where your ideas about improving how we do things are valued and we manage the changes needed for new ways of working well.

Our Offer:

A range of benefits including:

• Highly flexible hybrid working opportunities
• 7am to 7pm flexi time to suit personal circumstances
• Generous holiday entitlement which increases after 5 years LG service plus bank holidays with the option to buy additional leave.
• Additional 3 days leave given to enable a close down of the offices between Christmas and New year
• Free parking
• A range of flexible working opportunities to accommodate people’s home/work life balance include compressed hours, 9-day fortnight, part time.
• Invitations to staff events to celebrate success and support wellbeing that include holistic therapies and outdoor activities
• Employee Assistance Programme which provides confidential & independent information and access to counsellors
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with valuable life cover and financial protection for your family
• Life Assurance – three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
• Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/bus journey, to & from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand-new car. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax.
• Annual flu vaccine
• Cycle to work scheme
• Staff benefits discounts on leisure, eating out, holidays and shopping
• Excellent learning and career opportunities for committed individuals
• A professional fee payment, if required for the role

Maidstone Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employee and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to discuss this position, please contact Katherine Woodward, Head of Mid Kent Audit Partnership on 01622 602057 or Catherine Byford, Audit Delivery Manager on 01622 602587.

To apply for the position please click the apply button and complete the online application form or by phone on 01622 602555.

Closing date: 8 September 2024.
Interview dates: W/c 23 September 2024.