Job Description

Are you someone who likes working with data, driving innovation and using insight to identify things that donxe2x80x99t look right and could be a risk? Do you want to work in an award winning, high-profile team that gives you the opportunity to influence at the highest level? Our team works in a fast paced, customer focused, flexible and friendly environment and has an unmatched opportunity to interact with and add value to the largest building society in the world.Why Internal Audit?The proliferation of data, and the increased use of AI, automation and transformation is changing the way the business operates. We are looking for a Principal Data Scientist on a 12 month fixed term contract to work in a fast-paced environment, we are continuously looking to improve how we provide assurance so that it continues to provide value to the organization. We do this by being more data led and using new and innovative techniquesInternal Audit is innovating our processes, and the need to draw out insight from data is at the very heart of this. The goal is not to simply produce analysis to answer ad-hoc queries, but to transform the function in order to unlock real value across the entire audit lifecycle.We are a small data insights team of six, but we punch above our weight. We have a culture of continuous improvement and innovation that is key xe2x80x93 thatxe2x80x99s why we are an award-winning team, recognised in the industry for our work. We work closely with the 100 or so auditors, from a broad range of backgrounds including treasury, finance, risk, IT, transformation and distribution.At Nationwide we offer hybrid working wherever possible. More rewarding relationships are supported through our hybrid approach, bringing colleagues together across our UK wide estate, whilst also supporting generous access to home working. We value our time in the office to solve problems, to learn, and to feel connected.For this job you'll spend at least two days per week, or if part time you'll spend 40% of your working time, based at either our London, Swindon or Northampton office. If your application is successful, your hiring manager will provide further details on how this works. You can also find out more about our approach to .If we receive a high volume of relevant applications, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so please apply as soon as you can.What youxe2x80x99ll be doingReporting to the Audit Senior Manager in the Data Insight team in IA youxe2x80x99ll be:Part of a team helping to deliver the strategy for data analytics in Internal Audit (IA), by ensuring that you are utilising the appropriate technology, processes and techniques to support its delivery.

• Problem solving and communicating how data and analysis can support our wider risk assurance.
• Champion the use of data science techniques to provide deeper insight into the risk universe.
• Be a beacon for innovation. Using tools and techniques available to help develop a suite of analytics solutions that will increase the usage of data and draw out insight.
• Working with the audit team, IAxe2x80x99s senior leadership team, key stakeholders and data owners across the Society to ensure that an extensive range of data is available to IA and used effectively.
• Using your knowledge and expertise to enable IA to enhance its usage of data from across the Society and to develop and deepen colleaguesxe2x80x99 technical and data literacy skills.
• Play an active role in benchmarking the team against industry best practice.

About youWe are looking for someone who is up for a challenge xe2x80x93 tenacious, positive, passionate about analysis and willing to try new approaches with a learning mindset. Proven experience in using data to drive tangible deliverables is important, but youxe2x80x99ll also be someone who displays the right values, attitude and behavioursxe2x80x93 not only to fit in with our highly professional and friendly team, but also to be an ambassador for our Function across Nationwide. Any previous risk or audit experience would be useful.As a minimum youxe2x80x99ll:

• Show the ability to think laterally to solve problems and evidence strong communication skills.
• Champion the use of data to support audit delivery.
• Be able to demonstrate your analytical skills and industry knowledge through an understanding and interpretation of business data in a variety of areas.
• Be confident in influencing others and building professional business relationships at various levels across the Society, showing your proven negotiating skills.
• Have extensive experience of Python and the ability to utilise it in a commercial sense.
• Have understanding and experience of other analytical tools and relational query languages such as Python, SAS, SQL, etc.
• Be highly proficient in advanced Excel skills with knowledge of BI tools such as Power BI or QlikSense desirable.
• Possess a numeric qualification, either at A-level or Degree level.
• Have exceptional organisational skills to deliver a suite of analytical solutions to a variety of complex questions, ensuring theyxe2x80x99re high quality and in line with our wider audit methodology.
• Champion innovation and be comfortable in terms of communicating complex messages.
• Be able to confidently influence others and build professional business relationships during an audit with senior business stakeholders.
• Be brave in your approach, overcoming any barriers that arise, with the confidence that you will be supported to be your most productive and best self.
• Be comfortable with change, helping us to identify and implement continuous improvement initiatives to deliver our strategy.

Our customer first behaviours put customers and members at the heart of how we work together. They are the set of behaviours that every colleague needs to display, in every role:

• Feel what customers feel - We step into our customersxe2x80x99 shoes, using their feedback and insights to empathise with them and to understand their needs, so that every decision we make starts and finishes with our customers in mind
• Say it straight - We are brave in speaking out and saying what we think xe2x80x93 wexe2x80x99re honest and direct with good intent, openly sharing diverse perspectives to reach the best conclusions and using language everyone can understand
• Push for better - We donxe2x80x99t settle for mediocrity, we challenge the status quo, taking responsibility for continuous improvement and personal development
• Get it done - We prioritise what will have the greatest impact, we are decisive, and we take accountability for delivering brilliant customer outcomes.

You can strengthen your application by showing how our customer first behaviours resonate with you, and where you may have already demonstrated these.The extras youxe2x80x99ll getThere are all sorts of employee benefits available at Nationwide, including:

• A personal pension xe2x80x93 if you put in 7% of your salary, wexe2x80x99ll top up by a further 16%
• Up to 2 days of paid volunteering a year
• Life assurance worth 8x your salary
• A great selection of additional benefits through our salary sacrifice scheme
• Wellhub xe2x80x93 Access to a range of free and paid options for health and wellness
• Access to an annual performance related bonus
• Access to training to help you develop and progress your career
• 25 days holiday, pro rata

Banking xe2x80x93 but fairer, more rewarding, and for the good of societyWe forge our own path at Nationwide.As a mutual, wexe2x80x99re owned by our members - those customers who bank, save or have a mortgage with us. We challenge the financial sector status quo. We donxe2x80x99t see customers as the engine of our own profit. We share our profits with them and put their needs first. Always there when they need us. Supporting them and their lives.If youxe2x80x99re inspired by fairer finances, passionate about making a meaningful impact, and truly care about our customers, youxe2x80x99re one of us.At Nationwide, you are challenged to grow and rewarded for doing so. Valued. Recognised. Inspired to be your best. As a community we want our working lives to count. As a team, we celebrate what we achieve. As a standard-setter, we work for the good of customers, communities, and broader society.We are Purpose-driven. Uncompromisingly Customer. Unstoppably Nationwide.What to do nextIf this role is for you, please click the xe2x80x98Apply Nowxe2x80x99 button. Youxe2x80x99ll need to attach your up-to-date CV and answer a few quick questions for us.We respond to everyone, so we will be in contact shortly after the closing date to let you know the outcome of your application.#LI-POST

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