Senior Manager: Group Financial Control Testing & Monitoring at MTN

Core Purpose of the Job
The Senior Manager Financial Control Testing and Monitoring role is accountable to support and implement the Group internal financial controls, digitization and innovation strategy with the objective of strengthening the financial control environment, deriving operating efficiencies and enhancing the finance brand value across the Group.

Key areas of focus include:

• Responsible to manage effective implementation and continuous monitoring of the Group Internal Financial Operations Risk and Control strategy, policy and framework across MTN Group (Businesses and Opcos).
• Assist to develop and program manage the finance operation digital and innovation strategy, plan and roadmap. Seek insights based on comprehensive evaluation of the existing digital/technology landscape and cross-functional process/tech/capability challenges/needs as well as from global leading practices
• Support finance function modernization and transformation initiatives which are aimed the finance operating value chain, capability development and adoption of leading practices

Key Performance Areas

As part the Group Fin Ops and Control portfolio, the role is responsible for building a true data-driven control framework that mitigates known risks, anticipates and apprises MTN of emerging risks and delivers value

• Provide operational support to the Finance Innovation and Digital Transformation lead in designing and implementing a risk-based optimum controls framework that is aligned with the risk appetite of MTN, enhances business performance and ensures robust risk mitigation.
• Based on market best practices and benchmarks develop an integrated controls framework covering the key operational, compliance, and financial reporting risks across the end-to-end value chain
• Collaborate within Group Finance teams and ensure robust control environment for MTN to minimize the risk of financial loss. Further integrate risks and improvement opportunities linked to enhancing business performance for Group Finance
• Test and implement the next generation controls monitoring and assurance programs that will help MTN Group Finance to obtain a transparent and real-time picture of their controls environment and assist in undertaking data-driven business decisions
• Develop yearly / half-yearly / quarterly control testing schedule based on the prioritized controls and risk exposure defined for the respective areas and present to the senior management for approval
• As a center of excellence team support allocated Opco Finance teams in upskilling on key financial control concepts and developments and cascade the Finance Control Framework to the Opco teams for implementation and deployment
• Leverage the ERP system capabilities to maximize the automation of the controls configuration in the system to reduce manual effort
• Focus on automating control testing, controls monitoring and assurance through developing best in class control designs. Also prioritize automating the controls evidence and workflow management systems
• Introduce non-standard developments like robotic process automation (RPA), artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) to operate and monitor controls
• Support Financial Innovation and Control lead in establishing controls technology ecosystem, utilizing technologies outside the ERP and data harvesting through outlying systems to maximize the benefits of digital transformation
• Focus on preventative and a “hindsight to foresight”-based controls automation journey by integrating risks and opportunities linked to business performance
• Establish a clear first-line ownership and accountability and conduct periodic assessment of the defined controls and provide assurance on the health of the overall function
• Document a clear set of controls health indicators supported by smart reports with data analytics based dashboarding facilities
• In-order to transform MTN Group Finance’s controls landscape, proactively identify next generation controls environment in line with the future roadmap of MT
• N Group businessesPrepare on monthly / periodic basis reports for the Finance Leadership and Exco with respect to the reviews conducted, control efficacy, potential financial risk impact, etc.
• Assist in implementing new processes and controls or enhancing existing processes and controls in areas such as:– Risk assessment, including fraud risk assessment– Information quality, including Information Produced by Entity (IPE);

1. Precision of management review type controls
2. Use of analytics in the context of control activities and monitoring

• Reduce the cost of controls whilst ensuring robust regulatory compliance
• Help design and deploy insightful and futuristic controls training programs that will not only help MTN to enhance controls capability but also improve the controls culture across MTN Opcos
• Design and embed a positive controls culture across MTN by setting end users up for success and providing continuous support to operate the controls effectively and efficiently
• Leverage augmented analytics to facilitate data generation and preparation, and visualization of findings
• Steer the development of data governance and data operating-model decisions, reinforce change-management practices within the finance organization
• Improve organisational performance through Data visualization by developing templates for user friendly dashboards which seamlessly combine information from multiple sources
• Help leadership uncover hidden value and growth opportunities by enabling scenario analysis, predictive models for early warning.

Job Requirements

Education:

• CIA or CPA (or equivalent) professional certification strongly preferred with expectation of base certification shortly upon hire if not already obtained
• Preference for additional certifications including CIA, CPA (or equivalent), CISA, or PMP
• Master’s degree with focus on Accounting, Information Systems, or Finance required. Preference

Experience:

• 5 years of relevant experience in finance or senior business management roles
• Strong knowledge of internal controls required
• 3 years of relevant/recent data analysis experience in audit or risk management
• Familiarity with Oracle system and data visualization tools (i.e. Qliksense, QlikView, Tableau) is required
• Professional experience in Operational Risk, Internal audit, Capital Computation, Governance
• Experience with managing various stakeholders, deadlines and adhering to regulatory/audit requirements
• Strong understanding of SOX theory, materiality, scoping and COSO 2013 framework
• Ability to conceptualize and apply judgment across a number of finances, operations, compliance, and cross functional areas, excellent presentation skills, ability to assist in influencing and managing expectations of stakeholders
• Ability to “think outside the box” and apply creative and constructive thinking to proposed recommendations for improvements to internal process, procedures and policies

Functional Competencies:

• Financial Risk Management
• Governance and Internal Controls
• Control Monitoring and Testing
• RPA /AI / Machine Learning / NLP
• Advanced data visualization
• Analytical – data science
• Financial Consolidation & Operations
• IFRS Accounting

Behavioral Competencies:

• Empathy
• Accountable
• Adaptable
• Agile
• Communication
• Culturally aware
• Gets work done
• Innovative
• Future focused
• Technology savvy

Skills:

• Organizational Agility
• Digital Mind-set
• Dealing with ambiguity and complexity
• Conflict Management
• Negotiation skills
• People and Team Management