Job Description
OVERVIEW
NEOM is an accelerator of human progress and a vision of what a new future might look like. A region in northwest Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea, NEOM is being built from the ground up to include hyperconnected, cognitive cities, ports, next-generation infrastructure and industries, enterprise zones, research centers, sports and entertainment venues and tourist destinations.
As a destination, it will be a home for people who dream big and want to be part of building a new model for exceptional livability, creating thriving businesses and reinventing environmental conservation.
As a workplace, it is a place for people who share our core values of care, curiosity, diversity, passion, respect, and becoming a catalyst for change.
Are you ready to help NEOM find solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges? Are you prepared to create a lasting legacy that benefits generations to come? Then we want to hear from you!
ROLE OVERVIEW
The IA Excellence Director is responsible for the development and implementation of IA professional practices and operational excellence. Professional practices include NEOM Internal Audit’s (NIA) methodology and Quality Assurance and Improvement Program (QAIP), and operational excellence is the delivery of centralized Internal Audit (IA) operations support.
These functions enable NIA to deliver consistent and continually high quality and efficient IA services across NEOM. The role requires a strategic and collaborative approach to communication and engagement, and a continuous improvement mindset to streamline and enhance audit processes to deliver insight and value to IA stakeholders and beyond.
REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY
- In-depth knowledge of governance, risk and control frameworks and concepts, and the IIA’s International Professional Practices Framework.
- Competence in developing, executing and refining Quality Assurance & Improvement Programs that drive continuous improvement of audit practices.
- Proven ability in leading internal audit teams.
- Ability develop and execute on IA Strategic, driving IA initiatives across the division to transform internal audit functions to be ‘best-in-class’.
- Strong business acumen and industry knowledge.
- Advanced critical thinker, providing objective assurance and insight to management.
- Strong coaching skills.
- Excellent communication (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively and influence a wide range of stakeholders, to develop credibility, rapport and trust.
- High attention to details to ensure the processes are optimized and of high quality.
- Ability to lead and influence others to achieve desired outcomes.
- Uphold ethical standards in all interactions and communications.
ROLE COMPETENCIES & ACTIVITIES
The IA Excellence Director’s responsibilities will include, but not be limited to:
Governance
- Supports the Chief Internal Audit Officer (CIAO) with the development and periodic update of NIA’s strategic plan, including the strategic initiatives for achieving the plan.
- Oversees the delivery progress and communication of NIA’s Strategy, which includes actions to address significant findings from the QAIP, and other relevant inputs.
- Leads the development and periodic update of NIA’s policies and procedures (including the IA methodology, charter, and IA Delegation of Authority), the scope of which will cover all relevant activities above.
- Oversees activities to ensure that all members of the team, including service providers, are familiar with the NIA’s policies and procedures
- Oversees the annual planning process, driving a high-quality risk assessment process and outputs, with sufficient resourcing to meet the assurance needs.
- Oversees all executive management and AC reporting.
- Oversees the completion of high-quality annual control environment assessment papers.
Quality
- Oversees that a consistent and high-quality methodology (including risk assessment/annual planning, audit execution and observation closure) is applied across all IA teams.
- Oversees the delivery of NIA’s QAIP, which incorporates the requirements of Internal Audit Standards, and provides in-flight advice and assurance over the quality of all internal audit services, enabling continuous improvement of NIA and its processes and procedures.
- Continually updates knowledge of latest IA global best practices (through proactive networking, participation in benchmarking opportunities and online research), and identifies enhancements to the NIA’s practices for incorporation into the IA Strategy (as appropriate).
- Oversees the delivery of events to share the leading IA practices (including across NIA and other PIF Portfolio Companies, Global Internal Audit Conference, etc.).
- Collaborates with IA peers to ensure that resources are shared where necessary, leveraging key strengths from across NIA, to support efficient and high-quality delivery of the overall IA plan.
Operations
- Oversees the development and implementation of an automated management information system which is actively used by the NIA leadership team to identify performance gaps and identify opportunities for further improvement.
- Oversees that complete and accurate NIA information (including Performance Scorecard and other KPIs) is maintained and provided regularly to senior management.
- Oversees the consolidation of observation follow-up reporting to present an overall picture for NEOM, as well as at the IA team levels, for use with senior stakeholders and the AC.
- Oversees the effective management of the NIA’s budget (including travel and consultant expenses), and periodic consolidated NIA updates on spend against budget.
- Collaborates with the IA directors to build and sustain independent and objective relationships with other assurance and consulting service providers, including the development and implementation of an aligned assurance framework.
- Develops relationships across NEOM and externally, to enable effective knowledge sharing within NIA and NEOM.
- Owns the risk register which identifies the key risks to the achievement of NIA’s objectives, and leads the development of response plans to mitigate these risks.
- Oversees the maintenance of the audit management system to drive conformance to the NIA’s procedures.
People and Leadership
- Oversees the periodic review of NIA’s functional competencies and the periodic assessment of these competencies across NIA, and the identification of NIA-wide competency gaps.
- Oversees the design and delivery of the talent strategy, including the training curriculum to address the gaps identified.
- Partners with Human Capital to ensure an effective Performance Management and Development process operates across NIA, including succession planning.
- Plans, manages and reviews direct reports’, IA Excellence Team and NIA performance, to track that KPIs are achieved.
- Provides honest and timely feedback, development and coaching and takes prompt action, where necessary, to ensure progressive development and learning opportunities are pursued.
- Establishes clear direction, prioritization and delegation across the team.
- Drives the IA Excellence team’s development, encouraging secondment opportunities both into and outside of IA.
