Lead/Assistant Manager - ICFR CoE

Sun Life

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Lead/Assistant Manager - ICFR (Business Controls) plays a vital role in validating the integrity of Sun Life’s financial and actuarial processes, and external reporting. This role supports management and assurance activities by evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of key financial and actuarial controls, which underpin CEO/CFO certifications and regulatory compliance requirements. The analyst partners with Finance, Actuarial, and underlying Operational process owners and external auditors to plan and execute control walkthroughs, testing, and deficiency evaluation. The position offers broad exposure to ICFR across the end-to-end financial close and actuarial reporting lifecycle and provides meaningful opportunities to deepen expertise in financial and actuarial control frameworks within a digitally transforming organization.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
CA, CPA, CISA, or progress toward a relevant professional certification.
Typically, 2.5- 8 years of experience in audit, controls, or risk management, with exposure to ICFR/SOX environments.
Public accounting experience is strongly preferred.
Working knowledge of ICFR/SOX and COSO frameworks.
Familiarity with control walkthroughs, testing techniques, and audit documentation standards.
Analytical Skills: Ability to analyze control designs, identify risks, and assess operating effectiveness.
Communication: Clear written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain control concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
Execution Focus: Strong attention to detail, ability to manage multiple testing activities, and meet deadlines in a structured environment.
Collaboration: Comfortable working as part of a team and engaging constructively with stakeholders at various levels.

Nice To Haves

Experience in insurance, financial services, or other regulated industries.
Experience with actuarial concepts and evaluating actuarial internal controls.
Prior experience supporting external audit engagements.

Responsibilities

Execute ICFR Control Evaluation Program: Coordinate and lead internal control walkthroughs with Finance, Actuarial, and Operational process owners (and external auditors as applicable) to confirm process understanding, key risks, and control points across the end-to-end lifecycle.
Perform testing of operational, financial close, and actuarial reporting controls (e.g., policy set-up, data activity reviews, reconciliations, journal entry controls, management review controls, reserve review controls, and assumption governance) in accordance with professional audit standards and established deadlines.
Evaluate control deficiencies, support root cause analysis, and perform remediation validation testing to confirm corrective actions are effectively implemented.
Support Continuous Improvement: Assess control effectiveness across operational processes, the financial close, and actuarial reporting; identify gaps and opportunities to strengthen the control environment.
Partner with process and control owners to enhance the sustainability of controls through clearer procedures, evidence standards, and consistent execution across the close and actuarial reporting cycle.
Remain informed about emerging risks, regulatory expectations, and industry best practices relevant to ICFR, financial reporting, and actuarial governance.
Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement: Liaise with external auditors to coordinate walkthroughs, testing, and evidence requests related to operational, financial close, and actuarial reporting controls.
Build strong working relationships with cross-functional stakeholders across Operations, Finance, and Actuarial to drive timely walkthroughs, testing, and issue resolution.
Communicate testing results, deficiencies, and observations clearly and professionally to team management, including recommended remediation actions.
Quality and Professional Development: Maintain high standards for walkthrough and testing documentation, including clear testing narratives, risk/control mappings, and sufficient audit evidence.
Contribute to knowledge sharing and standardization of walkthrough and testing approaches for operational, financial close, and actuarial reporting controls.
Proactively develop technical and professional skills in financial and actuarial control evaluation, including ICFR requirements, deficiency evaluation, and effective remediation practices.