Head of Audit and Risk

Kirklees Council is at a pivotal moment, with ambitious transformation programmes and a leadership culture built on openness, collaboration and constructive challenge. Internal Audit is already highly respected here, Members expect intelligent, well‑presented assurance, and senior officers actively seek advice. This is a council where your expertise will be listened to, valued and acted upon.

About the role
As Head of Service – Audit & Risk, you won’t just deliver a statutory audit function. You’ll be a trusted advisor to the Chief Executive, Chief Finance Officer, Monitoring Officer and Members, shaping how the organisation understands and manages risk, governance and assurance.

You’ll operate as the Council’s Chief Audit Executive, reporting regularly to Cabinet and the Corporate Governance and Audit Committee, and bringing a strategic perspective to major corporate and regeneration programmes, including large‑scale system transformation.

Your portfolio is broad and genuinely interesting: Internal Audit, Fraud, Insurance, Corporate Complaints, Risk and Information Governance. These services are technically strong and well regarded; your role is to provide leadership, coherence and confidence, modernising where needed and strengthening accountability in a collaborative, trusted way.

You’ll also work with external partners, including overseeing internal audit provision to organisations such as West Yorkshire Fire Service.

About you
This role is for a leader who enjoys influence, complexity and challenge. You may already be leading an internal audit function, or you may be a senior finance, audit or assurance professional ready for a meaningful step up.
More important than background is how you lead:

• You think strategically and communicate with impact
• You build trust quickly with Members and senior leaders
• You’re confident offering constructive challenge while maintaining strong relationships
• You can help an organisation mature its risk culture and strengthen ownership

Local government experience is helpful but not essential. If you can navigate a large, complex organisation and provide calm, credible leadership, you’ll thrive here.

If you’re looking for a senior role with real influence, genuine support, and the freedom to shape how assurance and risk add value across an organisation – Kirklees is ready for you.

For more information, please visit https://www.leadkirklees.co.uk/. For a confidential discussion, please contact our retained advisors at Tile Hill:

• Bella Bennett (07918 976494, bella.bennett@tile-hill.co.uk)
• Dylan Craven (07442 408861, dylan.craven@tile-hill.co.uk)

Closing date: Midnight on Friday 8th May 2026

To apply:
To apply, please submit an up-to-date copy of your CV (three sides of A4 maximum), along with a supporting statement (three sides of A4 maximum) detailing your experience, and achievements and addressing the key criteria for the role set out on this site and using examples to demonstrate how you meet the requirements. Documents should be uploaded via our website, please include and upload the below information in two documents only. If you experience any issues whilst applying, please contact matthew.ashby@tile-hill.co.uk

Applications should include:

• Full contact details;
• Names, positions, organisations and contact details for two referees (we will ask your permission before contacting referees);
• Details of your notice period
• Notification of any dates when you are not available for an interview

At Tile Hill, we are committed to inclusion and accessibility. We champion and support all individuals to ensure everyone feels valued, listened to and motivated to get the very best out of each recruitment process and that processes are designed to meet the needs of individuals. If you have any specific requests and would like a confidential discussion with the Tile Hill team, then please email inclusion@tile-hill.co.uk