We are seeking an experienced and strategic leader to join GCS as Head of Audit Execution, acting as the senior accountable leader for audit execution, quality and capability development.
This role is responsible for the end-to-end execution of audit services through GCS, ensuring that offshore audit teams operate as an integrated extension of the onshore audit practice, supporting engagement teams across the full audit cycle while maintaining full alignment with professional standards, firm methodology and regulatory expectations.
You will play a pivotal role in:
- Embedding audit quality and risk management excellence
- Scaling and optimizing our offshore capability model
- Building a high-performing audit workforce
- Strengthening collaboration across our global audit platform
Key Responsibilities
1. Strategic & Audit Capability Leadership
- Lead and scale the GCS Audit Capability in line with the member firm's strategic objectives and growth plans
- Lead the execution and ongoing evolution of the GCS operating model, ensuring seamless integration with engagement teams and adherence to established governance and quality standards
- Drive continuous improvement in audit execution through process optimization, standardization and the use of technology
- Lead the end-to-end execution of audit work across the GCS, supporting the full audit lifecycle from planning through to completion
- Ensure offshore teams are fully embedded within engagement teams, fostering collaboration and contributing seamlessly to client delivery
- Monitor performance across key metrics, including quality, timelines, utilization and budget
2. Audit Quality, Risk Management & Compliance
- Hold primary responsibility for audit quality within the GCS Audit Unit
- Drive a quality-first culture, ensuring compliance with global audit methodology and regulatory standards
- Oversee review processes and address findings arising from internal and external quality reviews
- Act as the escalation point for quality, performance and technical issues across the GCS audit function
- Partner with Risk & Quality teams to continuously strengthen audit quality outcomes
3. Operational Leadership & Workforce Management
- Provide leadership across all audit teams, ensuring efficient and effective operations
- Build and manage a scalable, high-performing offshore audit workforce aligned to growth plans
- Oversee resource planning, utilization and optimization to maximize productivity
- Embed structured performance management, appraisal and promotion frameworks aligned with global practices
- Drive operational efficiencies through process standardization, improvement and automation
4. Stakeholder Engagement and Transition
- Lead the transition of audit work into GCS, ensuring continuity of audit execution and minimal disruption to engagements
- Manage transition hyper-care to stabilize execution and resolve early-stage challenges
- Act as the senior escalation point and primary GCS audit contact for partners and engagement teams across the global network on any challenges and engagement risks
- Build strong relationships with audit leadership to ensure alignment on:
- Expectations, operating model and quality standards
- Scope of work, engagement planning and resourcing decisions
- Ensure clear, transparent communication across all stakeholders
5. Strategy & Innovation
- Contribute to the evolution of the global audit capability strategy, including centralization and digital enablement
- Contribute to firm-wide initiatives relating to global audit execution, transformation and efficiency
- Drive innovation through:
- Data analytics and digital audit tools
- Process standardization and automation
- Identify opportunities to enhance value delivered to engagement teams and clients
6. People Leadership & Culture
- Foster a high-performance, collaborative and inclusive culture aligned with Grant Thornton values
- Drive talent development through structured learning, mentoring and career pathways
- Promote a one team global mindset across onshore and offshore teams
- Support the development of clear career progression frameworks for GCS audit professionals
- Establish and oversee an Audit Quality Coaching model to drive consistent quality standards and ensure ongoing improvement in:
- Workpaper quality and documentation
- Risk identification and audit approach
- Communication with onshore engagement teams
Success Profile
- Strong focus on audit quality, regulatory compliance and professional standards
- Commercial awareness balanced with professional and ethical obligations
- Ability to operate in a complex, multi-jurisdictional and culturally diverse environment
- Proven leadership in building, scaling and developing high-performing teams and capabilities
- Strong employee engagement, retention, and talent development, fostering a high-performing and inclusive culture
- Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills, with a track record of fostering trusted relationships and high levels of stakeholder satisfaction
Skills, Experience & Qualifications
Technical Expertise
- Qualified accountant (CPA, ACA, ACCA or equivalent)
- Significant (12–15+ years) audit experience, ideally within a Big 4 or leading professional services firm
- Strong knowledge of international auditing standards and methodologies, financial reporting and regulatory standards
Leadership Experience
- Proven experience leading large-scale audit delivery or shared service/global capability centers
- Strong track record in managing multi-location teams and complex audit portfolios
- Experience driving operational transformation and scaling capability and execution models
Stakeholder Management & Communication
- Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence senior stakeholders
- Excellent communication and relationship management skills
- Experience working within global, matrixed organizations
