Control Testing Automation & Monitoring Lead - Reading, Berkshire
19 hours ago
Hook End
Contract: PermanentSalary: Competitive salary between £65,000 and £80,000 per annumAs a Control Testing Automation & Monitoring Lead , you will be responsible for designing and delivering automated control testing and monitoring solutions across IT, OT, and business environments at Thames Water. Working closely with the Control Testing & Assurance Manager, digital teams, and a wide range of business stakeholders, you will identify opportunities to automate control testing and implement continuous monitoring solutions that support the organisation’s risk and compliance objectives. This role plays a key part in modernising the control testing programme by introducing automation, improving data collection processes, and enabling more efficient monitoring of control effectiveness. Combining strong automation expertise with a structured, risk-based approach, you will help build a streamlined and scalable automated control testing environment that strengthens Thames Water’s security and assurance capabilities. What you’ll be doing as a Control Testing Automation & Monitoring Lead • Identify and assess opportunities to automate control testing across IT, OT, and business functions., • Design, develop, and implement automation plans and workflows to support continuous monitoring of controls., • Evaluate and recommend appropriate tooling and technologies for control testing automation., • Collaborate with digital teams to establish reliable data acquisition and integration processes., • Conduct regular reviews of automated testing outputs to identify and report control deficiencies., • Maintain comprehensive documentation for automation workflows, processes, and exception handling., • Engage with project teams, control owners, and key stakeholders to gather requirements and support automation initiatives., • Ensure automation initiatives are delivered within expected timelines and aligned with programme objectives., • Escalate issues, risks, or delays to the Control Testing & Assurance Manager and contribute to resolving challenges., • Support the continuous improvement of the control testing programme through automation and innovation., • Experience in control testing automation, process automation, or related assurance activities within an enterprise environment., • Strong understanding of risk management practices and control frameworks., • Ability to measure, monitor, and report on control effectiveness using relevant metrics and data., • Experience collaborating with both technical and business teams to deliver automation solutions., • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify opportunities for efficiency improvements., • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences., • Ability to work independently and deliver high-quality outputs in a structured manner. Technical experience and skills, • Expertise in automation tools and scripting technologies such as Python, PowerShell, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) platforms, or audit automation tools., • Experience developing and implementing automation workflows related to control testing or assurance processes., • Familiarity with IT environments, including IT infrastructure, operational technology (OT), and cloud platforms., • Ability to implement monitoring mechanisms and analyse automated testing outputs to identify control weaknesses., • Experience documenting automation processes, workflows, and exception management procedures. Desirable qualifications and experience, • Experience working in a regulated environment, the water utility sector, or large complex critical national infrastructure organisations., • Familiarity with governance and control frameworks such as COBIT or COSO., • Exposure to cybersecurity principles and domains such as vulnerability management and identity and access management., • Experience using data analytics or dashboarding tools such as Power BI or Tableau to visualise and report automation outcomes. Desirable technical skills and qualifications, • Professional certifications such as CISA, CISSP, CRISC, or ISO 27001 Lead Auditor. What’s in it for you?, • Competitive salary between £65,000 and £80,000 per annum, depending on experience., • Annual Leave - 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service. (plus bank holidays), • Generous Pension Scheme through AON., • Performance-related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets.