Women in Internal Audit: Beating Career Blockers

Creating space for open, honest conversations is critical to supporting progression in internal audit—and our recent Women in Internal Audit: Beating Career Blockers event did exactly that.

Bringing together professionals from across the industry, the session was hosted by Ingrid McRitchie (Nationwide) and featured an experienced panel including Joanne Mercer (Newcastle Building Society), Ashley Surrey (Railpen), and Charlotte Thornton (Atom Bank). Together, they shared authentic reflections on their career journeys, challenges, and the realities of progressing into senior roles.

The result was an engaging and highly relatable discussion that resonated strongly with attendees at all career stages.

The power of shared experience

One of the strongest themes to emerge from attendee feedback was the value of connection and community.

Many highlighted how much they appreciated the opportunity to:

• Network with peers across organisations and industries
• Share experiences in a supportive and open environment
• Hear honest, real-life career journeys from senior women in the profession

This sense of shared understanding helped reinforce an important message: many of the challenges individuals face are not unique—and can be navigated more effectively together.

Common challenges across the profession

• Building confidence in decision-making
• Feeling comfortable owning authority
• Navigating expectations from stakeholders and teams

Balancing workload and expectations

As careers progress, responsibilities often expand - bringing challenges in managing workload while maintaining high standards. This emerged as a consistent pressure point across roles and organisations.

Turning insights into action

While recognising challenges is important, a key focus of the session was identifying practical ways to address them. Three key areas stood out:

1. Setting boundaries - Learning to say “no” and establishing clear boundaries was highlighted as a critical skill. Attendees reflected on the importance of protecting time, managing expectations, and avoiding the pressure to take on everything.

2. Speaking up - Open, honest communication—including difficult conversations—was seen as essential for both personal growth and effective leadership. This included:

• Challenging constructively
• Giving and receiving feedback
• Advocating for yourself and others

Practical advice for career progression

Invest in your network Build relationships that provide support, perspective, and opportunity—and be willing to offer the same in return.

Play to your strengths Rather than trying to meet every expectation, focus on what you do best and build confidence from there.

Build resilience Challenges are inevitable, but resilience enables you to navigate them more effectively—and continue progressing.

Take calculated risks Growth often happens outside of your comfort zone. Being open to new opportunities can be a key driver of career development.

These themes closely aligned with attendee reflections, particularly the value placed on connection, shared learning, and peer support

Ongoing areas of focus

The conversation also highlighted several areas that require continued attention as careers evolve:

• Maintaining a healthy work–life balance
• Understanding how taking on additional work can influence team dynamics and expectations
• Regularly reassessing career direction and goals
• Becoming comfortable with uncertainty and not always having all the answers

Final reflections

The event reinforced a powerful message: career progression is not just about technical capability—it’s about confidence, self-awareness, and the ability to navigate challenges with intention.

By creating space for open dialogue and shared learning, we can:

• Normalise common experiences
• Support one another more effectively
• Build stronger, more inclusive networks across the profession