Manager: Internal Audit at Access Bank

TECHNICAL – INTERNAL AUDIT

• Conforms to and exhibits the ability to apply the standards of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)
• Expands the team’s proficiency in the internal audit standards, by providing continuous feedback on the delivery, by making concrete suggestions on how to improve on the work performed, or by leveraging experience gained in having addressed several complex situations
• Serves as a role model and champion for adapting and utilizing critical thinking, professional judgment, audit proficiency, and due care skills throughout the audit department.
• Takes responsibility for the overall execution of the audit project with the support of a Senior, through ensuring all quality-related requirements on the audit file, as well as a wrap-up and final report, are complete. Achieves follow-up on management actions to be delivered in accordance with the internal audit department’s quality guidelines and methodologies.
• Ensures engagements and team activities are properly and timely planned, executed, documented, and concluded in line with applicable standards, policies, and guidelines, as well as prevailing internal methodologies and best practices.
• Supports the team in better identifying root causes of issues during project delivery by analysing the issues, patterns, and trends and proposing solutions for addressing these issues. Helping management formulate appropriate action plans.
• Helps the teams produce clear, concise, and factual audit reports, free from conjecture and focused on practical solutions that meet the bank’s needs
• Takes first-line review responsibility over working papers, supporting evidence and report and ensures the audit files meet the requirements of the department’s methodology and of the IIA Standards
• Ensure review notes (raised for the team by the Senior Manager and Head) are cleared appropriately and timely
• Ensures a systematic approach is followed with minimal audit disruption to business
• Assists Senior Manager: IT Audits / Chief Internal Auditor in identifying overall business risk, analyses and documents the risks associated with business operations, as well as monitors the effectiveness of risk management processes
• Independently researches technical issues related to key challenges, or business processes, shares knowledge regularly with the team informally and through formalised knowledge sharing meetings/training, and uses these to provide practical recommendations/solutions
• Chief Internal Auditor: IA in developing the annual audit plan, and begins to support in coordinating integrated assurance and assists with the compiling of Committee and regulatory reports
• Leads the issue tracking process with support of the team role champion, interacting with management where the team requires support and provides help in the process if progress is lagging
• Uses all sources of knowledge as input into engagement. Seeks and brings into engagements, best practices and learning from other engagements
• Monitors policies, procedures and corporate governance
• Applies an understanding of risk and fraud by identifying, fully addressing and documenting issues and by sharing this knowledge with the team
• Understands the value drivers and issues facing the applicable business unit of the bank
• Takes due care in understanding audit areas and processes to assure adequate coverage and quality in accordance with the internal audit quality guidelines and methodologies
• Stays abreast of general business/economics developments and new standards; gains an in-depth understanding of their linkage and impacts on the business
• Monitors tram’s turn-around in delivery and establishes reasons for delays, as well as action plans to improve efficiency
• Where suitable, incorporates data analytics and CAATs into reviews where possible and ensures the team is well trained (on-the-job)
• Applies an understanding of risk and fraud by identifying fully addressing and documenting issues.
• Applies understanding of business and IT control requirements, by leveraging from experience, as well as knowledge of the organisational and IT gained during several engagement situations
• Understands the value drivers and issues facing the applicable business unit of the Bank
• Assists in and/or create work products such as audit analysis, correspondence, memoranda, and other working papers that document the engagement procedures performed, the findings, and the results of those procedures
• Delivers on Data Analytical audit procedures and supports the team in analysing results

QUALITY

• Serves as ambassador for the Internal Audit brand and ensures management is made aware of value provided
• Takes ownership of quality standards and requirements before, during and after the engagement, ensuring audit client satisfaction
• Is responsible for first level quality assurance and oversight over entire audit engagement
• Coordinates compilation of entire engagement report. Ensures style and language are the same throughout and at consistent level of quality. Relates reporting, findings, or advice to the business unit.
• Helps the team write reports in a concise, crisp and to the point manner, which add value to the business
• Understands expectations and priorities for audit client and for the bank as a whole
• Ensure that all conclusions were supported by appropriate evidence
• Ensures that deliverables are technically accurate and complete
• Produces consistently high-quality deliverables with minimal supervision
• Helps the team produce high-quality deliverables for complex pieces of work, requiring minimal rework or queries within deadlines
• Prevents scope creep and over-auditing
• Avoids impractical solutions, or theoretical approach that is not aligned to the business objectives and circumstances or is unrealistic
• Effectively manages own deadlines and priorities, as well as those of the team. Manages expectations of the audit client and the Head: Internal Audit in terms of deadlines
• Present a credible image of self and the internal audit unit
• Ensures audit client is kept up to date on the audit progress, communicates actively to manage expectation and keeps the client and the Senior Manager: IT Audits / Chief Internal Auditor consistently informed when delays occur, providing root causes for these. Always Ensuring professional and courteous interactions with client by the entire team

ADMINISTRATION

• Submits timesheets and ensures the team has submitted timesheets accurately and on time
• Develops a detailed delivery plan for each audit and identifies, monitors and measures delivery milestones and provides ongoing feedback to the Chief Internal Auditor on progress, ensuring critical deadlines are met.
• Monitors audits against set deadlines and provides feedback on progress, as well as root cause for delays in a structured manner to the Chief Internal Auditor
• Ensures adherence to the department’s templates and methodology
• Constructively challenges and improves the way things are done in the department and the organization
• Acts as successor to the Senior Manager in his/her absence
• Helps coordinate training and leave planning for the department. Follows the Bank’s HR policies
• Ensures that all engagement-related expenses are pre-approved
• Effectively manages deadlines and priorities
• Manages audit files well in line with required policies and methodologies

PEOPLE MANAGEMENT

• Applies diplomacy and professionalism when interacting with colleagues, management, and team, being sensitive to different personalities
• Serves as a go-to person for the team, where these require guidance and counseling
• Is able to appropriately resolve conflict, while adhering to the Bank’s values and internal audit’s code of ethics at all times
• Takes leadership over the team members and ensures they are well-guided operationally
• Supports the Senior Manager: IT Audits / Chief Internal Auditor in performance management of the team members
• On each audit, sets the team clear goals and manage expectations and standards
• Helps the Senior Manager: IT Audits / Chief Internal Auditor build a career development and performance management system for the team, which provides regular and relevant feedback, coaches people to strive for excellence and counsels people if they cannot meet the standards
• Sets a leading example in soft skills for the team and provides constructive feedback to the team
• Checks and ensures that work papers and reports of the team members working under her as team lead meet the IIA standards
• Team members are clear as to expectations and standards

DEVELOPMENT

• Demonstrates depth of skill and experience in competency area and helps the team fulfil its potential and grow
• Provides constructive, respectful input and highlighted new ideas to improve operations or service delivery, as well as to the team to ensure the audit function can develop
• Takes personal responsibility for own career development and motivates the team to develop theirs
• Creates and/or maintains a professional development plan (e.g., goal setting and learning plan) in order to continually develop skills
• Seeks opportunities and challenges. Volunteers for additional tasks and responsibilities and assists the Senior Manager: IT Audits / Chief Internal Auditor on key deliverables (such as executive and board reporting)
• Identifies development areas in the team and constructively, sensitively provides feedback and, where possible, contributes to the development of team members
• Knowledgeable in acceptable business standards practices, risk, governance, and control.

BUSINESS PLANNING/DECISION MAKING

• Assists the Senior Manager: IT Audits Chief Internal Auditor in decision-making around audit scope, audit risk, and planning
• Assists in the development of the annual audit plan and revision thereof
• Assists the Senior Manager: IT Audits / Chief Internal Auditor in decisions regarding the development of the department

Requirements

Academic Knowledge:

• Internal Audit Qualification or related minimum BCom Internal Auditing CIA required.
• BCom or /BCom (Hons), an equivalent degree in internal auditing or relevant degree
• CIA / CFE preferable or working towards completion thereof

Work Experience:

• Minimum 5 years in IT Audit and/or Internal Audit, thereof 3 years supervisory experience
• Internal audit articles at a Big 4 advantageous
• Internal audit exposure in Banking