Controls Assurance Programme Lead

Company Description

We're ASOS. We blend our flair for fashion with our love of cutting-edge technology, but more importantly we're interested in how we can bring the best out of you.

We exist to give people the confidence to be whoever they want to be, and that goes for our people too. At ASOS, you're free to be your true self without judgment, and channel your creativity into a platform used by millions.

Through our Fashion with Integrity strategy we are driving diversity, equity and inclusion across every aspect of ASOS and ensuring every ASOSer can be their authentic self at work. We want our people to be whoever they want to be, because we believe people who bring their best selves to work, do their best work.

Job Description

The Controls Assurance Programme Lead is responsible for driving the design and implementation of the ASOS’ Controls Programme (ACP). The programme is looking to enhance controls across Finance, Compliance, Operations, and Technology, whilst ensuring ASOS is ready for new controls requirements under the UK Corporate Governance Code. Within this role, you will oversee the delivery of the ACP, ensuring it has effective governance, considers risks, and drives compliance while protecting and enabling business agility.

Whilst driving the Programme is the primary focus, the role will also act as a senior controls expert, providing strategic leadership and technical guidance, and helping the business to embed sustainable, scalable control mechanisms that strengthen financial and operational resilience. Working closely with Internal Audit, Risk Management, Business Continuity, Group Finance, Technology, Compliance, and Operations, the role will ensure that effective controls are integrated into business processes and provisions are in place for them to be monitored beyond implementation.

This position requires a strong programme manager with gravitas and a proven track record in implementing controls frameworks and leading large-scale transformation initiatives in less mature environments. We are looking for someone who can be a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders, ensuring the control environment supports both commercial objectives and regulatory compliance.

The Details

Programme Management:

• Lead the successful execution of the ACP, ensuring it delivers a robust, well-integrated controls framework that enhances governance, risk management, and compliance.
• Act as a key ambassador to senior leadership, translating programme requirements and coordinating input for the ACP steering committee.
• Support all business areas to drive completion of the Programme, including those which are less used to controls language and formalised requirements.
• Own and maintain detailed roadmaps, milestones, and deliverables, ensuring programme objectives are met on time and within scope.
• Develop and implement governance and reporting structures to track progress, proactively identify risks, and drive issue resolution.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams including Finance, Technology, ESG, Compliance, Operations, and Internal Audit & Risk to ensure programme objectives are achieved.

Controls Advisory:

• Act as a trusted subject matter expert on internal controls, ensuring the design, implementation, and ongoing enhancement of a scalable and efficient control framework.
• Provide technical guidance on control design and effectiveness, ensuring controls are pragmatic, well-integrated into business processes, and aligned with regulatory requirements.
• Drive the standardisation and automation of key controls across Finance, Compliance, Operations, and Technology, ensuring efficiency and sustainability, including supporting areas of lower maturity.
• Collaborate with business units to embed the control framework, ensuring that processes, technology, and risk management are effectively integrated.
• Deliver training and upskilling to relevant teams, equipping control owners with the knowledge and tools to implement and sustain effective controls.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Build strong relationships with senior leadership across Finance, Compliance, Technology, and Operations, ensuring controls are understood, embedded, and owned at the right levels.
• Act as a strategic advisor to executive stakeholders, translating complex control and risk concepts into clear, actionable insights that support decision-making.
• Champion the importance of controls, ensuring a culture where controls are seen as a business enabler rather than a compliance burden.
• Lead and coordinate regular steering committee meetings, providing concise updates on programme status, key risks, and next steps.
• Develop and execute a clear communication strategy, ensuring engagement at all levels and fostering accountability for controls across the organisation.

Compliance & Continuous Improvement:

• Ensure the resulting controls and assurance framework is ready to support the new UK Corporate Governance Code requirements, embedding strong governance across Finance, Compliance, Operations, and Technology.
• Help embed a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring that controls remain effective, efficient, and scalable beyond initial implementation.
• Identify and embed process efficiencies and automated control mechanisms to reduce manual effort while enhancing governance.
• Support the business through change management initiatives, ensuring controls are embedded in day-to-day operations rather than seen as a one-off project.
• Monitor and adapt the controls framework in response to regulatory changes, evolving risks, and business growth, ensuring it remains fit for purpose.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in delivering a controls or business process improvement programme, working cross-functionally with senior stakeholders, in less mature and listed company environments.
• Experience with implementing and advising on control frameworks, other relevant risk management practices, and/or business process improvement.
• Strong knowledge of governance frameworks such as COSO and the UK Corporate Governance Code.
• Relevant professional qualification an advantage (e.g., Prince2, APM, ACA, CIMA, etc).

About You

You are a seasoned professional with extensive experience in managing cross-functional controls or business process improvement projects involving multiple senior stakeholders. Your strong leadership and project management skills have consistently delivered large-scale, complex programmes on time and within budget. With gravitas, excellent communication, and strong interpersonal skills, you have effectively influenced and negotiated with stakeholders at all levels. You are detail-oriented whilst still able to see the big picture and to adapt your approach to carve out solutions that are acceptable for all stakeholders. Through a focus on quality, governance, and continuous improvement, you excel at managing multiple projects simultaneously and analysing data efficiently and accurately. Your ability to coherently and simply explain technical concepts to a wider business audience of all levels and experience with impact sets you apart.

Additional Information

BeneFITS

• Employee discount (hello ASOS discount!)
• ASOS Develops (personal development opportunities across the business)
• Employee sample sales
• Access to a huge range of LinkedIn learning materials
• 25 days paid annual leave + an extra celebration day for a special moment
• Discretionary bonus scheme
• Private medical care scheme
• Flexible benefits allowance - which you can choose to take as extra cash, or use towards other benefits

Why take our word for it? Search #InsideASOS on our socials to see what life at ASOS is like.