Chief Audit Officer

DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit)•Headquarters, KY

About The Position

Reporting to the DART Board Audit Committee, the Chief Audit Officer oversees, manages, reviews and is responsible for the personnel involved in audit functions performed in accordance with DART Internal Audit departmental policies and procedures. This work includes operational audits, IT outsourced audits, incurred cost audits of contractors, and proactive work. The work will be Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) based to give management and the Board reasonable assurance as to the ability to achieve Agency objectives.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Accounting, Finance or related field.
Eight (8) years progressively responsible audit experience to include a minimum of seven (7) years experience in the use of current auditing "best practices" including risk management, audit planning techniques, and effective and efficient methods to examine, verify and analyze records and creating a highly skilled, motivated staff with strong work ethics and integrity and eight (8) years as a Director or Manager in a medium to large governmental, corporate, or non-profit organization.
Must have a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) or Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) or Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) designation.
Must understand COSO principles of auditing to the business objectives, risks to achieving those objectives and controls to mitigate such risks and drive the audit function to be COSO based.
Possesses sufficient knowledge of rules and regulations governing multi modal public transit agencies to include FTA, Federal/State Transportation Departments, Public Safety, Procurement and Contracting, Human Resources practices, Public Funding and Finance (not inclusive).
Pass a physical (medical) examination that includes a drug screen in order to operate DART non-revenue vehicles.
Knowledge of budget development/analysis, and operational cost factors.
Knowledge of departmental policies and procedures.
Proficiency on PC and knowledgeable of software applications, including proficiency in Trapeze, Lawson, Ripplestone, Tableau, Microsoft Office applications of Word and Excel or other related software applications.
Analytical and creative skills to find solutions to complex interpersonal, technical and administrative problems.
Ability to be dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; acts with customers in mind; establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect.
Ability to blend people into teams when needed. Creates strong morale and spirit in his/her team. Fosters open dialogue. Defines success in terms of the whole team. Creates a feeling of belonging in the team.
Ability to write clearly and succinctly in a variety of communication settings and styles; can get messages across that have the desired effect.
Ability to marshal resources to get things done; uses resources effectively and efficiently; can orchestrate multiple activities at once to accomplish a goal.
Ability to use rigorous logic and methods to solve difficult problems with effective solutions; can see hidden problems.
Ability to quickly develop technical understanding; is good at learning new industry, company or technical knowledge.
Ability to accurately scope out length and difficulty of tasks and projects. Sets objectives and goals. Breaks down work into the process steps. Develops schedules and task/people assignments. Anticipates and adjusts for problems and roadblocks. Measures performance against goals. Evaluates results.
Ability to read a situation quickly. Good at focused listening. Can effectively negotiate difficult agreements and settle disputes equitably. Can find common ground and get cooperation with minimum noise.

Responsibilities

Develop annual audit plan based on risk, using risk assessment process and model.
Evaluate management action plans for satisfactory disposition of audit observations.
Assist management in design of internal controls within new or significantly modified processes and systems which may present a high level of risk to the Agency.
Audit contractor billing and allocations to ensure amounts are in accordance with contract terms and Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR).
Issue quarterly status reports on audit plan & budget approved by the Audit Committee, action plan follow up, and incurred cost audit recoveries to the Audit Committee.
Establish quality assurance program for the department and have quality assurance peer review done every five (5) years to ensure the Internal Audit department complies with standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing.
Develop departmental annual budget to be approved by the Audit Committee.
Interview, select, develop, evaluate, counsel and, if necessary, terminate audit staff.
Identify, evaluate, and recommend opportunities for cost optimization and revenue enhancement through independent audits and advisory engagements, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and responsible fiscal stewardship.
Provide independent oversight of the organization's fraud risk management framework, ensuring effective controls, prevention strategies, and investigative processes are in place to safeguard assets and uphold organizational integrity.
Performs other related duties as assigned.