Director-Chief Internal Auditor

Position Overview

COME JOIN A TRANSFORMATIVE TEAM, with a record of proven, positive impact to the State of Illinois.

The Illinois Office of the Comptroller is seeking applicants for the position of Chief Internal Auditor.

The Comptroller is the chief fiscal control officer for the Illinois government, charged by the Constitution with maintaining the state’s central fiscal accounts and ordering payments into and out of the appropriate funds. The office processes more than 16 million transactions annually and serves as a “fiscal watchdog” to ensure that all state payments meet the requirements of the law. The Comptroller’s office provides meaningful and timely fiscal information to help state policymakers adopt effective policies. The office continually seeks new ways to improve how it serves the public. The Comptroller has updated and streamlined the Comptroller’s website and has led the process of updating the state’s payroll and accounting systems. Comptroller Mendoza is committed to running the Office of Comptroller as a financial watchdog for the interest of Illinois citizens and to installing the most modern and transparent systems to make the state’s financial information available to all. 

Main Functions

Subject to approval of the Comptroller, performs highly responsible administrative functions as Chief of the Internal Audit Department. The incumbent formulates, organizes, and implements departmental goals, policies, procedures, staffing, and budgeting. The Chief Internal Auditor directs a broad, comprehensive program of internal auditing for the Office of Comptroller in accordance with the State's Fiscal Control and Internal Auditing Act. The incumbent provides management with analysis, appraisals, recommendations, and pertinent comments concerning internal controls and business activities; performs assignmnets that may be sensitive or confidential in nature. The incumbent coordinates audits conducted by the Office of the Auditor General. The Chief Internal Auditor prepares and submits, for Comptroller approval, a two-year audit work plan and a listing of audits scheduled for the pending fiscal year, and reports on the previous year's audit plan. The incumbent assists the Comptroller in planning, coordinating, and managing the annual FCIAA internal control review & certification. In addition, the incumbent serves as designated IOC coordinator in the review process.

Job Responsibilities

• Establishes policy for the Internal Audit Department. Carries out the department's managerial, personnel, training, fiscal, and administrative functions.

• Prepares and submits, for Comptroller approval, a two-year Audit Work Plan and a listing of audits scheduled for the pending fiscal year, reports on the previous year's audit plan.

• Assists the Comptroller in planning, coordinating, and managing the annual FCIAA internal control review & certification. Serves as designated IOC coordinator in the review process.

• Review and approve audit reports
• Evaluates and provides recommendations of audit findings
• Briefs the Comptroller and Assistant Comptrollers on the actual or potential impact of identified control concerns.

• In accordance with the Audit Work Plan and IOC Management requests
• Oversee activities of professional staff engaged in the performance of financial, compliance, EDP, efficiency and effectiveness, and special assignment audits.
• As necessary, performs internal audits and prepares all necessary paperwork and follow-up.

• Conducts entrance and exit conferences with auditees; confers with auditees and IOC Senior Management on major audit issues.

• Monitors elimination of material weakness identified during the audit process and communicates with the Comptroller regarding status of IOC material weakness.

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires a bachelor's degree

           AND

• A designation as a Certified Internal Auditor or a Certified Public Accountant, and four (4) years of progressively responsible professional auditing experience, OR an auditor with at least five (5) years of progressively responsible professional auditing experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prefers possession of current certification as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), or Certified in Risk Management Assurance.

• Prefers a bachelor's degree with coursework in accounting, auditing, business management,computer science, economics, public administration, or other related subjects.

• Prefers familiarity with IT governanceframworks and guidelines (e.g., ITIL, COBIT, NIST, CIS, FFIEC, etc.), as well as technology architecture and data goverance.

• Prefers four (4) years of experience applying the Institute of Internal Audit Standards in a professional setting.

• Prefers three (3) years of experience developing routine and non-routine audit guidelines of operational, compliance, and/or financial audits.

• Prefers three (3) years of planning and prioritizing complex projects and manage them from conception to conclusion, including identifying and resolving problems to ensure project accuracy and timelines.

• Prefers three (3) yars of experience analyzingresults of audit procedures to draw conclusions and from which recommendations for improvements to internal control procedure and systems were made. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Requires a thorough knowledge of business administration principles, modern management practices and effective communication techniques.
• Requires thorough knowledge of office programs and service objectives, activities and operational systems.
• Requires extensive knowledge of office policies and procedures.
• Requires the ability to read legislation, statutes, and administrative rules.
• Requires thorough knowledge of State accounting laws, regulations, and policies.
• Requires ability to manage a department within the organization.
• Requires ability to analyze administrative programs within a department and oversee the adoption of an effective course of action.
• Requires ability to develop, install, and evaluate new and revised methods, procedures and performance standards.
• Requires ability to exercise judgement and discretion in developing, implementing, and interpreting departmental policies and procedures.
• Requires ability to estimate and budget for future needs and costs of personnel, space, equipment, supplies and services.
• Requires ability to develop and maintain satisfactory working relationships with office officials and outside organization representatives and to deal effectively with controversial problems.
• Requires thorough knowledge of project management techniques and the principles of effective leadership or supervision.
• Requires ability to exercise sound judgement in analyzing, evaluating, and solving problems of a difficult procedural, organizational, administrative, and technical nature.
• Requires ability to judge project alternatives in terms of cost effectiveness.
• Requires working knowledge of personal computers and software.
• Requires thorough knowledge of labor and employment development.
• Requires ability to plan, coordinate and review the activities of personnel to meet defined goals and schedules.
• Requires thorough knowledge of professional accounting and auditing procedures, methods, and techniques.
• Requires ability to train and evaluate a professional accounting or auditing staff.
• Requires ability to develop operational and program objectives within the framework of the agency's legislated functions and professional philosophies.

Benefits

This positon is eligible to be a member of the State of Illinois Group Insurance program which includes health, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage options. Additionally, this position will annually accrue 12 paid sick days, a a minimum of 12 paid vacation days, 4 paid personal days, and be afforded 14 paid state holidays, prorated based on start date. 

Equal Employment and Commitment to Diversity

The Illinois Office of Comptroller provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, sex or gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, genetic information, service in the military, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. Equal employment opportunity applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leave of absence, compensation, and training. The Illinois Office of Comptroller is committed to the fair and equal employment of individuals with disabilities under the ADA. It is the Illinois Office of Comptroller's policy to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the company. The Illinois Office of Comptroller prohibits any harassment of, or discriminatory treatment of, employees or applicants based on a disability or because an employee has requested reasonable accommodation. 

The Illinois Office of Comptroller is committed to creating and maintaining a workplace in which all employees have an opportunity to participate and contribute to the success of the agency and are valued for their skills, experience, and unique perspectives. This commitment is embodied in agency policy and organizational culture.