Sr. Lead, Global Assurance, Africa at International Justice Mission (IJM)

Responsibilities 

Strategy & Knowledge Development & Implementation: 

• Execute the annual audit plan with a focus on risk prioritization and efficiency. 
• Conduct detailed financial and operational audits, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and IJM’s internal policies. 
• Utilize data analytics to assess financial trends, operational risks, and control effectiveness. 
• Review financial records and reporting structures to ensure compliance with IJM policies, US GAAP, local accounting standards, and external statutory requirements. 
• Identify and assess risks associated with financial operations, compliance requirements, and business processes, ensuring recommendations are impactful and feasible. 
• Evaluate internal controls and operational effectiveness, identifying opportunities for improvement and recommending best practices. 
• Assess finance team structures and key responsibilities, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and efficiency needs. 
• Examine sub-award and partner onboarding, financial monitoring, and compliance frameworks for project execution. 
• Conduct in-depth payroll and headcount analysis, identifying trends and inconsistencies. 
• Assess treasury, banking operations, and cash management practices to strengthen financial security and risk mitigation. 
• Apply data-driven insights to generate analytical reports on budget utilization, cash flow trends, and financial health indicators. 
• Provide high-quality audit findings with practical recommendations that drive sustainable improvements in finance and operations. 
• Conduct focused reviews of major grants, including mid-term and closeout audits, ensuring adherence to funding requirements. 
• Evaluate asset and inventory management practices, proposing enhancements to improve efficiency and control. 
• Strengthen risk assessment frameworks and tools to ensure consistent application across global offices. 

Networking & Partnership: 

• Establish strong relationships with field office leaders and finance teams to enhance audit engagement effectiveness. 
• Conduct structured interviews with key stakeholders to assess internal controls and risk areas. 
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (OGC, Global Grants, Risk & Compliance) to enhance financial governance and compliance measures. 
• Provide expertise in forensic investigations, fraud risk assessments, and special compliance reviews as needed. 
• Contribute to enterprise-wide financial system transformation initiatives, ensuring effective controls are embedded. 

Policies and Procedures: 

• Identify areas for improvement in policies and procedures, making recommendations to strengthen internal controls and operational efficiency. 
• Provide guidance on updating financial policies and reference manuals to align with industry best practices. 
• Offer insights on global and field office finance policy enhancements, ensuring compliance and effective implementation. 

Communication: 

• Ensure timely and transparent communication with all audit stakeholders, following best practices in engagement management. 
• Provide clear audit notifications, periodic updates, and key insights throughout the audit process. 
• Present audit objectives, findings, and recommendations effectively in meetings with senior leadership and field office teams. 
• Discuss and align preliminary audit findings with field office leadership to ensure clarity and mutual understanding. 
• Prepare comprehensive audit reports, incorporating management feedback and submitting them for Director, Global Assurance, review. 
• Track the implementation of audit recommendations, following up on corrective actions to ensure full resolution. 
• Monitor and support the execution of external audit recommendations, ensuring timely and effective compliance. 

Training and Development: 

• Design and deliver targeted training programs for field office leadership and finance teams to enhance financial compliance awareness and internal controls. 
• Provide guidance on strengthening finance training materials, making them more accessible and practical for diverse global teams. 
• Identify skill gaps and performance improvement opportunities within global offices, recommending capacity-building initiatives. 

Fieldwork Projects: 

• Execute on-site audits for selected global field offices annually, ensuring alignment with global audit priorities and consistency in findings. 
• General tasks: 
• Stay informed about regulatory developments, industry trends, and emerging financial risks impacting IJM’s global operations. 
• Actively participate in staff development activities and cross-functional collaborations to foster a culture of continuous learning. 
• Engage in department meetings, training sessions, and relevant professional development programs. 
• Maintain professional certifications and complete required continuing education to ensure up-to-date expertise in internal auditing and compliance. 

General tasks: 

• Stay informed about regulatory developments, industry trends, and emerging financial risks impacting IJM’s global operations. 
• Actively participate in staff development activities and cross-functional collaborations to foster a culture of continuous learning. 
• Engage in department meetings, training sessions, and relevant professional development programs. 
• Maintain professional certifications and complete required continuing education to ensure up-to-date expertise in internal auditing and compliance. 

Qualifications:   

Education & Experience: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field. 
• Internal Audit Certification (CIA, CPA, or equivalent) required. 
• Minimum of 6-8 years of experience in internal auditing, compliance, or financial operations. 
• Experience in international non-profit organizations or multinational entities preferred. 
• Strong knowledge of US GAAP, IFRS, and relevant statutory/regulatory requirements.