Chief Internal Auditor at Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI)

The purpose of this job is to provide independent assurance to ensure that the Institute’s risk management, governance and internal control processes are operating effectively.

Chief Internal Auditor Job Responsibilities

Managerial Responsibilities

• Develop policies to ensure actions are properly guided in reaching decisions.
• Develop strategies to ensure objectives are met as planned.
• Develop budgets and work plans to match operational requirements with available funds.
• Prepare and present quarterly reports to Board Audit Committee and senior management for deliberations and decision making.
• Allocate work to staff in the Audit Division to ensure targets are met and that time is properly utilized.
• Evaluate the performance of staff in the Division to ascertain efficiency and effectiveness in work performance in meeting the objectives of the Unit.
• Prepare and negotiate the Division performance contract to outline the specific tasks to be undertaken by the unit to contribute to the Institute’s mandate.
• Provide Secretarial services to the Board Audit Committee to ensure all deliberations are correctly captured and that all board papers are dispatched in time to members of the committee.
• Provide Secretarial services to the Institute’s Corruption Prevention Committee to ensure that all Anti-corruption activities are reviewed and acted upon on quarterly basis.
• Prepare the unit’s budget.
• Control and manage the Unit’s budget and expenditure.
• Provide input into the Institute’s budgeting process.

Operational Responsibilities

• Provide leadership to unit when undertaking audit assignments to confirm the adequacy and effectiveness of governance, risk management and internal controls systems through review of audit reports.
• Provide leadership in Division when undertaking fraud investigations to confirm whether they are material breaches in policy, procedures and relevant regulations through review of reports.
• Provide leadership in the Division when undertaking risk management activities to determine appropriate levels of risk appetite and mitigating actions/ interventions through review of developed risk registers and Institute’s risk policy.
• Prepare report to Management/Board to ascertain whether prior audit issues have been adequately addressed /implemented.
• Secretary to the Anti-Corruption Committee of the Institute – works with the Chairperson of the Committee to ensure that meetings on Anticorruption activities are held and quarterly reports are compiled to the EACC.
• Mentor, guide and supervise staff in the Division through coaching and mentorship to improve performance.

Requirements for the Chief Internal Auditor Job

• At least fifteen (15) years of relevant experience, three (3) of which must be in the grade of Principal Internal Auditor or in a comparable position;
• Master’s Degree in Business Administration (Accounting/Finance Option) or its equivalent from a recognized institution;
• Bachelor of Commerce Degree (Accounting/ Finance Option) or its equivalent from a recognized institution;
• Certified Public Accountant (Kenya) or its equivalent from a recognized institution;
• Attended a Strategic Leadership Course or its equivalent from a recognized institution;
• Valid membership to a relevant professional body;
• Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) or Certified Information Systems Auditor (C.I.S.A.) or its equivalent;
• Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education mean grade C+ (plus) or its equivalent from a recognized Institution; and
• Have clearance certificates as contained in Chapter six of the Kenya Constitution 2010 from Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Ethics and AntCorruption Commission (EACC), Police, Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), An approved Credit Reference Bureau and Commission on University Education (CUE) for degrees obtained outside Kenya.

Typical Technical Competencies

• Computer literacy
• Knowledge of budgeting and financial reporting
• Knowledge of relevant legislation
• Knowledge of professional standards e.g. IPPF, IPSAS, IFRS, IAS, ISA etc