Lead – Internal Audit

Position title:

Lead – Internal Audit

Business Unit / Function:

Internal Assurance

Reports to:

MD/CEO (administratively) & Head of  Internal Audit, & Risk Assurance Africa (Functionally)

Reporting to someone administratively means that person is your official supervisor, with formal responsibility to hire, train, evaluate, pay, and potentially fire you. This is sometimes referred to as hiring-and-firing authority.

If you report to someone functionally, it means the person is in a more senior role in your business function (for example, marketing, operations, HR, or sales), and is therefore responsible for providing you with guidance and general direction on matters pertaining to your business function.

The role is responsible for performing reviews and investigations to reinforce compliance to processes, procedure, and controls. In addition, the role ensures that processes and procedures are in place for fraud prevention and for instituting risk assessment and control awareness programmes across all functions. The role aims to provide assurance to senior management, the Board of Directors, and Board Audit Committee on compliance to the approved and laid down processes, procedures, and controls in the key risk areas of the OpCo

  EXPECTED END RESULT

                                              SUPPORTIVE ACTIVITIES

1.Improved Internal Control Environment to provide independent assurance on Airtel’s control and risk management processes

• Ensure that issues arising from the audit and other compliance reviews are well understood by all levels of management and staff and that learning on fraud and control issues are shared amongst relevant.
• Facilitate departmental risk assessments to identify high-risk areas within the organization that are further summarized for senior management and board reporting
• Conduct periodic reviews of the processes and procedures of the Opco to eliminate and/or mitigate business/enterprise/technical and operational risks.
• Take ownership of the local Internal Audit Plan and effectively coordinate with external partners to ensure it is delivered.
• Review control mitigation plans of Functions and ensure adequate and prioritized management attention on remediating known issues and preventing recurrences.
• Raise awareness of the aims and objectives of risk management and assist process owners in carrying out risk assessments, develop risk registers, and monitoring the outcomes and effectiveness of the risk management process.

2.Frequent and consistent Compliance Reviews and Reporting

• Plan communication and training programs to help employees understand their roles in compliance.
• Carry out regular audits to ensure compliance with regulations, policies and procedures.
• Maintain records of compliance activities, including any complaints or investigations.
•  Provide reports to the senior executive team, highlighting any areas of the potential risk to the company.
• Identify and Implement a Compliance Monitoring framework and prepare to submit compliance status reports to the board on a regular basis.

3. Fraud Investigation and Reporting

• Plan and undertake investigations into allegations of fraud
• Reduce fraud-related losses by efficiently and effectively investigating, preventing, detecting, analysing, reporting, and recovering losses.
• Assist in the identification of control weaknesses and implementing solutions and controls for future improvements.
• Assist in the development and delivery and to participate in education, training, and awareness activities as part of the fraud prevention program.
•   Initiate and maintain liaison with police and other law enforcement agencies, other external agencies, legal departments, and prosecuting Counsel where appropriate.

4. Timely and accurate Board Audit Committee Engagement

• Maintain a calendar for the board audit committee meetings.
• Consolidate information for reporting to the board on a quarterly basis.
• Coordinate receipt and dispatch of all necessary documentation and communication.
•  Ensure all levels of review prior to dispatch of board papers.

5. Timely Group Internal Assurance Engagement and coordination of Audit support

• Reporting to the Head Internal Audit & Risk Assurance on the status of reviews.
•  Flash reporting for significant issues noted in ongoing reviews.
• Preparation of all reports required for presentation to Airtel Senior Management.
•  Periodic reporting on the implementation of improvement opportunities noted in reviews.

•  Manages and coordinates relationships and work of all consultants and Internal Audit teams in order to ensure they successfully complete the audits in a timely manner and within budget
•  Manages consultants performing roles in process mapping, and compliance (E&Y, PwC etc)

Educational Qualifications  & Functional / Technical Skills

•  Undergraduate degree in Accounting/business/IT/Network
•  An IT/Network related degree is preferred for this role
• Professional qualification: ACA / ACCA / CPA / CISA (Desirable)

Relevant Experience

• Minimum 8 years experience in Audit, Risk, Control, and Compliance related roles.
•  Experience in Telecoms/Service Industry added advantage
•  IT Literacy

Other requirements (Behavioural etc.)

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
•  Excellent interpersonal skills; stakeholder management and collaboration, ability to engage at EC level
•  Excellent and effective communication skills, both written and oral
• Team Player
• Able to handle and prioritize multiple projects simultaneously
• High personal standards and results-oriented