Risk, Internal Controls and Audit Lead

Job Description:

We make health happen.

Working in our support functions you’ll play a key part in helping our customer facing colleagues deliver exceptional standards patient care. No matter your role, you’ll have an opportunity to do work that matters. Making a difference to the lives of our customers each and every day.

Role Overview

The Risk, Internal Controls and Audit Lead is responsible for ensuring Bupa Health Clinics (BHC) fully comply with internal control standards, audit requirements, and professional standards, while championing robust risk management across the organisation.

You’ll help us make health happen by:

• Leading the Internal Controls and Risk Management Assessment (ICRMA) process, ensuring consistent evaluation and adherence to Bupa’s standards.
• Developing, maintaining, and continuously improving a comprehensive internal controls and risk management framework.
• Serving  as  SME  for  risk  management,  overseeing  risk  identification,  escalation,  mitigation,  and reporting.
• Ensuring effective operation of the Bupa Health Clinics Risk Committee, including quarterly returns to the UK Risk team.
• Proactively identifying areas of risk or control weakness, producing clear reports and recommendations.
• Overseeing  the  implementation  of  corrective  action  plans  to  strengthen  the  control  environment  and addressing any gaps in compliance. 
• Overseeing risk management education programmes and provide evidence-based advice to stakeholders.
• Line managing the Professional Standards and Risk Manager as well as the Quality, Governance and Audit  Co-ordinator,  providing  clear  direction,  support,  and  performance  management  to  ensure  a high-performing governance and audit team.

Key Skills / Qualifications needed for this role:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent.
• Strong knowledge of internal control frameworks and risk management principles, with hands-on experience conducting risk assessments or internal control reviews.
• Demonstrable experience in coordinating or leading internal and/or external audits – including planning, evidence collection, stakeholder engagement, and managing follow-up actions.
• Excellent analytical skills and attention to detail, capable of interpreting complex data and regulatory requirements.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and negotiate with stakeholders at all levels (from clinic teams to executive leadership).
• Leadership experience, such as managing a team or leading cross-functional projects, with a track record of developing others and building collaborative working relationships.
• Experience working with internal audit teams or as an auditor – desirable
• Familiarity with clinical and operational risks in healthcare - desirable

Our benefits are designed to make health happen for our people. Viva is our global wellbeing programme and includes all aspects of our health – from mental and physical, to financial, social and environmental wellbeing. We support flexible working and have a range of family friendly benefits.

Joining Bupa in this role you will receive the following benefits and more:

• Bupa health insurance as a benefit in kind
• An enhanced pension plan and life insurance
• Annual Health Services Bonus Scheme
• Support with travel costs via a season ticket loan or cycle2work
• Various other benefits and online discounts

Why Bupa?

We’re a health insurer and provider. With no shareholders, our customers are our focus. Our people are all driven by the same purpose – helping people live longer, healthier, happier lives and making a better world. We make health happen by being brave, caring and responsible in everything we do.

We encourage all of our people to “Be you at Bupa”, we champion diversity, and we understand the importance of our people representing the communities and customers we serve.  That’s why we especially encourage applications from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Bupa is a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer. This means we aim to offer an interview/assessment to every disabled applicant who meets the minimum criteria for the role. We’ll make sure you are treated fairly and offer reasonable adjustments as part of our recruitment process to anyone that needs them.

At Bupa we strive to ensure all our of customers, patients and staff are safe.  All employees have a duty to ensure that safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk is prioritised and acted on appropriately

Time Type:

Full time

Job Area:

Legal, Risk & Audit

Locations:

Home Based, c/o Angel Court, Home Based North c/o Bupa Place