Chief Audit Executive

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory • Berkeley, CA

12d • $250,000 - $315,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is seeking a Chief Audit Executive to join our world-renowned research institution to provide strategic oversight of the internal audit function. As a member of the Laboratory’s leadership team, the Chief Audit Executive serves as a trusted advisor, providing assurance that compliance processes are transparent, efficient, and executed in accordance with relevant requirements and regulations. They share risk management insights and provide advisory services to enhance governance and operational effectiveness and ensure alignment with the enterprise’s mission and strategic objectives.
The Chief Audit Executive also manages Berkeley Lab’s Internal Audit Services department, which includes a team of four internal auditors. Their mission is to enhance and protect organizational value by providing risk-based and objective assurance, audit, and investigation services. Internal Audit Services conducts reviews of administrative systems and controls to enhance compliance with contract requirements, Laboratory policies, Department of Energy (DOE), and government regulations; strengthens accountability and financial integrity; and assesses economy, efficiency, and effectiveness. The department also provides external audit coordination with various agencies in their review of the Lab’s financial data and administrative controls.
This role reports functionally to the University of California’s Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance and Audit Officer, and administratively to the Laboratory Director.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a business discipline and 10+ years of experience in broad aspects of financial, operational, and information systems, along with all organizational disciplines. This experience should include internal and/or external auditing in an accounting firm, National Laboratory or similar complex, highly-regulated environment.
• Experience in effective people management, with the ability to set and sustain high performance standards and focus on employee development and team building.
• Strong relationship-building skills with the ability to collaborate across the organization and engage diverse stakeholders for effective audit issue resolution.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to present complex audit information clearly to all levels, including senior leadership.
• Proven proficiency in aligning internal audit activities with strategic organizational objectives in a complex, research-driven environment.
• Demonstrated flexibility in adapting to evolving priorities, and organizational change.
• Strong emphasis on overall risk management, including the identification, evaluation, and mitigation of potential risks across the Laboratory operations.
• Strong familiarity with indirect rates and cost pool allocations, key federal government compliance areas and requirements (Federal Acquisition Regulations, Cost Accounting Standards, and Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards).
• Strong commitment to ethical standards and maintaining integrity, confidentiality, and objectivity in all audit processes.
• Ability to model Berkeley Lab’s Stewardship Values: Team Science, Trust, Respect, Service, and Innovation.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree (e.g., MBA, MPA) and/or additional professional certifications (e.g., Certified Internal Auditor, Certified Public Accountant, Certified Fraud Examiner or Certified Information Systems Auditor).
• Working knowledge of DOE, its programs and organizations, the federal government and/or National Laboratory environment.
• Broad experience in Laboratory mission and operations activities and in reconciling technical programmatic and operational requirements.
• Strong familiarity with audit analytic tools such as ACL.
• Strong familiarity with local, state, and federal regulations, including OMB Circular A-123.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute an internal audit strategy that assesses the Laboratory’s key areas of risk, evaluates the effectiveness of internal controls, and considers effective audits of costs incurred in the performance of Berkeley Lab’s UC-DOE Prime Contract.
• Oversee the execution of internal financial, operational, and information systems audits, in accordance with the requirements of the UC Audit Charter, Berkeley Lab’s UC-DOE Prime Contract and existing internal audit professional standards.
• Advise Laboratory leadership on emerging risks, adequacy of internal controls, the focus of internal and external audit plans, and other assurance activities.
• Prepare and execute a comprehensive, risk-based annual internal audit plan approved by the Laboratory Director, UC Office of the President, and Berkeley Lab’s DOE site office.
• Prepare and deliver regular reports to the Contract Assurance Council that identify emerging organizational risks potentially subject to audit and adequacy of the Laboratory’s internal controls.
• Serve as liaison among Berkeley Lab management, UC’s Office of National Laboratories, Berkeley Lab’s DOE site office, and other agencies authorized to audit the Laboratory (primarily the DOE Office of Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office).
• Provide leadership to motivate and assure a high-performing internal audit organization through effective recruitment, development, performance management, retention, and succession planning; lead by example to model and implement the principles of stewardship to create a working environment where all employees are supported to be successful.
• Coordinate and conduct investigations, system reviews, and compliance reviews, as required. Serve as a designated member of the Lab’s Investigation Working group, to ensure appropriate response to Whistleblower complaints, collaborate and promote best practices.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive