Audit Technical - Manager at Ernst & Young Global Limited (EY)

Summary

As an assurance audit technical manager / assistant manager (“manager”), you will be responsible for providing technical support on International Standards on Auditing (ISAs) and the EY Global Audit Methodology (GAM) to audit teams primarily in South Africa but also across our Africa business.

The primary function of a technical consultant is to provide ad-hoc technical support to teams and to assist with the completion of formal consultation documents relating to auditor reporting, reportable irregularities or other mandatory matters per policy. You will draw on your knowledge and experience to help teams solve complex or contentious issues brought to you or the Senior Managers you report to in Audit Technical. You would seek guidance from your Senior Managers and peers to assist you in responding to audit teams as you grow your technical competency.

Consultants at a manager / assistant manager level are also required to work on internal projects relating to technical matters. These may include developing training material, collateral or template development, coaching of audit teams and risk monitoring / mitigation projects. Smaller projects or portions of larger projects will be managed directly by you. Usually you will work with Senior Managers on contributing to the delivery of larger projects within Audit Technical.

There is also a smaller element of presenting training to partners and managers across Africa. Managers / Assistant Managers specifically also support learning and development in presenting training to staff below manager level.

You may also opt to take on client serving responsibilities. (Encouraged)

Within the technical team you will be required to build valued relationships with the managers in the audit business, managers in other service lines supporting audits, with the executives in audit technical and your peers. Working as a role model for Quality & Risk Management (Q&RM), you'll build relationships with the senior managers you will work for and the managers and assistant managers who will work with you on projects and on technical consultations. You will be responsible to help managers with less experience build sustainable technical competencies.

Responsibilities

Technical Role responsibilities

• Provide ad-hoc support to teams on informal queries relating to methodology, auditor reporting, EY policy, Companies Act issues, reportable irregularities, NOCLAR and other audit technical matters. You will seek guidance from senior members in the audit technical team to enable you to do so as required.
• Provide support to the consultation process as a Subject Matter Resource (SMR). An SMR works with audit teams to ensure the consultations they submit to an Approver are complete in fact pattern, appropriately researched, well documented and have a conclusion that you as SMR would concur with.
• Assisting partners and managers in audit with the application of complex risk management policies and procedures to resolve / manage arising risk matters through applying an understanding of global and local policies. You will seek guidance from senior members in the audit technical team to enable you to do so as required.
• Responsible for supporting technical Senior Managers on all arising and urgent technical matters.
• Develop a wide and deep knowledge across various technical matters (reporting, JSE regulations, Companies Act, audit methodology, analytics (digital auditing) and/or Reportable Irregularities) and over time determine an expertise as you progress.
• Manage smaller audit technical projects from inception to completion through appropriate project management of self and other technical resources (if required) and similarly execute tasks and elements of projects assigned to you by Senior Managers.
• Assist Senior Managers with the research and development of technical material including:

1. Training material for in person and skype based training;
2. Enablers, forms and template, guidance, and communications;
3. Policy updates.

• Assist partners in responding to internal quality inspection findings and assist Senior Managers who support partners with external inspections.
• Assist partners and audit teams with root cause analysis process following external and internal inspections.
• Present in-person and skype based training as required and gain experience in each of the core curriculum training events presented to trainees and new managers.  
• Train and coach peers and juniors in Professional Practice on technical matters through day to day interactions.
• Build strong internal relationships within Assurance and across other services
• (Optional) Execution of complex audit engagements, managing risk and applying professional scepticism
• Enhance EY’s brand positioning through strong external relationships across a network of external relationships through involvement on SAICA and IRBA committees if deemed appropriate by Senior Managers.

People responsibilities

• Be recognized as a respected and supportive mentor, coach and counsellor, building career value for individuals
• Build and develop an inclusive culture of high-performing and diverse teams
• Contribute to performance feedback for peers and staff.
• Contribute to people initiatives including recruiting, retaining and training Assurance professionals where appropriate.
• Contribute to the maintenance of an educational program to continually develop personal skills
• Understand, follow and communicate workplace policies and procedures to all levels of staff
• Develop personal profile and awareness of EY offerings in the marketplace
• Build strong  and long term relationships with key partners and ADs
• Act as an ambassador of EY in the market, with regulators and with clients

Qualifications and Experience

• CA(SA)
• Thorough knowledge of current auditing techniques
• Knowledge and understanding of ISAs, SAAPS and Auditing Professions Act
• Experience of the entire audit process
• Familiarity with IFRS
• Detailed understanding of risk-based auditing and risk and control strategies
• Understanding of Quality & Risk Management procedures
• Compliance with regulatory requirements

Experience:

• 1-3 years post articles experience in an auditing environment for manager position.
• 0-2 years post articles experience / completed articles in an auditing environment for assistant manager position.
• Advantageous to have been in a part time or full time audit technical role in an audit firm.