Head of Internal Audit at Citi

Job Description

Function background/context:

Internal Audit is a global organization of over 1800 professionals covering Citi's global businesses and service to clients and customers in over 180 countries. Citi's Internal Audit division provides independent assessments of the company's governance, risk management and internal control environment for key stakeholders including the Board of Directors, senior management and Citi’s numerous regulators globally. Internal Audit is a change agent within Citi aimed to enhance the control culture of Citigroup worldwide and thereby support senior management decision making around the globe.

Citi’s business in Kenya forms part of its sub-Saharan Africa business, which has a presence in 12 countries.

The Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS) business provides integrated cash management and trade finance services to multinational corporations, top tie local clients, financial institutions and public sector organizations across the globe. TTS leverages the industry's largest proprietary network, spanning over 100 countries to process $2.5 trillion of payments daily.

Job Purpose

This role participates in the timely delivery of high quality, value added assurance and audit reports for a portfolio of business activities, predominantly TTS, which meet the requirements of the Boards of Citigroup and Citibank, their affiliates and of Citi’s respective regulators, globally.

The Head of Audit for Kenya will have responsibility for Internal Audit in Kenya working in close co-ordination with the Citi Internal Audit (IA) teams in accordance with the matrix responsibility and execution model and leverage the product and functional expertise of the Global IA team.

Additionally, the individual will ensure that IA works constructively with internal stakeholders, including senior management across product and functional areas, to continually enhance the control environment. Further, the individual will assist in constructive engagement with relevant external stakeholders, including regulators and external audit.

The role will also involve participation in other regional audits outside of the two countries, particularly for the TTS business. Travel is therefore required

Key Responsibilities

• Participate in TTS audits (both in-country and regionally), ensuring that audit work is performed and documented in line with Citi’s global IA methodology.
• Pro-actively develops automated routines to help focus audit testing.
• Develop and deliver appropriately documented a country audit plan for Kenya (risk based audit, internal audit issue and regulatory issue validation, business monitoring and governance reporting), based on regulatory updated and appropriately documented risk assessments prepared according to the established time commitments and ensure quality in the work performed and reports produced.
• Ensure appropriate delivery against the agreed audit plan Kenya. The audit plan will ensure a complete description of the planned coverage, both of in-country audit work and, and the coverage of activities outside the country on which the country relies.
• Ensure effective cost management and operation within budget for all Internal Audit activities for the country.
• Monitoring of business activity to identify any changes in risk profiles or deterioration in control environment and updating audit risk assessment and plans to align with emerging risks/control issues.
• Keeps abreast of new laws, rules, products, technologies and applications and considers implications for the business and audit universe and plan.
• Meet all the regulatory requirements for Internal Audit in respect of providing Internal Audit services to the legal entity.
• Ensure the governance, risk management and control concerns of regional management are considered in planning, and plan updates, and that Internal Audit provides suitable, prompt assurance in respect of the areas of concern identified.
• Ensure the CCO, and management supporting the CCO, all receive prompt, timely and complete information relating to the activities of Internal Audit. This includes the quarterly reporting of the results of IA’s work directly, or impacting the country in the prescribed format and in accordance with the timing prescribed by IA process and the country BRCC, on a timely basis.
• Promptly identifies and escalates control issues raised by regulators in respect of the Citigroup activities in Kenya. Additionally, works constructively with management and Compliance to identify corrective action plans to remediate the governance, risk management or internal control issue, and that Internal Audit validates the issue promptly.

Qualifications

Person Specification

Qualifications and Competencies

• Senior level experience in a related role with experience in business and with proven abilities in taking responsibility for executing concurrently on a portfolio of high quality deliverables to stakeholders according to strict timetables.
• Membership of Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK) is mandatory
• University Degree and Professional Accountancy Qualifications.
• 6 to 8 years of experience related to Audit/TTS/Accounting processes.
• Solid business understanding of banking products, especially those associated with the TTS business.
• Strong knowledge of audit/risk assessment techniques and principles.
• Ability to make sound decisions and to provide effective advice to others in areas of expertise and audit coverage.
• Effective analytical skills and critical thinking to understand processes, controls and risks of areas covered, identify root causes of issues and recommend practical solutions.
• Strong team player and ability to work within diverse teams in diverse cultural environments.
• Demonstrable knowledge of data analytics to develop and automated tests of key controls.
• Effective interpersonal skills for interfacing with all levels of internal / external audit and line management.
• Good organizational skills and ability to work proactively without close supervision.
• Excellent written and verbal skills with demonstrated ability to clearly articulate issues and facilitate the definition and implementation of solutions.
• Willingness to travel, sometimes at short notice, as this role requires extensive business travel within the region.
• Fluent in English.

Should the Business Head and HR deem there to be high potential candidates who do not fully meet the inherent requirements of the role the candidate may be considered for the position, provided they have certain skills and experience which are closely related to the role. In the exceptional cases where we hire a more junior candidate, HR may require to bring in the candidate at the appropriate grade than the one advertised to maintain internal equity. In these cases the Business and HR will work together to determine a formal developments plan for the candidate to get them up to the appropriate grade.

Exceptional candidates who do not meet these criteria may be considered for the role provided they have the necessary skills and experience.

Valuing Diversity

Demonstrates an appreciation of a diverse workforce. Appreciates differences in style or perspective and uses differences to add value to decisions or actions and organisational success.