Control Testing Lead

Contract Details

• Role: Control Testing Lead
• Contract Length: Initial 6 Months
• IR35: Inside IR35
• Location: Hybrid (London, Birmingham or Edinburgh)

We are partnering with a leading Financial Services organisation seeking an experienced Control Testing Lead to establish, develop and lead a Control Testing function as part of a wider Risk and Controls enhancement programme.
This is an excellent opportunity for a senior controls professional to build and shape a high-performing team of Control Testers, embedding testing methodologies, quality standards and assurance practices across the business.
The successful candidate will bring strong experience of performing and leading controls testing within a regulated financial functions environment.

The Opportunity
You will take ownership of building and developing a team of Control Testers, creating a robust testing framework and ensuring consistent, high-quality assurance over the effectiveness of key controls.
Working closely with Risk, Compliance, Internal Audit, Operations and Business stakeholders, you will establish testing plans, oversee execution, review findings and provide assurance reporting to senior leadership.
This role requires a hands-on leader who can combine technical controls expertise with strong stakeholder management and people leadership skills.

Key Responsibilities

• Build, lead and develop a team of Control Testers.
• Design and implement the Control Testing methodology, standards and operating model.
• Develop risk-based control testing plans aligned to key business and regulatory risks.
• Oversee testing of key controls across operational, regulatory and technology environments.
• Conduct quality assurance reviews of completed testing activities.
• Review control design and operating effectiveness assessments.
• Challenge findings and ensure consistency of testing outcomes.
• Provide guidance, coaching and technical support to Control Testers.
• Produce management information, assurance reporting and control effectiveness dashboards.
• Present findings, trends and emerging risks to senior stakeholders and governance forums.
• Track remediation activities and ensure appropriate follow-up of identified weaknesses.
• Partner with Operational Risk, Compliance and Internal Audit teams to improve the overall controls environment.
• Support regulatory reviews, audits and assurance activities where required.

Essential Experience

• Proven experience leading Control Testing, Controls Assurance or Risk & Controls teams.
• Strong hands-on background in controls testing within a Financial Functions organisation.
• Experience working within Banking, Insurance, Wealth Management, Asset Management, Building Society or broader Financial Services environments.
• Deep understanding of risk and control frameworks.
• Experience assessing both Control Design Effectiveness and Operating Effectiveness.
• Strong knowledge of governance, risk management and regulatory requirements.
• Experience producing senior management and committee-level reporting.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Experience mentoring, coaching and developing assurance or testing teams.

Ideal Backgrounds
We are particularly interested in candidates with experience in:

• Internal Audit
• External Audit (Financial Services clients)
• Controls Assurance
• Operational Risk
• Risk & Controls
• Regulatory Compliance
• Risk Assurance
• Financial Crime Assurance

Ideal Candidate
A seasoned Controls Assurance, Audit or Risk professional with a proven track record of leading control testing activities within Financial Services, who can build a capable testing team, establish best practice methodologies and provide robust assurance over the effectiveness of key business and regulatory controls.

Guidant, Carbon60, Lorien & SRG - The Impellam Group Portfolio are acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.