Assistant Manager position description

We carry out public sector audits on behalf of the Controller and Auditor-General. We help to maintain the financial integrity of New Zealand’s system of government by providing independent assurance that public organisations are operating, accounting for, and reporting their performance as Parliament intended.

Primary objectives

Assistant Managers lead audit teams during the planning, execution, and reporting phase of each audit for entities in their portfolio, which may include for-profit and public benefit entities within central government and/or local government. Assistant Managers also complete the more technical or complex elements of an audit.

Assistant Managers work closely with clients and the respective Audit Manager to ensure that audits are completed efficiently and to a high standard.

Assistant Managers also have a leadership role in their local offices.

General responsibilities and objectives

The main responsibilities of an Assistant Manager are to:

• Lead audit teams, ensuring that they perform high quality audit and assurance engagements. This includes:
  • engaging with client representatives before and during all phases of the audit, ensuring they understand the entity’s business and its audit risks (both financial and non-financial);
  • working with the Audit Manager to develop and apply an audit approach that addresses those audit risks while also meeting relevant professional standards and expectations, including those set by the Auditor-General;
  • completing audit work adhering to the expectations set out in the Quality Manual. This will usually be the more technical or complex elements of an audit;
  • supervising and coaching other members of the audit team, ensuring that they understand what is expected and that their work is of an appropriate standard;
  • monitoring audit progress against the Audit Plan and the audit budget, ensuring that the Audit Manager and relevant client contacts are kept informed of progress and issues;
  • ensuring that all necessary work to collect sufficient appropriate audit evidence has been completed by the audit team; and
  • discussing findings with clients and drafting reports for the Appointed Auditor to present to the governing body and/or audit and risk committee if required;
• lead by example (setting the right tone). This includes working with colleagues to ensure that audit team members and people in their local office feel supported, understand the broader context of our work, and are appropriately trained and mentored. It also includes role modelling Audit New Zealand’s values and ensuring that an appropriate work culture is developed and maintained; and
• assist as required on local office and/or national activities and initiatives, including business improvement initiatives, recruitment and retention initiatives, the intern programme, year group support, professional development, and other similar activities.

The value you will bring

Knowledge and experience

• Knowledge of and experience applying the Accounting Standards Framework (for-profit entities and public benefit entities) and the International Standards of Auditing.
• At least one year of post-qualifying experience in external audit, preferably in the public sector.
• Experience with leading teams and coaching other staff.

Qualifications

Chartered Accountant (CA) with the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) or a member of a similar overseas professional body.

Staff management and relationships

Staff reporting to this position

• Audit New Zealand operates a pooled structure with audit teams forming for each audit engagement. Assistant Managers have responsibility for their audit teams, particularly while working on client sites and when audit teams are staying away from home.
• Assistant Managers provide leadership to their audit teams, supervising and coaching team members while on the job during each audit.
• Audit Managers may have mentoring responsibilities for assigned staff. These will generally be Assistant Auditors and/or Intermediate Auditors.

Internal relationships

• Colleagues within Audit New Zealand, including Audit Directors, Audit Managers, in-house specialists (including those in the Specialist Audit and Assurance Services team, the Information Systems Audit and Assurance team, the Professional Practices Group, Tax, and Sector Knowledge networks), and other people in their local office.

External relationships

• Clients within their portfolio, including where appropriate second-tier managers (in financial and non-financial roles) and members of their teams.

Commitment to te Tiriti o Waitangi

Te Tiriti o Waitangi | The Treaty of Waitangi (the Treaty) is New Zealand’s founding document and part of the nation’s constitutional framework. Our independence means we have a role to play in ensuring that the public sector is delivering on its Treaty obligations. As a statutory body performing a public function, we also need to carry out our work in a way that upholds the Treaty. Our vision is to be seen as trustworthy by both Treaty partners, able to hold public organisations accountable in a way that iwi, hapū, and whānau Māori, as well as Parliament and the wider public, can have confidence in.

To help give effect to our commitment to the Treaty, we are building our capability to develop meaningful relationships with Māori and to focus on matters that make a real difference for iwi, hapū, and whānau Māori.

Health and Safety responsibilities

For yourself

• Work safely and take responsibility for keeping yourself and colleagues free from harm.
• Report all incidents and hazards promptly.
• Know what to do in an emergency.
• Co-operate in implementing return-to-work plans.
• Be a visible role model at all times.
• Follow the Office’s safety rules and procedures.

For your team

• Inform, train, and equip staff to carry out their work safely.
• Ensure that there is prompt and accurate reporting and investigation of all workplace incidents and injuries.
• Assess all hazards promptly and ensure that they are managed.
• Ensure a safe and healthy workplace for all people using our sites as a place of work.
• Meet all requirements in the Office’s Health and Safety policy and procedures.

Key competencies