An introduction to Insight-Driven Performance

Risks and opportunities are inherent to every business and can be triggered by several sources, one being ESG factors. This module will help you to develop your understanding of potential ESG risks that matter most to your organisation, and how to mitigate them.

This module will help you to explore how advanced analytics and visualisation can help Finance to turn data into actionable insight. Uncover the benefits that this can bring to your organisation, and understand the key strategic considerations to truly deliver advanced analytics to the business.

This module will help you to understand what the rise of smart machines means for Finance. Explore what AI and Cognitive Computing is, discover what the benefits and challenges are, and look at the current and emerging applications of AI & Cognitive Computing. This course will outline the actions you can take today to get started.

Considering Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors has become critical to the success of organisations across all industries. This introduction module will help you to discover what is ‘ESG’ is, what it means for Finance, the importance of understanding ESG issues, and explore the risks and opportunities that ESG creates.

The concept of business partnering in finance is not new. However, there is now greater demand for finance to support strategic decisions and drive business performance, and many organisations are turning to finance business partnering as the vehicle through which to deliver this. This introduction module will help you to understand what it means to be an effective Finance Business Partner, explore why business partnering is important for finance and assess whether business partners in your organisation are currently partnering effectively.

A move to Global Business Services (GBS) requires much more than simply asking Shared Service Centres (SSCs) to cooperate. Individuals in roles today, will need to enhance their skills, knowledge and capabilities for their future role. This introduction module will help you explore how GBS has evolved over the years, the ‘centre office’ mindset, the impact on talent and the key trends shaping its future.

This module will help you to find out about the digital distributed ledger technology that’s got everybody talking. Discover the benefits that blockchain can offer to Finance, and the challenges faced when embedding the technology. Learn the actions you can take today to get started.

The course will be targeted at both new auditors and more experienced personnel in the Internal Audit Function. This 1-day course will introduce concepts on Building Engagement and Culture and how to apply this to their day-to-day editing. Participants will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to understand the benefits and challenges of their leadership style and learn ways to build engagement in line with their style. Participants will be introduced to FIRO (Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation, Schultz) and EI (Emotional Intelligence, Goleman) to further help them understand how their approach affects their organisational Culture. Participants will be expected to engage in a series of activities, interactive discussions, and case studies in a safe environment to help their new learning stick.

Imagine this: you have a brilliant idea for a new financial strategy, backed by solid data and analysis. But despite your best efforts, you face resistance from colleagues and stakeholders. What's missing? The answer often lies in the power of connection. This module explores the crucial human element often overlooked in the world of Finance. This will equip you with the skills to not only present compelling financial arguments but to connect with your audience on a human level, paving the way for true and lasting influence.

In this module, discover how you can turn everyday occurrences into moments that matter and learn how these will help you to build strong relationships in your role in a GBS organisation. This introduction module will help you to learn what is meant by 'moments that matter', understand when to act, and learning the actions that you can take in situations.

Every day is made up of moments. For Finance Business Partners, the moments that matter framework is a practical way to think about practising behaviours that will make you more effective in your role. This introduction module will help you to discover how you can turn everyday occurrences into moments that matter and learn how these will help you to build strong relationships in your role as a finance business partner.

Explore the fundamental concepts of cloud computing such as cloud deployment and key risks associated with cloud. By the end of the module, you should be able to articulate and utilise key terminology associated with cloud computing, and explore industry perspectives, adoption rates and regulatory changes.

Building upon practical control testing, this module focuses on identifying and managing control deficiencies within the SOX framework. You'll learn to differentiate between deviations and deficiencies, categorise deficiencies, and effectively report these findings to management. This module is essential for anyone involved in their organisation's control environment, enabling accurate reporting and contributing to a stronger overall control framework. You'll gain a clear understanding of deviations versus deficiencies, learn the three categories of control deficiencies, and understand how to report control status to management.

This module explores the interplay of processes and controls in ensuring accurate and reliable organisational information. You'll examine various control types, analyse real-world examples, and gain confidence in navigating this essential business aspect. Learn to differentiate between processes and controls, understand different control types, and effectively document SOX control designs.

This module focuses on testing the operating effectiveness of controls within a SOX context. You'll explore the practicalities of operating effectiveness testing, including key considerations, the relationship between Risks of Material Misstatement (ROMM) and Risk Associated With the Control (RAWC), and various assurance models. You'll learn to describe operating effectiveness testing, understand relevant IPE (Information Provided by Entity) considerations, explain RAWC, identify applicable assurance models, and effectively conclude operating effectiveness testing.

Customer centricity is an organisational mindset that puts the customer at the centre of everything of the business. It is about truly understanding the customer, so you can anticipate their wants, needs and communication preferences, create meaningful experiences, and build lasting relationships with them. This introduction module will help you to understand design thinking and the tools and methodologies required to become more customer-centric in a GBS organisation, and create your own customer journey map.

Explore the fundamentals of Cyber Risk and understand Internal Audit’s focus areas in respect of Cyber Risk.

As a finance business partner, a key part of your role is to use the financial and other information at your disposal to deliver insight to the business, which requires a complex combination of skills, from data analysis and visualisation to communication, negotiation and influencing. This module will help you to discover how you can deliver insight to the business by using the concept of storytelling to bring your data to life through transforming numbers into meaningful insights, creating visual stories and developing narratives.

Explore how the Digital Era is affecting our lives at home and at work and begin to think about what this means for Finance. This introduction module will help you learn about how ‘Digital’ is influencing the world today

Preparing yourself and your organisation for the impact of Digital might feel like a daunting task, but this module will introduce you to a three-step approach that is designed to help you think holistically about how to embrace Digital within Finance. This module will help you to understand how you can create change in an organisation, where you should start and how you can ensure that your ideas can be successfully scaled.

Entity Level Controls help define an organisation's culture. They establish guidelines around governance and set forth an organisation's values through policies and procedures. This module will help you to explore the importance of Entity Level Controls and some key considerations for your organisation.

Building on the foundational principles covered in 'Introduction to Influencing', this module will equip you with a powerful framework and a range of techniques to become a more effective influencer. You'll explore a six-step roadmap to crafting winning influencing strategies, moving beyond your own biases to understand the unique motivations and perspectives of those you aim to influence. You'll learn a variety of impactful strategies, giving you the tools to tailor your approach for maximum impact. Through real-world examples and reflection exercises, you'll gain the confidence to apply these strategies ethically and effectively in your professional interactions.

The first step to successful business partnering is to define where value is created in the organisation and to assess which of these activities Finance can get involved in to generate additional value for the business. This introduction module will help you to discover how to identify and prioritise value-adding activities and explore how real-life organisations are maximising the value their business partners can deliver.

An exploration of possible use cases of generative AI in Finance. Covering the risks associated with using generative AI applications and the impact on work, worker and workplace across Finance.

In the modern workplace, the ability to adapt to change is an essential skill. In this module, discover how cultivating a ‘growth mind-set’, the belief that new skills and abilities can be learned, can help you to adapt to changes you will face throughout your working career. This module will help you to understand the importance of what it means to have a growth mind-set, and why it is one of the most valuable skills for a Finance professional.

To embed IDP and realise true enterprise value, organisations must consider and command 8 components. The maturity and effectiveness of an organisation will vary across the components, but seeking to understand, assess and selectively improve the maturity and effectiveness of the different components is a vital step for any organisation seeking to optimise its decision-making. This introduction module will help you to explore the steps to take to align with leading practices in each of the IDP components to make winning choices across all levels and functions in pursuit of your organisation’s strategic ambitions.

This module delves into identifying Risks of Material Misstatement (ROMM) within SOX compliance. You'll explore materiality in financial reporting and learn practical techniques for identifying potential ROMMs, including analysing significant accounts, assessing inherent risks, and evaluating control environments. Whether involved in financial reporting or control design, this module equips you to effectively identify and assess ROMMs, contributing to your organisation's SOX compliance. You will learn to define materiality, describe relevant assertions, explain and document ROMMs, and understand risk identification, assessment, and scoping exercises within a SOX context.

Sound corporate governance and an effective system of internal control over financial reporting (“ICFR”) can substantially reduce the risk of misstatements in a company’s financial statements, improving audit quality, enhancing investor confidence and strengthening the financial reporting process. This module will help you to discover the growing importance of governance and internal controls, particularly those over financial reporting, and what this means for Finance.

Welcome to "Influencing in Practice," the fourth module in the influencing series, where we shift from theory to application. Think of the first three modules of this series as packing your influencing "suitcase." We've explored the foundations of effective influencing, delved into the power of building connections, and unpacked a range of strategies to navigate diverse workplace situations. Now, it's time to put that well-packed suitcase to use – remember, you don't always need everything you've packed for every journey!

Targeted at both new auditors and more experienced personnel, this 1-day course will equip the participants with the knowledge and skills to draft an effective audit observation and executive summary that captures clear and concise findings and management actions. Participants will be introduced to FIRM, an approach to organise findings in an internal audit report of professional standards. Participants will engage in a series of activities, interactive discussions, and case studies to apply the techniques into practice.

As a Finance professional, you are already ‘programmed’ to intimately understand the language of business, which is numbers. Your ability to analyse data, interpret trends, and extract valuable insights that drive strategic decision-making is likely a key skill. However, numbers alone cannot speak for themselves. To truly make an impact, you need to translate the insights numbers can provide, into a compelling narrative to make it resonate with your audience and inspires them to action. This is where influencing becomes essential.

An introduction to generative AI, covering what it is, how it differs from ‘traditional’ AI and how it works (at a 101 level).