Internal Control Specialist

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Stockport, Greater Manchester, GB, SK4 1DN

Contracted

Hours:

39

Sport:
Any Sport

International. Sport-passionate. Collaborative team members. Stronger together through our driving force to bring people together through sports to make wellbeing accessible for all.

At Decathlon UK, we offer Careers That Let You Play. As part of the DECATHLON Group, one of the world’s largest sports retailers headquartered in France, we specialise in creating and distributing sports products through online and physical stores across 56 countries with over 1,700 locations. With over 40+ stores in the UK, our mission is to be the spirited champion of sports and healthier living in the nation!

As an Internal Control Specialist (UK), you will play a pivotal role in embedding a strong compliance culture, evaluating operational and financial risks, and enhancing our internal control framework across the UK. You will oversee the design, implementation, and review of Level 2 internal controls across key operational, tax, and financial procedures. Working alongside key process owners in Legal, Tax, and Financial Reporting, you will align internal controls with HMRC mandates, SAPIN II compliance, IFRS/UK GAAP standards, and broader UK regulatory requirements.

In this position, you will work in close partnership with Group Internal Control, external auditors, and senior cross-functional leaders.

This opportunity is well suited for a driven audit professional who is part-qualified or a finalist (e.g., ACCA, ACA, CIMA, CIA, or equivalent). Strong verbal communication skills, confidence in assertiveness, and meticulous attention to detail are essential for success in this role.

Internal Control & Governance

Drive Culture &

Competencies:

Train, guide, and support local business leaders and finance teams on internal control concepts, Group delegation of authority, and risk management best practices.

Group Network & Alignment: Act as the primary UK point of contact for Group Internal Control, sharing best practices, driving alignment, and participating in global control initiatives.

Tax Governance & Compliance: Serve as the internal lead for UK tax governance, overseeing overall tax compliance and coordinating Corporate Tax (CT) deliverables in partnership with external advisors.

Financial Reporting & Compliance Review: Oversee and review financial statement disclosures and accounting treatments to ensure alignment with Group policies, IFRS, and UK GAAP standards.

Risk & Control Matrix (RCM): Maintain and update the UK Risk & Control Matrix (RCM) at least annually, performing gap analyses and designing cost-effective, high-impact mitigating controls.

Level 2 Control Execution: Plan and execute Level 2 operational and compliance control testing across core business cycles (including Financial Accounting, VAT/Tax, Customs, Procurement, SAPIN II Anti-Corruption, and Retail Store Cash & Inventory management).

Audit Coordination & Remediation: Act as the primary liaison for internal and external audits (e.g., Group Audit, PwC), driving the remediation of audit findings and tracking action plans to resolve Management Letter points.

Compliance Self-Assessments: Facilitate local management self-evaluations via Group compliance tools (autodiag), driving high completion rates and monitoring corrective action plans.

End-to-End Documentation: Map and maintain core operational and financial workflows, updating standard operating procedures to develop and maintain a comprehensive UK Accounting Procedures Guide.

Process Optimization & Automation: Identify opportunities to streamline and standardize business processes, prioritizing automated and preventive controls over manual, detective controls.

Special Projects Lead: Embed internal control principles and regulatory requirements into cross-functional business initiatives, including logistics, e-commerce enhancements, and major system integrations.

Deficiency Escalation: Identify and promptly report significant internal control gaps or compliance failures to the UK CFO and Group Internal Control leadership.

Cross-Functional Synergy: Collaborate closely with IT, Legal, Supply Chain, Logistics, and the Fraud Lead to foster a proactive, integrated approach to risk mitigation.

You have at least 3 years of experience in internal audit, internal control, or external audit (preferably from a Big 4 or top-tier accounting firm)…