Head of Technology Controls Assurance

Why we're hiring:

 

This role provides strategic leadership, oversight, and direction for second line assurance across WPP’s technology applications, ensuring operational controls are designed and operating effectively, supported by complete and accurate evidence.

You will lead and develop a team of Senior Analysts and Analysts who deliver structured assurance over a diverse application landscape, detecting noncompliance early, driving remediation, and strengthening first line ownership of controls.

The role ensures alignment with the wider Technology Risk & Controls strategy, provides risk based insights to leadership, and supports readiness for broader third line reviews, even where applications sit outside SOX scope.

 

What you'll be doing:

 

Strategic Leadership of Assurance Activities

• Own the second line assurance strategy for Technology applications and Infrastructure, setting clear expectations for testing, evidence standards, and issue escalation.
• Build and maintain a consistent, scalable assurance methodology across a heterogeneous application estate.
• Prioritise assurance activity based on risk, impact, and known areas of weakness.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, coach, and develop 2nd line assurance teams to deliver control testing and evidence evaluation.
• Build capability in judgement led assurance, risk assessment, evidence review, and issue analysis.
• Promote a high-performance culture anchored in clarity, consistency, and early risk detection.

Oversight of Application Control Assurance

• Oversee assurance across key technology controls, including user access, configuration management, data integrity, change management, interface controls, and operational procedures.
• Ensure completeness, accuracy, and traceability of control evidence across application environments.
• Identify systemic issues and drive improvements in control design and execution.

Early Risk Identification & Remediation Leadership

• Ensure non-compliance, gaps, and emerging risks are detected early and escalated proportionately.
• Partner with Firstline teams to support root cause analysis and ensure timely, sustainable remediation.
• Maintain transparent oversight of risk trends, open issues, and remediation progress.

Strengthening First line Ownership

• Reinforce the expectation that first line teams own control operation, documentation, and narrative.
• Provide clarity on what good looks like for control evidence, rationale, and execution.
• Maintain a strong second line independence boundary—assessing controls, not operating them.

Assurance Reporting & Risk Insight

• Deliver succinct, insight driven reporting to Technology Leadership and senior stakeholders.
• Provide thematic insights on recurring weaknesses, capability gaps, and systemic control issues.
• Support risk governance forums, providing an accurate view of application control health.

Audit Alignment & External Assurance Readiness

• Align with Internal Audit on known risk areas, recurring themes, and documentation expectations.
• Support coordination where application controls may form part of broader audit scopes.
•  Present a consistent assurance narrative aligned with WPP’s overall risk and controls strategy.

 

What you'll need:

Qualification Requirements (Desirable):

 

• Experience in audit coordination, IT audit, technology risk, or program management.
• Understanding of SOX IT controls, audit processes, or technology governance.
• Certifications such as CISA, CRISC, ITIL, or equivalent are beneficial.

Skills / Experience Requirements:

 

• Ability to lead multilevel assurance teams and ensure consistent high-quality execution.
• Strong judgement and scepticism in assessing evidence, control strength, and rationale quality.
• Excellent communication skills—able to translate technology risks into clear business impact.
•  Experience managing assurance across diverse application environments.
• Ability to influence, challenge constructively, and collaborate across global technology teams.

 

 

Who you are:

You're open: We are inclusive and collaborative; we encourage the free exchange of ideas; we respect and celebrate diverse views. We are open-minded: to new ideas, new partnerships, new ways of working.

You're optimistic: We believe in the power of creativity, technology and talent to create brighter futures or our people, our clients and our communities. We approach all that we do with conviction: to try the new and to seek the unexpected.

You're extraordinary: we are stronger together: through collaboration we achieve the amazing. We are creative leaders and pioneers of our industry; we provide extraordinary every day.

What we'll give you:

Passionate, inspired people – We aim to create a culture in which people can do extraordinary work.

Scale and opportunity – We offer the opportunity to create, influence and complete projects at a scale that is unparalleled in the industry.

Challenging and stimulating work – Unique work and the opportunity to join a group of creative problem solvers. Are you up for the challenge?