Senior Manager: Investigations at Auditor-General of South Africa

Centre functions and strategy alignment

• Track progress on ongoing investigations/ request for investigations
• Manage performance of centre activities and ensuring that there is alignment of centre activities to the Balanced Score card and monitor compliance during the year.
• Monitor projects in support of RABUs (ISA240 audit support)
• Provide coaching, mentoring and on the job training for the staff members.

Integration with RABU’s (audit support in terms of ISA240)

• To pro-actively identify additional key risks relating to maladministration/ irregularities at auditees.
• To develop & maintain a risk database per sector/ cluster in partnership with RABUs thus contributing to sector reports.
• Regular analysis of audit outcomes in order to influence RABU’s to conduct follow-ups and reporting to the auditee, thereby ensuring that key risks are addressed. Ensure on-going monitoring of this aspect.
• Ensure on-going development of specialist skills in BU, and transfer of specialized skills to RABs.
• Streamline of audit processes by using data analysis and exception reports.
• Ensure resources are available to assist during planning phase of audits to identify key risks/ Maladministration/ irregularities. Ensure that managers and assistant managers are clear regarding the direction and progress on the audits and risk assessments.
• Coordinate and implement risks and fraud awareness training to RABUs.
• Provide inputs on the quarterly key control assessment.
• Assess high risk contracts and compliance thereof with relevant legislation, regulations and policies at auditees and the effect of irregularities on the audit report.

Investigation

• Assist RABUs to assess Requests for investigations received and recommend how these should be
• addressed i.e. stand alone investigations, as part of regularity audit or referral to another public body.
• Conduct focused investigations if the AG considers it to be in the public interest.
• Obtain detailed knowledge of the business and/or specific discipline in a very limited time in order to identify the shortcomings at the auditee and make practical recommendations to correct it.
• To facilitate these investigations, the SM need to interact with the auditees’ top management, political role-players, over site bodies and other role players. Be able to obtain the buy-in of these role-payers before the investigation can start.
• Conduct investigations in terms of the policy and guideline for investigations and define a unique approach to address the specific circumstances, allegations and risks. This may include any of the following:
• Consult with regularity audit or auditee to arrange for funding and the collection of the relevant debtors.
• Correspondence and meetings with managers and assistant managers regarding the direction and progress on the investigation and public sector supply chain management laws and regulations.
• Ensure that all allegations and/or risks identified are addressed comprehensively.
• Contract in and out of specialist staff to ensure that specialist areas are properly addressed.Visits to teams to review the investigation and conduct meetings with the team and auditee.
• Present information sessions to the auditee or audit committee on investigations.
• Meetings with contracted out partners to ensure the quality of investigations contracted out.
• Perform project management on all projects to ensure that deadlines are met as well as agreed budgets.
• Prepare the required documentation (differs case by case) and take responsibility for presentations at SCOPA, Provincial Legislature and other Parliamentary committees.
• Responsible for leading the discussion of the findings in the draft report.
• Review working papers of team and ensure these meet AGSA requirements
• Compile the investigation report and ensure findings are supported by relevant evidence.

People management

Addressing people matters including:

• Coaching and advice to employees
• Salary issues,
• Capacity issues,
• Leave approvals
• Timesheets and expense claim approvals.
• Act as a champion on a strategic goal to ensure that the Business Unit achieves its outcomes
• Report on a monthly basis to the Business Executive on progress made and challenges experienced at the Senior Management meeting.
• Manage staff performance by assisting them with their Individual Performance Contracts and the evaluation of these
• Responsible for the development of staff to the required outcomes for their position profiles.
• Responsible for performing performance feedback assessments for staff, following the completion of assignments.
• Responsible for managing resources (Staff, – CWC and expenses) through meetings and giving direction and supervision to achieve a timely high quality product and to develop the staff to the correct levels and improve on client relations within the overall business processes.

Stakeholder engagements

• Engage with various audit business units to manage expectations on audit support required for the next audit cycle. Agree on extend of work, budget, staff requirements and deliverables.
• Engage with relevant law enforcement authorities such as Public Protector, National Prosecuting Authority and Special Investigation Unit
• Interact with relevant internal stakeholders regarding investigations conducted
• Update the Business Executive on issues arising from investigations, transversal risk assessments, sector activities and research work conducted

Financial Management

• Assist in compiling of the budget for the investigations Business Unit.

Approval of expenditure:

• Order approvals
• Budget compliance evaluation
• Invoice and income statement evaluation
• Debtor follow up

Qualification:

• The successful candidate need to be a registered CA(SA) or RGA.
• A ACFE or post grad diploma in Forensic Accounting or ICFP is an added advantage.

Experience:

• The successful candidate would need to have 4 years managerial experience, of a minimum of 2 years may be at an assistant manager level or equivalent.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in forensic investigation environment.
• Added advantage: Procurement investigation experience in the Public sector.