Lead Specialist, General Audit

Guardian Life Insurance•Holmdel Township, NJ

22h•$86,210 - $141,635•Hybrid

About The Position

This role supports the Head of Corporate Shared Services, Internal Audit. The position functions as a working audit project manager, responsible for planning, executing, and reporting audits independently and, on occasion, within a team. The focus is on performing high quality, value-add, assurance and advisory services that identify, evaluate, and report on highly complex business risks and controls in accordance with the Institute of Internal Auditors Standards and established methodologies. The role involves identifying meaningful observations about the design and operating effectiveness of controls and discussing them with various levels of management to improve the internal control environment. This position is frequently sought after as a key resource for complex assignments and is focused on the Corporate Functions (e.g., Strategic Initiatives, Corporate Development, Law, Compliance, Marketing, Communication, Talent & Culture, etc.) with the possibility of covering other business and functional areas of the Company.

Requirements

5+ years of broad-based experience in internal audit, external audit, or related functions.
Strong analytical skills, with the ability to effectively assess a process, analyze data, and assess risks and controls.
Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage concurrent projects (multi-task) and meet deadlines with minimal supervision.
Strong written and oral communication skills, with the ability to write clearly and concisely.
Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong relationships and clearly articulate thoughts and ideas.
Ability to collaborate with others, both inside and outside of the department, while working toward common goals and fostering understanding and agreement.
Bachelor’s degree required (accounting or business degree is a plus)
Professional accreditations, licenses, or designations required – (CIA, CPA, CFE, CISA, etc.)

Nice To Haves

Experience in the insurance or financial services industry is a plus.
Working knowledge of information technology, cybersecurity, and ability to apply to operational audits is a plus.
Understanding of enabling technologies, including robotics process automation (RPA), natural language processing (NLP), and/or artificial intelligence (AI) is a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead and execute complex assurance projects in accordance with established methodologies and professional standards.
Demonstrate influencing skills when communicating with business areas and other risk assurance providers aimed to continually improve relationships and enable management to proactively manage risk.
Collaborate with other members of the audit team to leverage their skill sets, experience, and expertise; providing the same.
Act as a mentor to new or less experienced auditors by providing guidance on Department processes and sharing knowledge of Company operations, product lines, etc.
Monitor all outstanding recommendations and action plans for the assigned audits; prepare status commentary and perform follow-up testing as needed.
Provide advisory services on projects, business functions, and processes, if requested.
Provide governance, compliance, investigation, and enterprise risk assessment support, if requested.
Assist the external auditors and the Controls Assurance team (Model Audit Rule Program) through coordinating and executing direct assistance testing for select assignments.
Work with Internal Audit leadership to identify and continuously improve departmental practices.
Monitor and demonstrate compliance with departmental policies and practices, as evidenced by strong quality assurance results, and strong performance within standards and related metrics.
Stay abreast of current issues, standard industry practices, regulations, and obtain continuing education and training.
Participate in special projects and perform other duties as requested.
Interact with all levels of management to provide effective risk and control advice, maintaining active communication with clients to enhance risk and control awareness and manage expectations.