Senior Manager - Audit Quality & Risk Management - MENA
Job description
Senior Manager / Director, MENA Professional Practice
From small businesses to some of the world’s best-known brands, our clients count on reliable financial statements, information and processes to inform their on-going strategies. More than ever, business is about interpreting and reacting to complex data - and they look to us for advice and services they can trust every time. You will use your professional skills and experience to make it happen, handling complex audit procedures across a broad range of industries and responsibilities.
Our tailored external audit services help build trust and confidence through transparency, clarity and consistency. We are 79,000+ professionals based worldwide across 150 countries. Audit services involve reporting on the fairness in all material respects with which a client’s audited financial statements are presented, in conformity with the applicable financial reporting framework.
The opportunity
MENA Professional Practice supports audit engagements across the MENA region both remotely and through travel to MENA offices.
This role will focus on enhancing the quality of our Audit services for our clients based in the MENA region. You will be working to review quality results, oversee implementation of audit methodology processes and procedures and focus on driving service excellence. This is an ideal opportunity to gain experience within Audit Quality and be directly involved in improving quality metrics in the MENA region.
Your key responsibilities
As a Senior Manager / Director, you'll be required to solve contentious or complex issues, support the MENA partners and build relationships with MENA internal clients and peers. You will review recent Quality Review Program results for MENA-based clients and identify areas for improvement. Working effectively as a team member, you’ll design remedial action where necessary and support the execution of such action.
As a role model for Quality & Risk Management (“Q&RM”), you'll confirm that Audit teams understand and comply with EY’s Q&RM guidelines as well as communicate significant issues to MENA-based partners and other stakeholders.
You will be expected to provide support to different professional practice and quality network initiatives and tasks, including (but not limited to):
- review of engagement teams’ risk assessment procedures on prospective and recurring external audit clients and endorsement of acceptance or continuance decisions to MENA Assurance Quality Leadership.
- review of technical accounting (IFRS), audit (ISA, EY Global Audit Methodology) and risk management consultations prepared by audit teams;
- providing technical support and guidance to audit teams during inspections of active regulators in different MENA jurisdictions as well as during EY’s internal assurance quality reviews (AQRs);
- Performing pre and post-issuance engagement quality reviews of EY MENA’s largest audits of listed and large non-listed companies/groups in diverse non-Financial Services sector
- Participate in the implementation of ISQM 1 (SOX for audit and accounting firms) centrally in MENA region (and locally in the 14 EY MENA offices); reviewing test plans, controls testing workpapers, conducting root-cause analysis calls with process and control owners and recommending action plans and actions on ISQM control findings;
- performing cross-region reviews of the implementation of system of quality controls (QCs/Practice Level Reviews) of other EY offices in EMEIA Area in accordance with EY policies aligned with ISQC1;
- performing root-cause analysis of significant regulatory (mainly those that are reported in the IFIAR survey), internal inspection findings, and results of ISQM 1 implementation testing, and recommends various remediation and action plans for implementation in the relevant EY member firms, as well as close monitoring of effectiveness of these action plans;
- creating technical training materials on common internal and external/regulatory inspection observations/findings, as well as audit methodology, tools and enablement updates; and
- training EY MENA facilitator pool consisting of audit managers and partners to deliver the locally-developed technical training materials to wider audit practice professionals; and
- participating as technical interviewer of potential experienced audit candidates and developing technical audit exam for EY MENA’s regional Managerial Assessment Course
- reviewing and performing independent investigation on whistleblower allegations indicative of fraud and non-compliance internally in EY and in EY audit clients
- oversight of the MENA firm’s compliance with partner and firm rotation rules and management of the Global Rotation Tool (GRT)
You’ll be expected to contribute to people initiatives including recruiting, retaining and training audit professionals as well as understand and follow workplace policies and procedures and communicate these to all levels of staff. Actively establishing internal relationships and identifying and escalating potential business opportunities for EY Rapid Innovation will be essential, as well contributing to people initiatives, including recruiting and retaining EY Professionals. With a clear focus on anticipating and identifying risks, you'll escalate issues as appropriate. You'll confirm that the work you deliver is of high quality.
Skills and attributes for success
Pro- activity, accountability and results- driven people will flourish in this environment. Dealing with competing priorities, understanding how to manage resources and communicating effectively are key skills. This will have a huge impact on those around you and help promote a positive work ethic.
To qualify for the role, you must have
- Professional accounting qualification
- Experience as a Manager or Senior Manager with an international Audit firm
- Detailed understanding of risk-based auditing and risk and control strategies
- Compliance with and understanding of regulatory requirements
- Knowledge of IFRS
- Understanding of Q&RM procedures
- Project management, leadership, coaching, counselling and supervisory skills
Ideally, you’ll also have
- Experience in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region
What we look for
We are interested in entrepreneurs who have the confidence to develop and promote a brand-new strategic vision both internally and externally. You will be business savvy with a passion for innovation as well as the motivation to create your own EY journey.
What we offer
We offer a competitive compensation package where you’ll be rewarded based on performance and recognized for the value you bring to our business. Plus, we offer:
- Continuous learning: You’ll develop the mindset and skills to navigate whatever comes next.
- Success as defined by you: We’ll provide the tools and flexibility, so you can make a meaningful impact, your way.
- Transformative leadership: We’ll give you the insights, coaching and confidence to be the leader the world needs.
- Diverse and inclusive culture: You’ll be embraced for who you are and empowered to use your voice to help others find theirs.
If you can demonstrate that you meet the criteria above, please contact us as soon as possible.
The exceptional EY experience. It’s yours to build.
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