Director of Assurance and Advisory Services

Fordham University Portal•Rose Hill, VA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Reporting to the Vice President and General Counsel with a dotted line to the Board of Trustees, the Director of Assurance and Advisory Services serves as the University’s senior internal audit leader and lead technical expert responsible for implementing the annual internal audit plan, directing the continuous monitoring program, and providing independent assurance on the effectiveness of internal controls, governance, risk management, and compliance practices across the institution. The role leads risk-based audits and investigations across financial, operational, regulatory, and technology areas, serving as a trusted advisor to senior leadership by providing strategic, forward-looking recommendations to strengthen controls, mitigate systemic risk, and optimize institutional performance. The position requires strong innovative leadership and a clear commitment to leveraging advanced analytics, Governance Risk and Compliance (GRC) platforms, continuous auditing systems, and AI-enabled tools to strengthen governance and compliance, increase audit coverage and frequency, maximize efficiency with limited resources, and deliver high-impact, strategic insights to leadership.

Requirements

Implementing the annual internal audit plan
Directing the continuous monitoring program
Providing independent assurance on the effectiveness of internal controls, governance, risk management, and compliance practices
Leading risk-based audits and investigations across financial, operational, regulatory, and technology areas
Serving as a trusted advisor to senior leadership
Providing strategic, forward-looking recommendations to strengthen controls, mitigate systemic risk, and optimize institutional performance
Leveraging advanced analytics, Governance Risk and Compliance (GRC) platforms, continuous auditing systems, and AI-enabled tools
Strengthening governance and compliance
Increasing audit coverage and frequency
Maximizing efficiency with limited resources
Delivering high-impact, strategic insights to leadership
Conducting audit fieldwork
Developing findings and recommendations
Drafting formal audit reports
Assisting the General Counsel in preparing materials and participating in Audit Committee meetings
Coordinating with the Director of Compliance and Enterprise Risk Management
Utilizing specialized software to perform continuous auditing
Identifying deviations or control failures in real-time
Leading and conducting internal investigations
Administering the University’s whistleblower hotline and related case management process
Executing policy enforcement actions
Ensuring timely and effective corrective action plans are implemented by management
Enhancing risk assessment
Strengthening audit planning
Expanding continuous auditing capabilities
Translating insights into high-level, actionable recommendations for senior leadership
Centralizing risk and control data
Streamlining audit workflows
Producing evidence-based reports that inform decision-making
Assessing governance, controls, compliance, and emerging risks
Leveraging AI and advanced analytics to identify anomalies, control gaps, and opportunities for improvement

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in a relevant field.
Higher education experience.
Active membership in a recognized professional auditing or accounting organization, such as the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), or New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA).

Responsibilities

Responsible for planning, scheduling, and executing internal audits across all university operations, including financial, operational, and technological controls (e.g., Facilities, Business Services, Athletics, HR).
Responsible for conducting audit fieldwork, developing findings and recommendations, and drafting formal audit reports for presentation to the Director and, through the Director, to the General Counsel and the Board.
Maintains the dotted-line reporting relationship to the Board of Trustees by assisting the General Counsel in preparing materials and participating in Audit Committee meetings as required.
Coordinates with the Director of Compliance and Enterprise Risk Management to ensure audit planning is aligned with the top enterprise risks.
Oversees auditing and monitoring activities, utilizing specialized software to perform continuous auditing and identify deviations or control failures in real-time.
Leads and conducts internal investigations related to financial impropriety, control breaches, and serious compliance incidents (e.g., fraud, waste, abuse).
Administers the University’s whistleblower hotline and related case management process.
Executes policy enforcement actions stemming from audit findings, ensuring timely and effective corrective action plans are implemented by management.
Leads the strategic integration and application of advanced analytics and AI-enabled audit tools to enhance risk assessment, strengthen audit planning, and expand continuous auditing capabilities, translating insights into high-level, actionable recommendations for senior leadership.
Oversees the GRC platform to centralize risk and control data, streamline audit workflows, and produce evidence-based reports that inform decision-making.
Leads audits of technology and data-related processes, assessing governance, controls, compliance, and emerging risks, leveraging AI and advanced analytics to identify anomalies, control gaps, and opportunities for improvement.