External Audit & Compliance Lead – 12 Month Fixed Term Contract
IVC Evidensia UK, Keynsham, South West
Discipline: Finance

EXTERNAL AUDIT & COMPLIANCE LEAD – 12 MONTH FIXED TERM CONTRACT

At IVC Evidensia, we are a leading veterinary services provider in Europe and North America with more than 2,500 clinics and hospitals across 20 countries and around 42,000 employees. We aim to have an extraordinary impact on animal lives, supporting in the region of 25,000 animals every single day across our international network. IVC Evidensia exists to champion the long-term health and welfare of animals and deliver our purpose of Healthy Animals, Happy Owners.
We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced External Audit / Compliance Lead to oversee and manage consolidated group audit, statutory audits and statutory financial statement preparation across multiple countries in Europe. This role involves managing relationships with third-party outsourced service providers (BPO Partner), Big 4 firms, and internal IVCE Teams, to ensure that all audits / statutory financial statements preparation are completed efficiently, accurately, and within the required timeframes.

EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS:

• Extensive of experience in auditing, with a focus on statutory audits and experience working with third-party providers (preferably Big 4).
• Experience working with BPO Providers
• Professional qualifications (e.g., ACCA, ACA, CPA) with a minimum of 5 years post qualification experience.
• Strong understanding of statutory audit processes and financial reporting standards (IFRS, local GAAP, etc.).
• Proven experience in managing audit teams, third-party service providers, and working with cross-functional teams.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to engage with internal and external stakeholders effectively.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple audits simultaneously.
• Proficiency in English is required. Additional European languages would be advantageous.
  Following receipt of your application, you will be contacted by one of our experienced hire recruitment team.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Stakeholder Management: Lead and collaborate with our in-country teams and external BPO Partner to ensure information provided by the service provider enables audits to be conducted in an efficient and effective manner. Where issues are identified – working proactively to find solutions across the stakeholders on a timely basis.
• Timeliness: Ensure the completion of group audit, statutory audits and preparation of statutory financial statements across Europe, in a timely and accurate manner, meeting all compliance deadlines.
• Continuous Improvement: Identify and evaluate continuous improvement opportunities within the audit / Statutory Financial Statements Preparation process. Work with service providers (BPO Partner and Big4 firms) and IVCE (Internal & External Stakeholders) to implement these improvements, enhancing audit efficiency, accuracy, and overall quality including in relation to management letter points raised by service providers
• End-to-End Process Management: Responsible for managing the full accounts cycle including information provisioning, audit testing and the preparation and approval of Statutory Financial Statements.
• Financial Statement Preparation: Collaborate with third-party service provider (Big 4 firm) in the preparation of statutory financial statements for European entities, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and accounting standards.
• KPI Management: Monitor and manage key performance indicators (KPIs) with BPO Partner, focusing on timely delivery and ensuring the “Right First Time” metrics are consistently met.
• Audit Status Reporting: Provide regular and clear reporting on the status of ongoing audits, ongoing statutory financial statement preparation, highlighting any risks, delays, or challenges to management.
• Escalation Point: Serve as a primary escalation point for Global Business Solutions (GBS), auditors, and third-party service providers, resolving any issues or concerns in a timely and effective manner.