London Borough of Tower Hamlets - Head of Internal Audit, Anti-Fraud & Risk

Head of Internal Audit, Anti-Fraud & Risk

Providing assurance, protecting public resources and strengthening resilience

At the London Borough of Tower Hamlets strong governance and accountability underpin everything we do. As one of London's largest and most complex local authorities, we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of stewardship, transparency and value for money.

We are seeking an outstanding Head of Internal Audit, Anti-Fraud & Risk to lead our internal audit, anti-fraud and corporate risk functions.

Reporting to the Director of Finance, this is an influential leadership role responsible for providing independent assurance, strengthening governance arrangements and ensuring the Council remains resilient to emerging risks and threats.

About the Role

You will lead the strategic development of internal audit, counter-fraud and risk management arrangements across the organisation.

As the Council's chief audit professional, you will provide independent assurance to senior leaders, Members and the Audit Committee, while promoting a strong culture of accountability, risk awareness and ethical governance. You will also oversee anti-fraud arrangements, ensuring public resources are protected and risks are effectively managed.

This role includes:

Internal Audit Leadership - Leading the delivery of an effective, independent and risk-based internal audit function.

Anti-Fraud and Investigation Services - Driving the Council's approach to preventing, detecting and investigating fraud and corruption.

Risk Management and Governance - Leading corporate risk management arrangements and supporting effective decision-making.

Audit Committee Engagement - Acting as the principal adviser to the Audit Committee and providing assurance to Members and senior leaders.

Continuous Improvement - Using audit insight to drive organisational learning, stronger controls and service improvement.

About You

You will be an experienced audit, assurance or governance professional with:

• A recognised CCAB, CIMA or IIA qualification.
• Significant experience leading audit, risk or counter-fraud functions.
• Strong knowledge of governance, risk management and assurance frameworks.
• Experience advising senior executives and elected Members.
• The ability to provide constructive challenge and influence organisational improvement.
• A proven track record of leading high-performing professional teams.
• Excellent communication, judgement and stakeholder management skills.

Why Tower Hamlets?

This is an opportunity to play a critical role in safeguarding public money, strengthening governance and ensuring confidence in the Council's operations and decision-making

Our Values

Our council is a beacon for diversity and inclusion. We want a borough where everyone feels valued, supported and able to thrive, and a council that works collaboratively to deliver the very best outcomes for residents.

That's why we look for leaders who embody our TOWER values of Together, Open, Willing, Excellent and Respectful

To download the job description, please click the link below:

JD/PS - Head of Internal Audit, Anti-Fraud and Risk

For further information about the council please visit: https://www.jobs.towerhamlets.gov.uk/about-us

For a confidential discussion, please contact our retained consultants at Penna:

•  Andrew Tromans at Andrew.tromans@penna.com or on 07805 226301
• Julie Towers at Julie.towers@penna.com or on 07764 791736
•  Kelly Ridley at Kelly.ridley@penna.com or on 07709 512415.

Closing Date: 23:59pm, 20^th November 2026

How to Apply

1. Upload your CV under “Please select one of the options below.”
2. Complete the short mandatory fields on the next page.
3. Use ‘Add Attachments’ to upload your Supporting Statement and any other documents.
4. Please ensure that the file name of your CV and supporting statement includes your full name.
5. Ensure both CV and Supporting Statement are uploaded before submitting your application.
6. If you have a long-term health condition or disability and would like your application to be considered in accordance with a Disability Confident Scheme, please email: execapplications@penna.com to inform the Penna team.