Ethics Manager/Senior Manager (0508)

PKF Littlejohn is one of the leading challenger firms in the UK with offices in London, Leeds and Manchester.  We are also an active member of PKF Global, an international network of legally independent accounting firms that gives us an on the ground presence in 150 countries around the world with access to more than 20,000 people across 440 offices globally.

We provide a full range of audit, accountancy, tax and advisory services, and are experts at simplifying complexity.  We are particularly well-known for working with complex clients with challenging issues in fast-moving and highly technical areas, such as the insurance industry, the global capital markets and the not for profit sector.  Our aim is to understand people, the organisations they run, and what matters to them, so we can simplify complexity and help them achieve their ambitions.

Click here to learn more about us.

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Infrastructure 

We are good at getting things done and our Infrastructure team applies this mentality to ensure we have the right tools, technology, strategies and services in place to deliver exceptional client service and future-proof our growing business.

We’re looking for forward-thinking people to come on board and join us within Technical & Compliance, Finance, IT, Training, Human Resources, Business Development/Marketing, Legal, and Administration.

These teams play a key role in the success of the firm as they shape the way we operate. By joining one of these teams, you’ll influence the future of PKF, while enjoying the support, training and opportunities you need to succeed both personally and professionally.

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The Ethics Manager / Senior Manager performs an important role within the Firm’s system of quality management (SOQM) in providing the day-to-day support to ensure the Firm maintains its independence, avoids conflicts and breaches, and complies with all of the legal and regulatory requirements regarding ethics and independence. This role requires the application of proven knowledge and expertise in the requirements of the ethical frameworks that apply to a UK audit practice, including those relevant to firms registered to audit public interest entities. 

Job Duties and Responsibilities

This is a position that requires a strong and effective ability to understand and address a multitude of firm-wide matters relevant to the Firm’s overarching ethical frameworks. This includes, but is not limited to, responding to ethical queries, performing monitoring activities on the controls supporting the Firm’s SOQM, undertaking the root cause analysis process for all ethical breaches, and developing and delivering ethics training and ethics related materials. You must be a strong team player able to work effectively within the Ethics Function and across the Firm.  You must also have the ability to liaise with and win the confidence of senior partners and staff within the Firm, the Firm’s network, as well as the Firm’s regulatory bodies.

Queries

• Researching, drafting, and responding to queries covering all ethical and independence matters that are relevant to the Firm, which includes, but is not limited to, the Financial Reporting Council’s Revised Ethical Standard, the ICAEW Code of Ethics, the IESBA Code of Ethics and the PCAOB / SEC ethics and independence rules.
• Researching, drafting, and responding to ethical breaches notified to, and or identified by, the Ethics Function.
• Logging all ethical queries and breaches in the relevant registers, enacting actions arising from breaches / commonly recurring queries and areas of improvement.
• Reporting the themes from the ethical queries and breaches, including the actions or areas of improvement arising to the Firm’s Professional Standards Committee
• Drafting and issuing, after review and approval by the Ethics Partner, the ethics breaches report for submission to the Financial Reporting Council.
• Responding to regulatory requests for information relating to ethical matters.
• Providing support and advice to the Ethics Partner, the Ethics Function and the Technical and Compliance Partner.

System of quality management

• Updating, issuing, and reviewing the new starter and annual fit and proper declarations completed by all partners, staff, contractors, and consultants.
• Updating, issuing, and reviewing the sub-contracting arrangement documentation, including the sub-contractor fit and proper declarations.
• Reviewing, updating, and maintaining the ethics and independence related registers with support from the compliance administrator (e.g., fit and proper forms, breaches, ethical queries, non-audit services, gifts and hospitality, non-audit services fee cap, long association, transnational entities, prohibited investments, etc).
• Undertaking the monitoring activities relating to the quality risks and responses devised for the relevant ethical requirements component of the Firm’s system of quality management. Reporting the findings from those monitoring activities, which includes the conclusions on the effectiveness of the designed responses and any changes or additions required to the Firm’s policies, procedures, quality risks and responses, to the Ethics Partner and the Technical and Compliance Partner (individual responsible for monitoring and remediation.
• Performing the root cause analysis requirements for all potential and actual breaches of the Firm’s ethical requirements. This includes, but is not limited to, arranging, and leading the meetings, finalising, and communicating the outcomes from those meetings, and performing the monitoring activities to ensure the remedial actions are effectively implemented.
• Reviewing and updating the Firm’s ethical policies and procedures, including ethics related working papers and templates embedded within the Firm’s methodology, for developments and updates in the underlying ethical requirements and those arising from regulatory findings.
• Monitoring the ethical regulatory framework for any updates, identifying the impact, and reporting the recommended changes or information to the Ethics Partner, the Professional Standards Committee (PSC), the Audit Quality Oversight Team (AQOT) and the Firm as a whole.
• Dealing with international conflict of interest checks issued by the PKF network.

Training and guidance

• Preparing and presenting ethics related training, including, but not limited to, induction, annual updates and changes in regulatory requirements.
• Developing and issuing ethics related materials, guidance, and articles - this includes, but is not limited to, the issuance of ethics monitoring alerts and newsletters.
• Updating and maintaining the ethics related content on the Firm’s intranet.

 Miscellaneous

• Liaison with, and attendance at, relevant mid-tier meetings, PKF UK&I meetings and external regulatory events pertaining to ethics related matters.
• Any other duties appropriate to the grade and level of responsibility of the post, for which the post holder has the necessary experience and/or training.

Skills, Experience and Qualifications

• Either a professional accountancy qualification (e.g. ICAEW, ACCA or equivalent) with at least 3 years post-qualification experience (Senior Manager) / 1-year post-qualification experience (Manager) or experience in a similar role (at least 5 years (Senior Manager) / 3 years (Manager)).
• Proven technical skills, knowledge, and experience of the UK ethical and independence requirements (FRC’s Revised Ethical Standard and ICAEW Code of Ethics).
• Working knowledge and experience of the International ethical and independence requirements set out in the IESBA Code of Ethics, and the ethics and independence rules established by the PCAOB and SEC.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and other applications (e.g., Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and SharePoint).
• Previous experience of:
  • working in audit practice or in a similar role applying ethical standards or similar ethical regulatory frameworks. The role would also be suited to an auditor demonstrating strong technical aptitude looking to move into a role within ethics;
  • writing and delivering guidance and training materials; and
  • working autonomously and as a member of a team.
• Recognised and evidenced ability to:
  • interpret regulations, standards, and codes and how to apply the requirements in a practical manner;
  • deal with complex, multi-faceted issues and reach clear evidenced based conclusions; and
  • communicate verbally and in writing in a clear and concise manner.
• Strong and proven organisational (i.e. time and project management) and presentational skills.

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