Principal Auditor

🔒 Confidential Employer
Posted 7 May 2026
LOCATION
Northampton
TYPE
Full-time
LEVEL
Mid-Senior level
SALARY
£52,860 / year
CATEGORY
Finance & Accounting
This employer holds a UK Home Office sponsor license — sponsorship for this specific role is at the employer’s discretion

SKILLS

Internal Audit Risk Management Governance CCAB Qualification Communication Skills Problem Solving Attention to Detail Strategic Thinking

FULL DESCRIPTION

Principal Auditor

Salary: £49,587 - £52,860 per year | Location: One Angel Square, Northampton (Hybrid) | Contract: Full-time, Permanent | Closing Date: 2 September 2025

This is an exciting opportunity within [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal], one of the largest unitary authorities in the country. We have established our own dedicated Internal Audit, Risk Management, and Counter-Fraud team, and we are looking for a motivated individual to join this growing service.

About the role

As part of our Internal Audit team, you will primarily support the Council as well as other partners, including Northamptonshire Children’s Trust. Your work will play a crucial role in ensuring the organisation operates effectively and efficiently.

While the position offers hybrid working arrangements, you will be required to attend the main Northampton town centre office ([Employer hidden — sign up to reveal]) at least one day a week, with additional attendance at other council sites as necessary.

We appreciate the interest received in our earlier campaign - previous applicants need not reapply.

What will you be doing?

In this role, you will be responsible for managing the delivery of a varied portfolio of internal audit work across all areas of the organisation. You will report to the Internal Audit Manager, providing assurance on the effectiveness of risk management, governance, policy, and internal control processes.

The role also includes supervising and supporting other auditors within the team, working collaboratively to ensure all audits are completed to the highest professional standards. You will have the opportunity to work closely with senior management, identifying opportunities for improvement and implementing far-reaching innovations based on your findings and recommendations.

The position offers hybrid working arrangements, giving you the flexibility to work from home and at various council sites as required.

About you

We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated individual who holds a full CCAB accountancy qualification or membership of the Institute of Internal Auditors. Alternatively, significant relevant experience commensurate with these qualifications will also be considered.

To succeed in this role, you will be a team player with excellent communication and problem-solving skills. You will have meticulous attention to detail, a questioning approach, and the ability to prioritise tasks effectively. Working under pressure to meet personal and team targets should come naturally to you.

Equally important is your ability to think strategically and innovatively about how to improve systems and services. You will need to challenge existing processes and work closely with senior leaders to drive meaningful improvements across the organisation.

Our benefits

In return, we offer excellent working conditions, including a generous holiday entitlement, a comprehensive pension scheme, and flexible working arrangements. You will also have access to our employee benefits scheme, which includes a lease car sacrifice option and discounts at numerous retail outlets.

For an informal discussion about the role please contact: Adrian Ward (Head of Audit and Risk Management) via [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] or Scott Peasland (Internal Audit Manager) via email - [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal]

Please note, we are not engaging with recruitment agencies for this role.

About us

At [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal], it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.

Our vision is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services.

Hear more from our Chief Executive, Anna Earnshaw, about what it's like to work at [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal].

We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximize their full potential. We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner.

If you need additional support or reasonable adjustments during the application process, including needing the job description in another format or language, please email [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] for support.

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