Head of Audit, Ireland Join Zurich's Group Audit team and be part of a global community dedicated to keeping Zurich safe.
With over 250 colleagues from 33 nationalities, we work as one global team striving for excellence and creating the best function for our company, our people, and our communities.
We embrace and leverage the diverse skills our team brings to provide valuable insights to our stakeholders.
We have a real passion for high performance, collaboration, and experimentation, as we aim to push boundaries and set new standards for our profession.
This includes all our people driving value from data and enhancing their work through AI.
This is a hybrid role.
The role may be available part-time or full time.
This is because we want the best people for our roles, and we recognise that sometimes those people aren't available full-time.
Please talk to us at interview about the flexibility you may need.
Ireland Business Zurich is one of Ireland's leading insurance companies providing a wide range of general insurance and life insurance products and services.
The company employs circa 1200 employees, across its entities located in Dublin and Wexford.
Your Role & Responsibilities The Head of Audit, Ireland is a Pre-Approval Controlled Function for Zurich Life (ZLAP) (PCF-13).
In this position you will be required to fulfil duties associated with the Senior Executive Accountability Regime (SEAR) to comply with regulatory requirements and expectations.
The role also includes acting as the Key Function Holder for Internal Audit for ZLAP's pension trustee subsidiary companies.
It also fulfills Head of Audit duties for the P&C branch of our European company ZIE A.G. You will be responsible for audit activities across Ireland, with a direct reporting line to the Regional Audit Lead.
You will also have a matrix reporting line to the Ireland CEO to ensure you can fully engage with, and contribute to, the strategic actions and plans of the local Senior Leadership Team.
In this role, you will be expected to use and co-develop leading audit practices to continuously improve the Ireland risk based dynamic audit plan and be accountable for the high-quality delivery of this plan.
You will positively influence the business risk and control environment, through a combination of reporting at the Ireland Risk & Control Committees, Board Audit Committee, Executive Committee and any other key management fora, as well as developing strong working relationships with the Ireland CEO, ZLAP CEO, ZLAP Board, Executives and Senior Management.
The need to build an open and constructive relationship with the regulators is evident.
You will initially build and then lead the local audit team (c.6 FTEs).
You will have a unique opportunity to create your own team locally with initial resource support from existing Group Audit teams to fulfil our local audit plans.
It will be your responsibility to ensure that the team has the skills and seniority necessary to effectively deliver the audit plan.
As a senior leader in Group Audit, you will also implement and drive strategic priorities, and co-create a leading audit function utilizing Data Analytics, AI and Agile methods.
You will be expected to role model and deliver.
Importantly, you will be fostering a positive culture and driving an environment of continuous growth, where the team always feels connected to our purpose and becomes a recognized leader in the market.
Your Skills and Experience As the Legal Entity Head of Internal Audit (LEHIA), Ireland, within the Group Audit function, your skills and qualifications will ideally include: Chartered Accountant, CPA, CIA, CISA, or equivalent.
An MBA or equivalent is a plus.
Proven track record in financial services or insurance, with the ability to influence executive and senior stakeholders.
Demonstrated success in dealing with external stakeholders, including the CBI or other regulators.
Extensive experience in auditing, with comprehensive knowledge of audit methodologies, including the application of data analytics, to achieve impactful and insightful results.
Strong understanding of Life and P&C insurance.
People Management capability Exceptional project management skills, with the ability to organize teams, prioritize tasks, and guide and coach the team to deliver high-quality results on time.
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Who we are?
Zurich is a strong Global brand with a market leading presence in Ireland - more than 75 million customers globally place their trust in our products and services.
Our 63,000 employees worldwide form the basis of our success, helping our customers in 200 countries to understand and protect themselves from risk.
To deliver our services, we offer our employees flexible working models and interesting opportunities for further training & development.
As a Zurich employee you benefit from a multitude of advantages as well as a strong culture, characterized by acceptance, diversity, and team spirit.
At Zurich, we foster a culture of diversity and inclusion.
Our purpose and values are designed to protect, inspire confidence, and help our employees reach their full potential.
We value and defend what is right and promote opportunities for equity among our professionals, regardless of gender, disability, LGBTQ +, race, ethnicity, generations, belief, etc.
Our talent acquisition and hiring processes respect this commitment daily.
Join Zurich and be part of this culture.
Find out more Additional Information Your primary work location will be Dublin - Blackrock and occasional travel may be required to other Zurich locations.
Given the global nature of the Group Audit Function, we might have interviews and onboarding partly remotely, leveraging digital technologies and tools.
You will receive more information as you progress in your journey with us.
Recruitment Manager: Julie Toner Hiring Manager: Veronica Centelles Employing Entity : ZIC.
Closing date for applications is the 25th of April 2025.
Early applications are encouraged as interviews may take place before closing date.