About this role
Senior Internal Auditor– Internal Audit, Risk & Compliance We are seeking an experienced Manager to oversee the delivery, quality and management of internal audit, risk and compliance reviews across a portfolio of financial services clients. The role involves managing review teams, ensuring high-quality audit files and reports, engaging with senior stakeholders, identifying risks and control weaknesses, and providing practical recommendations. The successful candidate will have strong experience in internal audit, third-party assurance, financial controls and regulatory compliance, ideally within the insurance or financial services sector, alongside proven leadership, client relationship management and business development skills. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Scope and plan reviews. Assist with the preparation of annual review plans and budgets, agree review scope, objectives, approach, timelines and budgets with clients, and issue engagement plans. Manage delivery. Allocate teams, monitor progress, budgets and timelines across several reviews, and resolve issues early. Quality assurance. Perform QA checks on all audit and review files: working papers, evidence, conclusions and reports, before release to the client. Review and finalise reports, findings, risk ratings and recommendations, and present them to client management. Client meetings. Attend client operational meetings and escalation meetings, and manage escalated findings and client concerns. Business development. Identify opportunities with new and existing clients, and prepare proposals, scopes and fee estimates. People management. Supervise, coach and review the work of Senior Consultants and Consultants, and contribute to performance reviews. Follow-up. Oversee tracking of agreed management actions and follow-up reviews. REVIEW AREAS Candidates should have managed reviews in several of the areas below. Insurance-sector experience is a strong advantage. Service line Typical reviews Internal Audit Risk-based, outsourced and co-sourced internal audit; specialist reviews; agreed-upon procedures; follow-up reviews Third-Party Assurance (TPA) Risk-based, contractual and regulatory compliance reviews of binder holders, underwriting managers, administrators and other outsourced service providers Compliance Monitoring Compliance risk assessments, compliance monitoring reviews and dashboards Market Conduct Treating Customers Fairly (TCF) outcomes, Policyholder Protection Rules (PPR) compliance and market conduct assurance reviews Risk Management Risk assessments, control self-assessments, key risk indicators and integrated assurance Process reviews Process Typical focus Internal Financial Controls (IFCs) Financial reporting controls, reconciliations, journals, period-end close New Business / Underwriting Application processing, underwriting authority, risk acceptance, policy issue Claims Claims registration, assessment, authorisation, payment and fraud controls Reinsurance Treaty and facultative placement, cessions, recoveries, reinsurer reconciliations Premium Collection Debit orders, collection, allocation, arrears and lapses FICA / AML Client due diligence, screening, transaction monitoring, regulatory reporting Investments Mandates, asset allocation, valuations, custody and investment reconciliations Bank Account Management Account opening and closure, signatories, payment release, bank reconciliations Trust Accounts Segregation of client funds, trust reconciliations, regulatory compliance MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS Experience At least 7 years of internal audit, risk or compliance experience, including at least 2 years managing reviews and teams. Training contract or experience at a Big 4 audit firm (KPMG, Deloitte, PwC or EY) or at an insurance company preferred. Reviews completed at financial service providers such as banks, insurance companies or investment firms. Experience performing quality review or QA of audit files and reports. Third-party assurance and insurance review experience is a strong advantage. Experience in client relationship management, including escalation meetings. Exposure to business development, proposals and fee estimates. Qualifications Honours degree in Internal Audit preferred; otherwise a relevant degree in Accounting, Auditing, Finance, Risk Management or similar. CIA (Certified Internal Auditor), CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor) or CA(SA) designation, or actively studying towards these designations. Other Based in Gauteng and willing to travel. Valid driver’s licence and able to get to client sites and the Sandton and Randburg offices. ADVANTAGEOUS Insurance company experience, either in-house or on insurance audit engagements. IT audit skills, including IT general controls, application controls and IT security reviews (supports cyber security offering). Data analytics skills, for example Excel (advanced), IDEA, ACL, SQL, Power BI or Python, to test full populations. Experience presenting to audit, risk or market conduct committees. COMPETENCIES AND ATTRIBUTES Sound knowledge of risk management, internal control frameworks and IIA Standards. Working knowledge of South African financial services regulation, such as the Insurance Act and Prudential Standards, FICA, POPIA, PPR, TCF and King IV. Quality-focused: high standards for evidence, documentation and reporting. Client relationship management and negotiation. Leadership, coaching and team management. Commercial awareness: budgets, fees and proposals. Strong written and verbal communication with senior client stakeholders. Integrity and confidentiality with client information.