Course Description

We run a wide range of training courses many of which are already scheduled to run in the next twelve plus months. Dates for these courses can be viewed in the course diary section.

Below are set out some brief descriptions of these courses together with others not currently scheduled. As well as running these for you as public courses we can also run these in-house for your team, or for a range of individuals that you may pull together. We are also able to develop any other training courses that you may need, or tailor existing courses to meet your specific needs.

Action Centred Internal Audit Reporting more info....

Providing Assurance in the Public Sector more info...

Introduction to Internal Auditing more info...

The Lead Auditor more info...

Enterprise-Wide Risk Management more info...

The Role of Internal Audit in Organisational Assurance more info...

Communication and Relationship Management Skills for Internal Auditors more info...

Risk Based Internal Auditing more info...

Effectively Managing your Internal Audit Function more info...

Developing an Assurance Framework more info...

Advanced Risk Management Based Internal Auditing more info...

Coaching Skills for Internal Auditors more info...

Applying Consulting Techniques to Internal Audit Work more info...

Effectively acting as the in-charge auditor more info...

Action centred internal audit management more info...

The toolkit for new internal auditors more info...

Softer skills for internal auditors more info...

Controls Transformation more info...

Delivering Integrated Assurance more info...

Corporate Governance for Effective Risk Management more info

Understanding Internal Auditing more info

Integrated Assurance more info

Combined Assurance more info

Action Centred Internal Audit Reporting

The definitive guide to writing internal audit reports that will bring about change within your organisation

Internal audit reports are often the only tangible output seen from the work of internal audit. Therefore it is essential that reports are professional and written in a way that will bring about immediate change. Reports are often overlong and poorly written. This two day highly interactive course will help you to develop your writing style but will also bring you up to date on current thinking about the quality and content of internal audit reports.

Unlike other reporting courses, this course focuses on relationship development, relationship management and coaching, as all of these skills are essential if you are to produce truly action centred reports. In addition you are given practice in writing and reviewing reports and will be given the opportunity to critically appraise a report that you have recently written. The instructor will also review one of your reports and provide constructive feedback on how it might be improved.

During this highly interactive seminar you will learn:

• How your report writing starts at the initial stages of the audit assignment
• What recipients expect from your reports and how to exceed their expectations
• How to write reports that have immediate impact and will bring about change within your organisation
• The do’s and don’t’s of effective report writing
• How to coach your audit clients to determine the actions that need to be taken to address issues raised in your audit reports

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Providing Assurance in the Public Sector

Developing an underlying framework for reporting on the effectiveness of internal control

All public and not-for profit sector organisations now have to make a statement on internal control in their annual report. This requires them to have undertaken a review the effectiveness of internal control (adopting a risk based approach) and to arrive at a view on whether or not internal control is effective.

A key challenge is to define precisely what the statement on internal control is covering. Does it simply relate to internal control or are we also making comments on our corporate governance and risk management frameworks and processes. Also, how do we/should we define the ‘system of internal control’?

• The formal content of the statement on internal control (including both good and not so good examples)
• How the board might best gain the assurance they need to sign off on this statement
• The role of the audit committee in co-ordinating the efforts
• The role of the auditors (both internal and external) in providing assurance
• Gaining buy-in from line management and their staff to their roles, responsibilities and accountabilities
• How to develop an assurance framework which links in with risk and control frameworks
  

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Introduction to Internal Auditing

A hands-on two-day course designed to give you up-to date knowledge of internal auditing, including the role, purpose and practice

With recent changes in corporate governance and the increasing emphasis on risk management and control, internal audit has become much higher profile within almost all organisations. The skills needed by internal auditors are changing with an increasing focus being given to the ‘softer skills’, but technical knowledge is also critical to the success of an internal audit function and individual internal auditors. This course provides a detailed introduction to the role, purpose and practice of modern internal auditing. In particular, on this course you will cover:

• Corporate Governance
• Risk Assessment And Risk Management
• Risk Based Internal Auditing
• Control Design And Assessment Skills
• Writing And Presenting Audit Reports
• Interviewing Skills, Fact Finding, Fact Reporting
• Professional Standards For Internal Auditing
  

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The Lead Auditor

Tools and techniques for effective leadership in assignment planning, fieldwork and reporting

Taking the leading role in an audit assignment can be challenging but also exciting. To do this effectively and to deliver value to your organisation from your audit work, you need to have an understanding of new and emerging issues and audit techniques. This course will lead you through an audit assignment and will teach you some of the techniques you may use to deliver a shorter, sharper audit that will truly have impact. In addition, we will examine some of the ‘softer’ skills you need to lead an audit team
And to develop and manage excellent relationships with your clients.

This two day, highly participative and interactive course will focus on the following areas:

• Understanding new and emerging internal auditing techniques such as risk based internal auditing
• Planning the individual audit assignment to focus on the key issues – adopting the 90:10 rule
• Carrying out an effective audit assignment – from assignment planning through to completion of fieldwork
• Focusing our audit work on monitoring controls and other monitoring activities of line management
• Action centred reporting - ensuring that change happens as a result
• Understanding the ‘softer’ skills need to lead your team appropriately and effectively
• Developing and managing good relationships with your clients

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Enterprise-Wide Risk Management

Understanding, Developing and Implementing an Effective Framework

EWRM is rapidly becoming one of the most important business imperatives. At its most basic level it enables an organisation to develop and implement a consistent approach to managing risk across the entire organisation.

This course sets out some of the key EWRM principles and will enable you to develop a toolkit which you can then take back to use within your own organisation. The key areas to be covered over this interactive and hands on two day course include:

• Examining the transition from insurance to EWRM
• A review of current and future risk management standards
• The key activities within the risk management cycle
• Developing an appropriate framework for EWRM
• Starting the EWRM journey
• Assessing the risk maturity of your own organisation
• Gaining assurance on the appropriateness and effectiveness of risk management within your own organisation

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The Role of Internal Audit in Organisational Assurance

Becoming part of the organisational assurance framework

In recent years there has been much talk about the importance of enterprise risk management in helping to govern an organisation and enabling it to better achieve its objectives. Less emphasis has been given, however, to developing an assurance framework i.e. to give the board assurance that risks are being managed to an acceptable level and that controls are adequate and effective and are being operated as they should be.

There are three key elements to an effective assurance framework:

• Line management should monitor and test the operation of controls within their areas of responsibility
• An organisation needs to have properly established and structured assurance functions. These will include, but may not be limited to, internal audit, health & safety, compliance and quality
• External audit will also provide a measure of assurance, particularly over controls in place to provide ‘accurate’ financial statements.

What is key for any organisation is for the board to determine the assurance it needs and to ensure that it has a properly developed assurance framework to provide the required types and levels of assurance.

This course will focus on:

• How an organisation may develop such a framework that will deliver what is outlined above
• Co-ordinating the different assurance providers to ensure that the necessary level of assurance is provided, with no gaps and minimal duplication
• How internal audit might contribute to the development of such a framework and the pivotal role that it might play in delivering assurance to the board.

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Communication and Relationship Management Skills for Internal Auditors

Develop your interpersonal skills to better manage your client relationships

Heads of Internal Audit are quite clear that they look for staff with excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Senior audit customers also state that the better auditors are those that have the ability to listen and to challenge in a rigorous and pro-active way. It is becoming clear that internal auditors need far more than pure technical knowledge and skills.

This course will enable participants to determine the key skills that are increasingly essential for internal auditors and to learn and practice these skills in a safe environment. There will be a key focus on the role of internal audit in managing relationships including tips and tactics on how to develop the relationship in the first place and how to subsequently keep on track. Key to this course is the opportunity for hands on practical sessions where participants will work with each other and receive feedback as appropriate.

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Risk Based Internal Auditing

Carrying Out Audits that have Impact and Contribute to the Achievement of the Corporate Strategy

Recent, high profile corporate scandals have highlighted the need for internal audit work to address critical business and management issues which drive an organisation’s success. Internal audit have a key role to play in providing assurance to the board, generally via the audit committee, that governance, risk and control are adequate and effective within their organisation. To do this effectively and efficiently, Internal Audit need to adopt a risk based approach to their work.

In this intensive three day seminar you will learn how to use a risk based approach to redefine and refocus your audit activities. You will cover in detail the emergence of risk management, its link with corporate governance, and how to audit risk management processes. In addition, you will learn how to incorporate management’s own view of risk with internal audit’s expertise in risk management to boost auditor productivity and build ‘bullet proof’ audit plans. You will get tips on how to write risk-based audit reports which will make a real impact.

Throughout the seminar, case studies and class exercises in conducting a real RBIA audit assignment will illustrate what you learn allowing you to build a toolkit that you can take back to the office to develop real RBIA for your own organisation.

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Effectively Managing your Internal Audit Function

Tools and techniques to become a more effective audit manager

In the current climate of changing and increasing corporate governance requirements, organisations are relying more on the independent and objective assurance provided by the Internal Audit function. They are requiring more from Internal Audit without necessarily increasing the budget!

The success of an internal audit function is highly dependent on the skills, competencies and experience of the senior staff – including the Head of Internal Audit and the managers. Yet there are very few training courses available that specifically address these issues.

This two day intensive and interactive course will focus on many of the challenges facing Heads of Internal Audit and Internal Audit Managers in keeping their functions abreast of key changes and complying with best practice Internal Audit requirements. You will focus on:

• The role and relationships of the Head of Internal Audit/Internal Audit Manager including those with the Audit Committee
• Working with rather than as a substitute for External Audit
• Understanding recent corporate governance requirements
• Developing the right strategy for your function using risk based internal auditing
• Building and managing the right relationships within your organisation
• Marketing and raising the profile of Internal Audit
• Carrying out a skills audit on the function
• Managing the function effectively incorporating key areas such as recruitment, retention, staff development, relationship management and listening skills

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Developing an Assurance Framework

The role of internal audit in organisational assurance

Boards, audit committees and other related bodies need assurance on a range of issues within their organisation. Regulators, such as the FSA, and other stakeholders are also requiring broader assurance. Global initiatives such as Basle, Sarbanes-Oxley and the Combined Code are placing greater responsibilities and accountabilities on directors and senior managers.

Additionally, in recent years there has been much talk about the importance of enterprise risk management in helping to govern an organisation and enabling it to better achieve its objectives.

To enable these requirements to be met, organisations need to develop an assurance framework i.e. to give the board the assurance they need on a range of different issues including:

Compliance with regulation

• The robustness of their risk management process
• The adequacy and effectiveness of their internal controls

What is key for any organisation is for the board to determine the assurance it needs and to ensure that it has a properly developed assurance framework to provide the required types and levels of assurance.

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Advanced Risk Management Based Internal Auditing

The definitive risk management based approach for more risk mature organisations

Internal Audit functions that adopt a risk management based approach to their work are able to concentrate their often limited resources on the issues which drive business goals and aspirations. In consequence audit plans are directed at the issues which really matter. Adopting this approach will also enable internal auditors to provide a broader range of assurance to the board/audit committee.

Internal auditors in less risk mature organisations may already adopt what they call a risk based approach to their work. Often these approaches are based almost entirely on internal audits perceptions of risk. What makes RMBIA different is that it focuses on more risk mature organisations and uses managements’ own perception of risk. If your organisation is more risk mature (using the risk maturity matrix we would define this as being either risk managed or risk enabled) you need to be firmly linking your internal audit approach into the risk management processes of your organisation to:

• Provide appropriate levels of assurance to the board/audit committee
• Demonstrate the value that internal audit provides, and
• Show how internal audit contributes to the achievement of the overall business strategy.

This course builds on basic risk based internal auditing principles that you may have learned on earlier MIS training courses, demonstrating how internal auditors can truly focus on their organisations corporate priorities and really provide value.

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Coaching Skills for Internal Auditors

Using your audit work to really make a difference to your organisation

Customers often have a negative view of internal audit and therefore resist the work that we do and the recommendations we make. We know that we provide value but need to ensure that our customers understand this too. This seminar will focus on how internal auditors can use some powerful coaching techniques to bring about change, thereby enhancing governance, risk and control within their organisation.

This is a two day course that offers a new slant on the work of internal audit. This course focuses on how we might coach or mentor our clients ensuring that change is brought about. We focus on the following areas during the two days:

• Basic coaching philosophies, principles and techniques
• Understanding yourself and what motivates you
• Using coaching techniques at every stage of the audit
• Key coaching skills for the internal auditor
• Working with the client to really make a difference to the quality of what they do and what we do

Becoming a positive influencer to bring about change within the organisation

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Applying Consulting Techniques to Internal Audit Work

Using consulting techniques to bring about sustainable change within your organisation

Customers often have a negative view of internal audit and therefore resist the work that we do and the recommendations we make. We know that we provide value but need to ensure that our customers understand this too. This seminar will focus on how internal auditors can use some powerful consulting techniques to bring about change, thereby enhancing governance, risk and control within their organisation.

To really make a difference within an organisation, internal auditors need to be able to work closely with their key stakeholders and to ensure that their work brings about sustainable change. Having the ability to use consulting techniques is a key part of this approach.

This intensive and interactive two day course offers a new slant on the work of internal audit. This course focuses on how we might use consulting techniques to carry out our work but also to coach or mentor our clients to ensure that change is brought about. Having strong technical and interpersonal skills is not, by itself, sufficient any longer. We need to enhance these skills by bringing consulting and similar techniques to bear in our work.

You will be provided with some new thinking on how to carry out internal audit work using consulting and coaching techniques. In particular we will cover:

• Basic consulting and coaching philosophies, principles and techniques
• Understanding yourself and what motivates you
• Using consulting and coaching techniques at every stage of the audit
• Key consulting and coaching skills for the internal auditor
• Working with the client to really make a difference to the quality of what they do and what we do
• Becoming a positive influencer to bring about change within the organisation

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Effectively acting as the in-charge auditor

Tools and techniques for effective staff and audit management

Taking the in-charge role in an audit assignment can be challenging.  To do this effectively and to deliver value to your organisation from your audit work, you need to have an understanding of new and emerging issues and audit techniques.  This course will lead you through an audit assignment and will teach you some of the techniques you may use to deliver a shorter, sharper audit that will truly have impact.  In addition, we will examine some of the ‘softer’ skills you need to lead an audit team
And to develop and manage excellent relationships with your clients.

This two day, highly participative and interactive course will focus on the following areas:

• Understanding new and emerging internal auditing techniques such as risk based internal auditing
• Planning the individual audit assignment to focus on the key issues – adopting the 90:10 rule
• Carrying out an effective audit assignment – from assignment planning through to completion of fieldwork
• Focusing our audit work on monitoring controls and other monitoring activities of line management
• Action centred reporting - ensuring that change happens as a result
• Understanding the ‘softer’ skills need to lead your team appropriately and effectively
• Developing and managing good relationships with your clients

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Action centred internal audit management

Running the internal audit team efficiently and effectively

In the current climate of changing and increasing corporate governance requirements, organisations are relying more on the independent and objective assurance provided by the Internal Audit function.  They are requiring more from Internal Audit without necessarily increasing the budget! 

This two day intensive and interactive course will focus on many of the challenges facing Heads of Internal Audit and Internal Audit Managers in keeping their functions abreast of key changes and complying with best practice Internal Audit requirements.

During the two days a wide range of issues will be covered including the following.  The course will be regularly updated to ensure that new and emerging issues are covered as appropriate:

• Role and relationships of the Head of Internal Audit/Internal Audit Manager including those with the Audit Committee
• Working with rather than as a substitute for External Audit
• Understanding recent corporate governance requirements
• Developing the right strategy for your function using risk based internal auditing
• Building and managing the right relationships within your organisation
• Marketing and raising the profile of Internal Audit
• Carrying out a skills audit on the function
• Managing the function effectively
• Safeguarding the function from outsourcing

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The toolkit for new internal auditors

Everything you need to know as a new or returning internal auditor

With recent changes in corporate governance and the increasing emphasis on risk management and control, internal audit has become much higher profile within almost all organisations. The skills needed by internal auditors are changing with an increasing focus being given to the ‘softer skills’, but technical knowledge is also critical to the success of an internal audit function and individual internal auditors.  This course provides a detailed introduction to the role, purpose and practice of modern internal auditing.  In particular, on this course you will cover:

• Corporate Governance
• Risk Assessment And Risk Management
• Risk Based Internal Auditing
• Control Design And Assessment Skills
• Writing And Presenting Audit Reports
• Interviewing Skills, Fact Finding, Fact Reporting
• Professional Standards For Internal Auditing

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Softer skills for internal auditors

Appreciating and experiencing that technical skills are but a part of our toolkit

To be an effective auditor we need to have both technical and the softer skills.  This course focuses entirely on the softer skills and gives participants the opportunity to practice these skills in a safe learning environment.

In particular we will focus on the following areas:

• Understand what motivates you and others
• Preparing for an attending meetings – do’s and don’ts
• Putting yourself and your message across in the most appropriate manner
• Developing active and empathic listening skills
• Using appropriate questioning techniques – including precision questioning
• Opening and closing the meeting
• Making presentations – both formal and informal
• Understanding how to market internal audit

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Controls Transformation

Balancing risk and control with business performance

Many organisations are operating today with a hierarchy of controls that belong to yesterday. Often controls and other procedures are carried out because ‘that’s the way we’ve always done things.’ Recent events have thrown more light on the need to radically overhaul some elements of internal control systems and this is what the practice of controls transformation can help you to achieve. Controls transformation is also about getting the ‘best bang for your buck’ in respect of control i.e. only spending what you have to to achieve an appropriate level of control within your organisation.

Furthermore, although controls and other procedures may generate large volumes of information relating to the business, challenges need to be made about the value of this information to the business and the use which is made of it. There are potentially a number of ways to return economic and strategic value from the investment you have made in establishing a robust control environment. It's not just about reducing costs however. Cost effective and efficiently operated controls may be leveraged to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of your business processes.

What is essential for business performance and success is to develop and implement an effective culture of control within the organisation. This includes ensuring that ethics and integrity sit high on the board agenda and are not circumvented for the sake of profit.

This interactive two day course will give you the opportunity to understand some of the latest thinking in this area and will also provide you with a set of tools and techniques enabling you to review and transform the controls within your own organisation.

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Delivering Integrated Assurance

Providing the assurance required by the board and the audit committee in an integrated way

In recent years there has been much talk about the importance of enterprise risk management in helping to govern an organisation and enabling it to better achieve its objectives. Less emphasis has been given, however, to providing assurance to the board that risks are being managed to an acceptable level and that controls are adequate and effective and are being operated as they should be.

To fully embed and operate a culture of governance, risk management and internal control, organisations need to provide top down support to implementing these but also must receive bottom up assurance that what they believe is happening is actually happening. To achieve this effectively, an organisation needs to develop, implement and operate an ‘integrated assurance framework’.

What is key for any organisation is for the board to determine the assurance it needs and to ensure that it has a properly developed integrated assurance framework to provide the required types and levels of assurance. Such an approach will ensure that all assurance providers work closely together developing one overall assurance plan and one report which synthesises all of their findings.

This course will focus on the key role of internal audit in facilitating the development of an integrated assurance framework and also the role that they may play in providing elements of this assurance.

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Corporate Governance for Effective Risk Management

This whole day interactive seminar will examine the role of boards and senior management in corporate governance and risk management. The seminar will be set against the background of the Combined Code for listed companies, incorporating the Smith, Higgs and Turnbull guidance. 

Issues to be covered will key corporate governance pronouncements, strategic risk management, the provision of assurance and high level roles and responsibilities.  The focus of the day will be in practical examples covering issues such as the tone at the top, ethics & integrity and board effectiveness.

This will be an interactive and discussion based seminar.  Delegates will be encouraged to consider the issues being discussed in the context of their own organisation.  There will be time available for practical discussions in small group and open questions to the speaker.

Areas to be covered include:

What precisely do we mean by corporate governance?

• An introduction to corporate governance including definitions and an exercise to gain the views of the participants
• Understanding the link between performance and conformance and how to achieve the ‘best of both worlds’
  

Corporate governance update

• A review of recent developments in corporate governance in the private sector
• The potential impact of corporate governance initiatives on organisations
• Keeping up to date on corporate governance initiatives
• An update on what’s happening on the European and international scenes and the potential impact

Strategic risk management

• Getting buy-in from the very top of the organisation
• Developing an appropriate business case for risk management
• Developing the risk management infrastructure
• Implementing and embedding risk management into the culture of the organisation
• Examine how organisations may best embed risk management into their culture together with some practical examples of how this has been done well

Assessing board and committee performance

• Benefits of assessment
• Techniques of assessments>
• Managing board dynamics

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Understanding Internal Auditing

Understanding the foundations and practices of modern internal auditing - Course Agenda

Course Introduction And Objectives

• Personal objectives and expectations
• Establishing the scope of the programme

Internal Auditing Standards and Guidelines

• What we mean by internal auditing together with roles and responsibilities
• The role of the Institute of Internal Auditors globally
• The revised definition of internal auditing
• A review of the internal audit standards and associated guidance
• The code of ethics for internal auditors

Internal Audit Over The Last Decade – and into the future

• Understanding the shift from a control focus to a risk focus – both how and why this has happened
• The change in the internal auditing paradigm
• Where internal auditing is now and the future direction
• Assurance provision – respective roles and responsibilities between internal audit and line management

Risk based internal auditing

• What this is and how it differs from traditional approaches
• Key steps to developing a risk based internal audit plan, including a case study on developing an audit plan from an organisational risk register
• Developing the scope for a risk based internal audit assignment

Carrying out an audit assignment

• Understanding the main steps in carrying out a successful audit

Presenting Successful Internal Audit Reports