Outcome Testing and Controls Assurance Officer

Job description

**About Allica Bank** Allica is the UK’s fastest growing company - and the fastest-growing financial technology (Fintech) firm ever. Our purpose is to help established SMEs, one of the last major underserved opportunities in Fintech. Established SMEs are the backbone of local communities - representing over a third of our economy - yet have been largely neglected both by traditional high street banks and modern fintech providers. **Role Description** This role is responsible for delivering Outcomes Based Testing (OBT), providing independent, evidence-based assurance that Allica is consistently delivering good customer outcomes in line with the FCA's Consumer Duty. The role also undertakes Secondary Controls Testing in accordance with Allica's Risk Management Framework. The successful candidate will plan and execute a portfolio of testing activities, communicate findings clearly to stakeholders, and agree, monitor, and support action plans through to resolution. They will work collaboratively with Risk Business Partners and the wider First Line of Defence (1LoD) Controls team. Beyond completing testing against a defined framework, the role requires a proactive and analytical approach. The role holder will identify root causes, drive meaningful remediation, and provide constructive challenge to stakeholders, helping to improve customer outcomes and strengthen Allica's control environment. **Principal Accountabilities** - Conduct outcome-based testing across Allica’s customer facing journeys to assess whether customer outcomes are consistent with Consumer Duty obligations.  - Review customer cases, communications and operational activity to identify potential customer harm, process weaknesses or customer experience issues, including the treatment of vulnerable customers.  - Assess both process execution and customer experience, ensuring documentation is complete, communications are clear and customers do not face unnecessary barriers or delays.  - Communicate Outcomes Based Testing results clearly to relevant stakeholders, ensuring findings are understood and owned.  - Agree appropriate action plans with stakeholders to remediate instances of poor outcomes and track these through to closure.  - Deliver Secondary Controls Testing, assessing the design and operating effectiveness to obtain an overall rating for each control, in line with Allica’s Control Testing Standards.  - Communicate control testing output to stakeholders and agree action plans where control weaknesses or failures are identified.  - Accurately update RiskSmart with control test results, ratings, findings and associated action plans.  - Maintain regular engagement with Risk Business Partners across the wider 1LoD Controls team on control testing outputs, sharing themes and supporting a consistent testing approach.  - Escalate significant issues, risks or thematic concerns in a timely manner.  - Contribute to the continuous improvement of Outcomes Based Testing and controls testing methodology, templates and reporting.  - Ensure all testing is conducted objectively and independently, in line with Allica's Risk Management Framework and relevant regulatory requirements, including the FCA Consumer Duty and Conduct Rules.  - Support reporting and insight through dashboards and analysis, contributing to root cause identification and continuous improvement initiatives. **Personal Attributes & Experience** - Capable of working in a fast-paced environment, managing complex, competing and alternating priorities across control testing and outcomes based testing with a constant focus on delivery.  - Strong analytical and investigative skills, with the ability to identify root causes behind poor customer outcomes or control failures, not just symptoms.  - A confident, clear communicator, able to present findings and constructively challenge stakeholders at varying levels of seniority.  - Show curiosity and sound judgement when assessing customer journeys and identifying potential customer harm or process weaknesses.  - Demonstrate a proactive and solution-focused mindset, with a desire to improve processes and customer experience.  - Be able to work independently with minimal supervision, while remaining a collaborative and engaged member of the wider team.  - Have experience of controls testing, quality assurance, outcomes-based testing, or 1st/2nd line risk and assurance work, ideally within Financial Services.  - Have a working knowledge of the FCA Consumer Duty and Conduct Rules, and how these apply in practice to Allica’s products and supporting customer journeys.  - Be explicit in demonstrating where they've gone the extra mile, embraced new challenges, or stood out from their peers in a previous testing, assurance or risk role. **Working at Allica Bank** At Allica Bank we want to ensure our employees have the right tools and environment in which to succeed in their role and in support of our customers. Our employees are at the heart of everything we do, so our benefits are designed with you in mind: - Full onboarding support and continued development opportunities - Options for flexible working - Regular social activities - Pension contributions - Discretionary bonus scheme - Private health cover - Life assurance - Family friendly policies including enhanced Maternity & Paternity leave **Don’t tick every box?** Don’t worry if you don’t have all the skills or requirements listed on the job description. If you think you’ll be a good fit, we’d still love to hear from you! **Flexible working** We know the ‘9-to-5’ isn’t right for everyone. That’s why Allica Bank is fully committed to flexible and hybrid working. Please let us know what is best for you and, if we can, we will do our best to accommodate. **Diversity** We’re a diverse bunch here at Allica, with all kinds of experiences, backgrounds and lifestyles. Our openness and differences make us stronger, and we want everybody to feel comfortable bringing as much of themselves to work with them as they like.