HCL Technologies - AVP - Internal Audit

Location: Noida

SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE-

- Qualified CA / CMA / CIA / MBA in finance from a reputed MBA institute. CFE and CISA / DISA certifications will be added advantages

- 15-20 years of post-qualification experience with at-least 10-12 years in internal audit and forensics management

- Strong knowledge of various audit and risk management frameworks i.e. IIA, IFC, COSO, COBIT, IPPF, ISO 31000 etc.

- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (both written & oral);

- Strong presentation skills;

- Active participation in internal audit professional groups and events organized by various professional bodies i.e. IIA etc.

- Other soft skills i.e.

(i) self-disciplined and self-motivated

(ii) decision making, consultative and innovative thinking

(iii) time management

(iv) high on integrity and ethical values

(v) strong inter-personal skills, convincing ability, self-confidence; etc.

Job Purpose :

To assume end to end responsibilities of internal audit (IA) and whistle-blower function at HCL and be ready to take-over the responsibilities as Senior Leader, including but not limiting to

(i) preparation and execution of risk based audit plan

(ii) ensure timeliness of presentations for HCL senior management and audit committee

(iii) managing quality relationship with key stakeholders

(iv) work towards continuous improvement program in line with international standards and good practices

1. PRINCIPLE ACCOUNTABILITIES

EXPECTED END RESULTS KEY ACTIVITIES

1. ANNUAL AUDIT PLAN

- Draw up risk based Annual audit plan based on HCL's IA and risk assessment methodology and obtain AC's approval;

- Review the plan each quarter to ensure adequacy of coverage to provide assurance to AC and Sr. Management in mitigating risks and achieving business objectives. - Preparing a risk based Annual Audit plan by considering inputs from various risk drivers and as per HCL's IA methodology / risk assessment process and submit the same to the Audit Committee (AC) for approval;

- Review and propose changes to the annual audit plan each quarter where changing risk profile of the company requires reprioritisation of audit activities / including new ones / requiring special assignments to mitigate those risks;

- Ensure effective liaison and network with various professional agencies, bodies, individuals to stay current with various changes affecting the industry, internal audit profession to help formulate an effective risk-based audit plan;

2. EXECUTION OF AUDIT PLAN AND AD-HOC / SPECIAL ERNGAGEMENTS

- Assess the need for engaging external experts / firms and appoint them with AC approval;

- Discuss with management and understand the objective and expectations from special / ad-hoc engagements

- Ensure effective use of appropriate analytical tools and technology for data analytics and coverage.

- Continuously monitor progress / quality of audits by external experts / internal IA staff;

- Ensure documentation quality and compliance to the IA methodology;

- Track regularly to ensure achievement of the plan, issuance of reports;

- Effective use of Audit tools and Technology in the audit engagement. - Identify and assess the need for engaging external experts / firms as a best practice to ensure quality of audits requiring specialized skills or for assisting in-house IA team with routine and transactional audits / reviews; appoint them with the approval of the AC;

- Continuously evaluate and assess use of various tools and technology for performing data analytics and coverage.

- Continuously monitor and track progress and quality of audits to ensure high IA staff productivity, timely completion of audit assignments, provide support and guidance where required to achieve the above;

- Continuously monitor and track performance of the external experts / firms (whenever engaged) to ensure completeness and quality of deliverables, provide requisite help / support for timely completion, maintain cost efficiency;

- Identify and effectively communicate issues that require immediate senior management / AC attention, initiating investigations;

- Share with all relevant stakeholders the audit observations / recommendation, seek auditee / management comments and feedback, obtain management action plan along with timelines for implementing audit recommendations (AR) for issuing final audit reports;

- Continuously interact with the external auditors and update them with the audit plan and scope so that reliance can be placed on the work done by internal audits, avoid duplication of work;

- Ensure timely resolution of all issues and escalation to management in case of any delays; streamline audits to minimize disruption of operations;

3. ENHANCE OVERALL CONTROL ENVIRONMENT

- Conduct periodical trainings / workshops for the senior leadership team (SLT) and their first level direct reports;

- Timely closure of all audit recommendations;

- Share best practices, assist in investigations, review company's policies and procedures etc. - Conduct periodical trainings / workshops for the senior leadership team (SLT) and their first level direct reports on industry best practices and processes based on various audit and forensic engagements.

- Continuously engage with senior / line management to ensure timely closure of all audit recommendations;

- Act as an advisor to the line / senior management in suggesting best practices, review existing policies and procedures and help in carrying out various investigations and suggesting remediation.

4. IA BEST PRACTICES / COMPLIANCE TO IIA STANDARDS

- Continuous review of the IA methodology;

- Continuously review and amend the IA manual to ensure it is up to date;

- Review and amend the IA charter periodically;

- Review on an annual basis AC terms of reference;

- Annually review and amend risk rating scale used for audit opinions.

- Ensure compliance to IA methodology, IIA recommended quality assurance and improvement program (QAIP)

- Obtain stakeholder inputs / feedback after completion of each audit. - Continuously review the IA methodology and incorporate / adopt audit best practices in line with IIA standards to be - Best in class- ;

- Review and amend the IA charter each year and obtain AC approval to ensure alignment with IIA's professional practices framework, ensuring IA function is adequacy empowered to be able to effectively discharge its duties and meet the expectations of the AC and senior management;

- Review annually the AC terms of reference to ensure compliance to the applicable statutory requirements, effectiveness of governance framework, helping the AC in discharging its duties and responsibilities;

- Continuously review and amend the IA manual to ensure it is up to date with the recommendations of the IIA professional standards, IA methodology, IA charter and AC Terms of reference;

- Review and amend the risk rating scale on an annual basis to ensure audit opinions are appropriately aligned to the criticality of risks so that the attention of the senior management is drawn only to critical risks / key issues having significant impact on business for their immediate action / mitigation.

5. PROVIDING UPDATE TO SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND AC - Ensure monthly update to the senior management with the observations on completed audits, emerging audit issues from ongoing audits, status of implementation of various ARs, ARs which may get escalated to AC due to non-implementation;

- Prepare and circulate the AC pack as per agreed timelines after incorporating key audit issues, status of implementation of ARs, management update on issues discussed and update sought by the AC at the previous meeting, any incidents of fraud / issues presented before the Whistle blower Committee, status of IA staffing, any other issue of importance / relevance etc.;

6. IMPLEMENT ANTI FRAUD PROGRAM

- Institute Anti-Fraud program framework and review its effectiveness periodically.

- Institute in consultation with the management measures to detect, deter, investigate / report and monitor incidents of frauds; - Carry out enterprise-wide Fraud Risk Assessment and implement effective anti-fraud controls to detect, deter, investigate / report and continuously monitor areas / schemes vulnerable to frauds by :

- Leveraging technology / automating, using data analytic tools to monitor areas of high fraud risk, setting alarms / timely detection mechanisms;

- Closely monitor / review adequacy and effectiveness of anti-fraud measures implemented viz. whistle blower mechanism, anonymous email intimations, ethical hotlines etc.;

- Investigate possible frauds and report the findings along with recommendations in a timely manner

7. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT / TEAM DEVELOPMENT

- Establish knowledge management framework;

- Identify training needs of the IA team and provide the same to prepare them to be Next-Gen ready;

- Develop succession plan to ensure continuity - Establish / manage knowledge management program for IA staff;

- Impart continuous Training and Mentoring to IA staff;

- Help IA staff their career goals and objectives by identifying and providing requisite technical / soft skills, cross-functional opportunity, identifying secondment opportunities etc.;

- Develop succession plan for key roles within the IA function

- Ensure employee satisfaction and address initial signs of discontentment to minimize attrition.

Dimensions:

- No. of countries:- 42 & counting

- No. of companies worldwide:- 82 & counting

- Region:- US, Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa and Middle East etc.

- Stakeholders:- All functions i.e. HR, EHS, ISG, Corporate Secretarial, Finance, Treasury, Tax, Delivery, Business financing, Sales, Contract closure group, Finance Shared Services, procurement, Admin, IT, Risk and compliance, InfoSec, etc.

- Team Size:- 27