Head of Internal Audit at Serena Hotels

Key Responsibilities

MARKET LEADERSHIP

Align Internal Audit strategy to company strategy

• Provide leadership, direction, and guidance to the internal audit teams across Serena Africa.
• Set performance standards and expectations for internal audit staff and ensure they are met consistently.

Development of internal audit vision and mission statement

• Develop the internal audit vision and mission statements.
• Ensure that the internal audit vision and mission statements are communicated and understood.

Statutory requirement and company policies and procedures

• Ensure adherence and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, financial regulations, industry standards and internal policies related to internal auditing.
• Ensure adherence to policies on documents and record keeping management in internal audit.
• Ensure understanding and compliance with data protection policies and procedures as defined for the department.
• Ensure that company policies and procedures are understood and respected throughout the group by liaising with senior group and unit management.
• Ensure internal audit teams/staff understand the roles they are responsible for in crisis management plans.
• Implement, maintain and update the internal audit manual, incorporating the internal audit mandate, policies, procedures, standards of performance and audit programmes.

LEADERSHIP IN PRODUCT AND SERVICE

Internal audit

• Identify areas subject to internal audit coverage, evaluate their significance and assess the degree of risk inherent in the activity.
• Prepare a comprehensive long-range internal audit programme for TPS companies taking into account the corporate risk assessment.
• Conduct in-depth and spot check audits to determine the existence and adequacy of and extent of compliance with financial, accounting and operating policies, procedures and controls in all areas affecting operations.
• Conduct random, unannounced spot checks of assets (including stocks and cash), records and sign-out procedures to complement detailed annual work.
• Review and report on financial and operating systems that ensure that company assets are safeguarded and company procedures are carried out economically, efficiently and effectively.
• Review the adequacy of insurance cover and any other measures which have been taken to control and safeguard the assets of TPS companies. Make appropriate recommendations.
• Perform spot checks on suppliers and tender/contract/quotation arrangements and/ or procedures with individual suppliers.
• Ensure supervision of the detailed annual stock taking.
• Evaluate the accuracy, materiality, and reliability of accounting records and other statistical data, and management information developed there from.
• Be responsible for ensuring that unit managers and departmental heads are aware of problems discovered during audit assignments. Make recommendations for resolving such problems and ensure that the agreed recommendations are acted upon.
• Be responsible for audit reporting to the Managing Director and the Audit Committee.
• Conduct research and prepare training guides on audit best practice.
• Ensure the quality of audit assignments and reporting; establish and maintain a quality assurance programme to evaluate the operations of the internal audit function.
• Carry out special projects or investigations as assigned by the Audit Committee or the Managing Director.
• Conducting investigations into suspected fraud, misconduct, or policy violations. Gathering evidence, interviewing relevant parties, and collaborating with other departments or external authorities as needed.

External audit

• Co-ordinate the audit programme of TPS companies with external auditors as may be required by them.
• Provide advice and follow-up to all levels of management to facilitate implementation of approved management letter recommendations.

MANAGING, GROWING AND RETAINING MARKET SHARE

• Stay abreast of regulatory changes and emerging trends in internal auditing and proactively propose areas for streamlining internal audit processes and improve overall efficiency.
• Monitoring service quality and guest satisfaction levels through audits, inspections, and guest feedback analysis. Identifying areas for improvement in service delivery and guest experience.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement within the internal audit function by encouraging feedback, implementing lessons learned, and leveraging technology and automation tools to enhance audit effectiveness and efficiency.

PEOPLE MANAGEMENT AND PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENT

• Ensure all internal audit staff have clearly defined job descriptions.
• Ensure all internal audit staff have an annual performance plan.
• Ensure each internal audit staff performance plan is reviewed annually.
• Understand relevant HR policies and procedures and implement them accordingly.
• Document how the business core values will be lived in Internal Audit. Show initiative to develop personal skills and attend unit sponsored trainings.
• Obtain and maintain qualified audit staff capable of accomplishing internal audit functions.
• Motivate the audit staff to work enthusiastically and effectively, and be responsible for their conduct and discipline.
• Report on areas where staffs have inappropriate skills, experience and qualifications.
• Assume responsibility for training, including new employee induction and career development of the audit staff.
• Maintenance of an effective working relationship with Head Office Executives and unit management; be responsive to management requests.
• Lead and supervise the internal audit teams in the region, provide guidance, mentorship and support to ensure their effectiveness and professional development.
• Providing personal guidance and assistance to Unit Managers and Unit Accountants to ensure compliance with and improvements to the control of operational procedures.
• Implement cost effective employee reward initiatives that recognize excellence in service delivery.
• Monitor adherence to work place health and safety standards and legal requirements.
• Monitor and ensure staff participation in fire training and drills.
• Monitor staff participation in section-based health and safety activities and interventions.
• Implement wellness sensitization sessions for the department.
• Plan and organize departmental staff meetings.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance. A post graduate degree is desirable.
• CPA (K), CIA or equivalent.

Experience

• 10 years’ experience relevant post qualification in a senior position in the accounts or audit department of a service company (in the hotel industry would be an asset). Experience in an audit firm is desirable.