TERMS OF REFERENCE
Chief Auditor – St Helena Audit Service
1. Introduction
1.1. St Helena Government offers an opportunity for a CCAB qualified accountant with proven external audit and management skills within Central or Local Government to lead the Saint Helena Audit Service.
1.2. The service is fundamental in ensuring Good Governance within St Helena Government. The service is responsible for providing independent assurance on whether government resources are used and accounted for properly, promoting public accountability in the public administration of St Helena, providing advise to the Public Accounts Committee and conducting the Value for Money (VFM) audits for St Helena Government and other St Helenian public bodies as laid down in legislation.
1.3. This is a unique opportunity as the Saint Helena Audit Service is preparing to audit for the first time, the consolidated financial statements of St Helena Government prepared on an accruals basis under the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) framework following International Standards on Auditing (ISA’s).
1.4. You will be enthusiastic, self-motivated and results driven. Critically, you will be highly adaptable and capable of applying your technical knowledge and experience to unfamiliar operations and activities.
2. Background
2.1. The Saint Helena Audit Service is located on the island of St Helena. The island of St Helena, an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom, is of volcanic origin and covers 47 sq miles. It is located in the South Atlantic Ocean approximately 4,000 miles from the UK, 1100 miles west of the coast of Angola, and 1700 miles from Cape Town, South Africa. The Island’s population is around 4,000 people about one fifth of whom live in the capital, Jamestown. The economy is typical of small islands with high import dependency, a non-diversified economic base, a large public sector and out-migration. St Helena is in receipt of UK and EU budgetary aid to support the provision of public services and to meet the population’s reasonable assistance needs.
2.2. The only regular means of access to the island is by sea, on the RMS St Helena. In November 2011 a contract to build an airport on St Helena, funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), was signed by the St Helena Government and Basil Read, a South African based Civil Engineering firm. The project entails the construction and operation of an airport to support safe operation of Boeing 737-700 or equivalent aircraft, together with the introduction of scheduled air services. The project will transform travel to and from the Island, and open up opportunities for sustainable economic regeneration and ultimate financial self-sufficiency for St Helena.
2.3. The Saint Helena Audit Service is headed by the Chief Auditor (Auditor General) and has eight members of staff. The Chief Auditor is appointed by the Secretary of State and his staff are appointed by the islands Governor. Staff include a part qualified accountant, a Certified Accounting Technician and Certified Accounting Technician students. Four of the seven members of staff in post have been employed by the St Helena Audit Service in excess of five years.
2.4. The Saint Helena Government (SHG) is currently involved in a significant change programme to actively support the airport construction phase, which is expected to be completed by December 2015. SHG continues to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of all its operations and good financial management and scrutiny is a key part of this. As part of the change programme, SHG has moved from cash to accruals accounting within the last 18 months.
3. Overall scope of work and objectives
3.
3.1. The post of Chief Auditor is equivalent to the post of Auditor General in many jurisdictions and has responsibility for the audit of Saint Helena Government accounts, the audit of other financial statements and for conducting a programme of VFM audits covering government expenditure. The office of Chief Auditor is established under the Constitution of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha and operates with a high degree of autonomy.
3.2. Saint Helena Government is undergoing profound changes in its financial systems and has recently moved from a cash to an accruals basis of accounting. This will make demands on the Saint Helena Audit Service and the Chief Auditor in particular who will have to audit the first comprehensive valuation of the government’s non cash assets and liabilities.
3.3. The Chief Auditor is the key advisor to the Public Accounts Committee and plays a pivotal role in the formal sessions and is able to questions officers within Government on VFM issues.
4. Duties
4.1 The Chief Auditor’s specific responsibilities include:
· Overall responsibility for ensuring compliance with the International Standards on Auditing (ISA’s) and internationally recognised best practice,
· Ensuring that audit work and reporting is in accordance with local legislation,
· Overseeing the audit of the St Helena Government Accounts on behalf of the Legislative Council, the elected representatives of the people;
· Overseeing other audits, including, the Bank of Saint Helena, Enterprise St Helena, Currency Fund, the Government of Tristan da Cunha, and several donor and parastatal audits;
· Overseeing the execution of Value for Money audits, including planning future reviews, and reporting findings to the Audit Committee, Public Accounts Committee and Legislative Council;
· Annual review and reporting on the budgetary process;
· Promoting public accountability in the public administration of St Helena;
· Acting as advisor to the Public Accounts Committee which including ongoing support and development of the Committee through training sessions;
· Managing the Saint Helena Audit Service, with eight staff and a budget of approximately £100,000 per annum;
· Implementing the recommendations which relate to the work and functions of the Audit Service of any audits carried out by an independent audit body which may be commissioned by SHG or DFID;
· Managing the relationship with audit clients on a commercial basis, to ensure that audit fee income charged remains at full cost recovery;
· Review and monitor plans for succession, and individual’s training and development plans;
· Conducting investigations or reviews at the request of the Governor, to the extent that these do not lead to a conflict of interest.
5. Reporting arrangements
4.
5.
5.1. The Chief Auditor reports to the Governor, but is not subject to the direction of any
person in the exercise of his/her duties under the Constitution or the Audit Ordinance.
5.2. Further, the budget of the Saint Helena Audit Service is presented to the PAC and approved by them on an annual basis, quarterly reporting against the Annual Plan is provided to the PAC.
6. Person Specification
Qualifications
· CCAB qualified accountant
Experience
· At least 5 years post qualifying audit experience;
· Experience in managing audits at a senior level within Central or Local Government or within the National Health Service, ideally with experience of working under the Audit Commission regime in the UK and will have led audits covering a wide range of different issues would be an advantage;
· In completing and delvering VFM reports;
· Experience in managing working relationships with senior officials and members;
· Experience of managing change, delivering efficiencies and improving good governance; and
· Working under the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) framework would be desirable.
Competencies
· Commitment to the ethical standards of their professional body;
· Proficient in the execution of financial and VFM auditing;
· Excellent communication, numerical and analytical skills;
· The ability to communicate complex technical and financial issues to non-specialists;
· Familiar with issues raised by transition from cash to accruals accounting;
· Adaptable and flexible in response to changing circumstances; and
· Proven people management, mentoring and training skills.
7. Timeframe
7.1 This contract is initially for three years.
June 2012