Risk and Assurance Manager

Details
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Reference number

466402

Salary

£42,391 \- £46,465
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28\.97%
GBP

Job grade

Senior Executive Officer### Contract type

Permanent### Type of role

Governance

Risk Management### Working pattern

Full\-time### Number of jobs available

1
Contents
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• Location


• About the job


• Benefits


• Things you need to know


• Apply and further information

Location
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Belfast, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, Nottingham, Salford

This advert reflects the current FWA locations. However, there may be some flexibility to include additional sites as the FWA location strategy evolves.About the job
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Job summary

The Fair Work Agency (FWA) launched in April 2026 with a clear and ambitious mission: to make work fairer for everyone. We bring together key powers to protect workers, support responsible businesses, and take decisive action against exploitation. Today, we regulate employment agencies, license gangmasters in the agricultural and horticultural sectors, tackle serious labour abuse and modern slavery, and enable enforcement of the National Minimum Wage.

But this is just the start.

With new powers under the Employment Rights Act 2025, we are expanding our role even further. We are building the capability to ensure workers receive what they are entitled to, from holiday pay to statutory sick pay, and strengthening the system so that rights are not just set out in law, but actively upheld in practice.

Our approach is bold and practical:

• We empower workers, ensuring they understand their rights and can easily access support and raise concerns


• We make it easier for businesses to comply, simplifying processes and helping responsible employers do the right thing


• We take firm action against those who exploit workers and undercut fair competition

This is a unique opportunity to join an organisation at the very beginning of its journey. You will help shape how we operate, influence our culture, and play a direct role in improving outcomes for millions of workers and employers across the UK.

We are looking for people who are curious, collaborative and driven by making a real difference, people who want to build something that matters.

Job description

The Fair Work Agency is seeking an experienced and proactive Risk and Assurance Lead to play a pivotal role in strengthening the organisation’s approach to risk management, assurance, and internal control.

As part of the governance function, you will lead a small team and work closely with senior leaders and external stakeholders to embed a strong, proactive risk and assurance culture across the Agency. You will be responsible for developing and maintaining the organisation’s risk framework and strategic risk register, ensuring risks are clearly identified, assessed, managed, and escalated appropriately. Another component of the role will be working with colleagues to enhance the organisation’s assurance landscape—strengthening first and second lines of defence, improving data quality, and ensuring robust oversight of controls and mitigating actions.

You will coordinate and continuously improve risk and assurance processes, ensuring they are aligned to organisational priorities and support effective decision\-making. This includes providing high\-quality risk insight and reporting to Senior Leaders to ensure they have the information they need to make timely decisions.

This is a high\-impact role requiring strong leadership, stakeholder engagement, and the ability to provide constructive challenge—helping to build organisational confidence, resilience, and accountability in delivering the Agency’s objectives.

Key responsibilities:

Risk Management

• Lead the development and continuous improvement of the Agency’s risk management framework


• Oversee the organisations risk registers, ensuring risks are well\-defined, actively managed, and aligned to organisational priorities


• Provide insight and analysis on key risk themes to support strategic decision\-making


• Support senior leaders and teams to identify, assess, and manage risks effectively

Assurance and Internal Control

• Develop and embed a proportionate assurance framework, clarifying roles across first, second, and third lines of defence


• Strengthen internal controls and provide expert advice and constructive challenge to improve risk and assurance practices


• Coordinate assurance activity and ensure audit recommendations are effectively tracked and implemented

Governance and Reporting

• Provide expert support to governance forums, including the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC)


• Deliver high\-quality risk and assurance reporting, dashboards, and briefings for senior leaders


• Track actions and ensure timely follow\-up on key risk and assurance issues

Leadership and Improvement

• Lead and develop a small, high\-performing team


• Promote a positive risk culture and build capability across the organisation through guidance and training


• Identify and deliver improvements to strengthen governance, risk, and assurance processes

Person specification

When giving details in your employment history and personal statement you should highlight your experience in line with the essential criteria

Essential criteria:

• Demonstrable experience of leading or delivering risk management and assurance frameworks within a complex organisation, including identifying, assessing, escalating and monitoring risks.


• Strong knowledge of risk management, internal controls and assurance principles, with the ability to apply these proportionately in practice.


• Experience of maintaining strategic or corporate risk registers and providing clear, high\-quality risk analysis to inform senior decision\-making.


• Proven ability to develop high\-quality management information, reports and briefing papers for senior leaders, boards and governance committees.


• Experience of working with internal and external stakeholders to identify, assess and report risks, including coordinating with audit and assurance providers.


• Strong understanding of governance, risk, audit and assurance models, including the three lines of defence.


• Ability to engage senior stakeholders with credibility, providing constructive challenge and influencing improved risk and assurance practices.


• Experience of embedding new processes or frameworks in risk, assurance or governance.


• Excellent communication, organisational and leadership skills, including the ability to manage competing priorities, deliver at pace, and develop capability in others.

Desirable criteria:

• A relevant professional qualification (or working towards) in risk management, audit, or governance (e.g. IRM, IIA/CIA, or CGI).


• Experience in a public sector or regulatory environment


• Knowledge of HM Treasury Orange Book or Government Functional Standards


• Experience supporting Audit and Risk Assurance Committees (ARAC)


• Familiarity with SMAF or accountability frameworks

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture


• Making Effective Decisions


• Working Together

Benefits
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Alongside your salary of £42,391, Fair Work Agency contributes £12,280 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides .* Learning and development tailored to your role

• An environment with flexible working options


• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity


• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28\.97%

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Things you need to know
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Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.### Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.Application Information

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete:

• A CV detailing your career history, and skills/experience


• A 500 word Personal Statement;

Your Personal Statement should be no more than 500 words. It should provide real life examples of how your skills and experience match those needed for this role and how you would apply them to this position. It will be assessed against the essential criteria and used to add depth to the best evidence in your CV.

Your CV should consist of your career history and skills/experience, including any key achievements in each role. Your CV will also be assessed against the essential criteria.

Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply and how to complete a personal statement https://www.civil\-service\-careers.gov.uk/how\-to\-apply/

Selection process

Sift Information

At sift you will be assessed on your Personal Statement and CV. Should a large n

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