Audit Manager - Banking And Lending

Manchester/Birmingham

W Talent Finance is a specialist recruitment partner dedicated to placing high-calibre accounting professionals across both practice and commerce & industry markets worldwide. With a deep understanding of the finance landscape, we support clients ranging from leading professional services firms to established regional practices and multi-service professional groups, delivering tailored talent solutions that drive business performance.

We are partnering with a growing mid-tier accountancy and professional services firm with an established audit practice and a strong reputation for advising middle-market businesses.

The firm is continuing to invest in its banking and lending audit offering, with a particular focus on regulated and unregulated lenders. Working with a diverse portfolio of financial services clients, the business provides specialist audit expertise across complex lending arrangements, financial reporting and technical accounting matters.

With ambitious growth plans and a commitment to developing its people, the firm offers an environment where experienced professionals can take ownership, build specialist expertise and play an important role in the continued development of the service line.

As an Audit Manager
- Banking & Lending, you will take responsibility for managing a portfolio of audit engagements across the lending sector, working with clients ranging from specialist finance providers to established consumer and commercial lenders.

You will play a key role in the delivery of high-quality statutory audits, with a particular emphasis on IFRS 9 and the audit of expected credit loss (ECL) models. The position will involve managing complex assignments, overseeing audit teams, maintaining strong client relationships and ensuring engagements are delivered in line with relevant standards and internal quality requirements.

Alongside your client responsibilities, you will contribute to the continued growth of the banking and lending audit offering. This will include supporting business development activity, developing technical expertise across the team and working with national technical and training specialists to enhance audit methodologies and sector-specific knowledge.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Audit Manager with strong IFRS 9 expertise to join an ambitious mid-tier firm, develop their sector profile and contribute to the growth of a specialist audit team.

• Manage a portfolio of statutory audit engagements across the banking and lending sector, ensuring assignments are delivered to agreed deadlines and quality standards
• Lead audit engagements for regulated and unregulated lenders, overseeing planning, execution, completion and reporting
• Apply specialist knowledge of IFRS 9, with particular emphasis on expected credit loss accounting and auditing
• Review and challenge ECL methodologies, assumptions, model outputs and supporting documentation
• Oversee the audit of ECL models across a range of lending products, including mortgages, personal loans, credit cards and consumer finance
• Identify and resolve complex audit and accounting issues, consulting with technical specialists and senior stakeholders where appropriate
• Ensure audit work complies with applicable accounting standards, auditing requirements and internal quality procedures
• Manage engagement teams, allocating responsibilities, monitoring progress and ensuring work is completed efficiently
• Review audit files and provide clear, constructive feedback to team members
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, acting as a key point of contact for senior finance personnel and other stakeholders
• Attend and present at client audit committee meetings and board meetings where required
• Identify opportunities to improve audit efficiency, technical quality and consistency across lending sector engagements
• Work collaboratively with national technical and training teams to develop audit methodologies and guidance relating to IFRS 9 and other relevant technical matters
• Deliver technical training and support to colleagues, helping to build specialist banking and lending audit expertise
• Coach, mentor and develop junior team members, supporting their technical development and professional progression
• Contribute to recruitment, performance management and the wider development of the audit team
• Support business development initiatives, including identifying…