People Team Risk, Controls and Audit Manager

Summary

Are you passionate about risk management, internal controls, and audit excellence within a dynamic HR environment? We’re looking for a People Team Risk, Controls and Audit Manager to join our People Compliance Team and take ownership of our risk register, audit processes, and control frameworks.

This role is the primary contact for business stakeholders on all things related to People Team risk, controls, and audit. You’ll collaborate with risk owners across the business, as well as Internal Risk and Audit teams, to ensure our operations are robust, compliant, and continuously improving.

You’ll be part of a forward-thinking People Systems team that values integrity, collaboration, and continuous improvement. This is your chance to make a real impact on how we manage risk and audit across our HR operations.

To stay close to customers, our support teams are in the office three days a week as we believe that skills are developed through collaboration, and that spending time together makes us more creative and connected.

What’s in it for you

Being a part of M&S is exactly that – playing your part to bring the magic of M&S to our customers every day. We’re an inclusive, dynamic, exciting, and ever evolving business built on doing the right thing and bringing exceptional quality, value, service to every customer, whenever, wherever and however they want to shop with us.

Here are some of the benefits we offer that make working for M&S just that little bit more special…

• After completing your probationary period, you’ll receive 20% colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third-party brands for you and a member of your household.
• Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days!
• Discretionary bonus schemes awarded based on how you achieve your personal objectives and our performance as a business.
• A generous Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.
• A dedicated welcome to our teams with a tailored induction and a wide range of training programmes to develop your skills.
• Amazing perks and discounts via our M&S Choices portal to maximise your financial and personal wellbeing.
• Industry-leading parental, adoption and neonatal policies, providing support and flexibility for your family.
• Access to a fantastic range of wellbeing support for all colleagues including access to our 24/7 Virtual GP and PAM Assist to support you and your family.
• A charity volunteer day to support a charity or cause you're passionate about through a dedicated day away from work.

What you’ll do

Your key accountabilities will include

• Own and maintain the People Team risk register, lead quarterly risk reviews with stakeholders, and prepare summaries for the People Leadership Team
• Manage compliance reporting and risk actions using platforms like SureCloud; prepare Audit Committee papers and facilitate updates to the Code of Conduct
• Oversee the People controls framework, including financial control checks with Finance and Colleague Services, ensuring controls are integrated and tested across operations
• Lead internal and external audit processes, define scope, engage senior stakeholders for sign-off, and ensure timely delivery and closure of audit actions
• Track and report audit activity and remediation plans, and identify proactive audit opportunities to mitigate and manage risk

Who you are

Your skills and experience will include

• Extensive experience in risk & controls within HR, with proven expertise in designing and implementing risk management frameworks
• Strong understanding of payroll controls and systems, including Oracle HCM and Payroll
• Background in change or programme management, with a structured, analytical approach to problem-solving
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, able to influence across all levels of the organisation
• Highly organised and detail-oriented, confident in managing multiple priorities and driving outcomes effectively

Everyone’s welcome

We are ambitious about the future of retail. We’re disrupting, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We’re transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen.

We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together.

If you feel you'd benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don’t hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.

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