Head of Group Internal Control & Business Assurance

The Role

The Head of Group Internal Control & Business Assurance is a critical leadership role responsible for designing, implementing, and continuously evolving a technology-enabled, process-led, and data-driven internal control and assurance framework that supports Imperial’s transformation into a high-performing, agile, consumer-centric organization.

This role leads the shift from traditional compliance-focused controls to a proactive, automated, analytics-powered function that safeguards value and enables faster, more confident decisions, while reinforcing consumer trust through robust governance, data protection, and ethical practices that ensure fairness, transparency, and reliability in every interaction.

In alignment with Provision 29 of the UK Corporate Governance Code 2024, the role ensures rigorous monitoring, self-assessment, and Board-level attestation of the effectiveness of material controls over material risks, providing structured assurance for the annual Board declaration on internal control effectiveness.

The incumbent is a standing member of the Integrated Assurance Forum (IAF), partnering with Functional Heads to embed controls-by-design into business processes and major digital, data, and transformation initiatives.

Principle Accountabilities

• Framework Design & Alignment. Develop and continuously improve an enterprise-wide internal control framework that is balanced, fit-for-purpose, and fully aligned with the Group’s risk management framework, risk appetite, transformation objectives, and Provision 29’s emphasis on effective oversight of material controls.
• Automation & Real-Time Operation. Lead the design, automation, and real-time operation of an effective internal control environment leveraging robotics, process mining, and advanced analytics, ensuring material controls undergo regular self-assessment and testing.
• Culture & Capability. Drive attitudes, behaviours, and control culture across the enterprise through targeted training, communication, and visible leadership, including awareness of self-attestation responsibilities for control owners and second-line functions.
• Continuous Monitoring & Predictive Analytics. Implement real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and integrated reporting of control effectiveness. Focused on material controls to provide robust evidence for the Board’s annual effectiveness declaration under Provision 29.
• Technology & Tools. Recommend and deploy systems and tools that deliver high-quality control data and insights, supporting automated self-assessment workflows for key and material controls.
• Cross-Functional Control Frameworks. Govern critical frameworks (e.g., Segregation of Duties, Sensitive Access) and ensure they are embedded and automated across key systems (SAP, S/4HANA, Blue Yonder, ServiceNow), with self-assessment embedded for ongoing validation.
• Digital Policy & Process Management. Maintain a single, digital Imperial Management System for policies, standards, and mandated procedures with automated workflow and version control, linked to risk and control libraries (AuditBoard) and process definitions (Signavio).
• Board & Executive Reporting. Provide the Board, Audit Committee, and Executive Leadership Team with clear, forward-looking insights on control effectiveness, emerging risks, and transformation progress, including annual self-assessment outcomes and recommendations for the Provision 29 declaration.
• Change & Transformation Assurance. Lead control response to major change programs, system implementations, and external regulatory shifts, ensuring speed and agility while maintaining assurance over material controls.
• Incident Response & Remediation. Ensure rapid, robust investigation of control failures with consumer and business impact at the heart of root-cause analysis and remediation, prioritizing those linked to material risks.
• Monitoring Improvements. Track and validate implementation of internal control improvements, particularly those arising from external and internal assurance activities.

Skills and Experience Required

TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES

• Enterprise Risk Management & Risk Appetite Frameworks
• Internal Controls Design, Automation & Continuous Control Monitoring
• Data Governance and Advanced Analytics for Assurance
• UK Corporate Governance Code with deep expertise in Provision 29
• Proven delivery of large-scale internal control or digital transformation projects

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• 15+ years in internal control, risk management, or internal audit, including 5+ years of recent, relevant experience in internal controls
• Demonstrated leadership in enterprise-scale transformation, with a proven track record of delivering impactful change
• Deep technical expertise in process mining, advanced analytics and Segregation of Duties (SoD) and Sensitive Access (SA) within SAP/S4HANA
• Hands-on experience with self-assessment and self-attestation processes for control effectiveness

LEADERSHIP AND BEHAVIORAL CAPABILITIES

• Strategic and consumer-centric mindset, balancing compliance with value creation
• Technology and data native, comfortable leveraging automation and analytics for assurance
• Exceptional influencing and collaboration skills, particularly at Executive and Board level, with ability to translate complex technical concepts into compelling business language
• Experience building and leading blended teams capable of delivering integrated assurance across risk, control, and data domains
• Strong commercial acumen, focused on driving business performance through effective controls
• Fluent business English; additional languages are an advantage

What we offer

In return for playing your part in building our future, you will receive a comprehensive compensation package with salary, bonus scheme and further benefits as well inspiring places to work and collaborate with purpose. Here at Imperial we will give you the opportunity to grow and learn, innovate at pace and be a part of our purpose to forge a path to a healthier future for moments of relaxation and pleasure for our consumers.

Everyone Belongs

Everyone belongs in Imperial. We are proud of being a truly inclusive organisation. We encourage and welcome applications from people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, nationalities, disabilities, sexual orientation, religions or beliefs and of neuro divergence. We give fair and equal consideration to all our applicants. Please contact us at recruitment@impbrands.com to let us know if we can provide support in helping you complete an application and/or attend an interview.

About Us

We're a truly international company, fourth largest in our industry and operating across 120 markets. An inclusive, innovative global FMCG business supported by 25,000 employees. As we embrace a new era of growth, we are transforming. Our ways of working and culture are driven by a challenger mindset, constantly questioning the status quo where people can bring their best selves to work. Our agility and collaboration are driving our ambitions, innovation and success all supported by our award-winning development programmes that creates exciting and rewarding career opportunities for all.  Encouraging inclusion at local levels and supporting a developing and robust diversity agenda globally, we’re fully committed to creating and maintaining an environment that celebrates and respects difference.

As a matter of policy, Imperial Tobacco or its subsidiaries never requests or requires payment as part of any recruitment process.