Group Internal Controls & Governance Manager

If you are ambitious self-motivated hardworking and a team player and interested in growing your career with an International FMCG business please read through our job opportunity.

Key Responsibilities

1. Internal Controls Management

• Develop maintain and continuously improve the organizations internal controls framework for key financial and operational processes.
• Manage and update Risk and Control Matrices (RACMs) to reflect process system and business changes and identify any process / control deviations etc.
• Identify document and deploy any localised RACMs to specific jurisdictions (only where needed).
• Create and manage a centralised controls repository including RACMs Process flows Testing scripts test results SOPs etc.
• Coordinate with the SAP S/4HANA programme team to ensure a successful implementation of the newly developed internal control framework alongside each wave of the system roll-out.
• Identify control gaps arising from different sources eg management Internal Audit etc (eg for any observed process/ control deviations) and coordinate remediation with relevant stakeholders ensuring the risks related to control gaps are adequately and proportionately addressed by the next relevant reporting date
• Provide guidance and training to process owners and control performers on control requirements and documentation standards.

2. Governance of Policies & Processes

• Establish maintain and enforce governance over finance and related key Group functional/business processes including standardized documentation (policies procedures work instructions).
• Facilitate process and control ownership and accountability across business units by communicating and monitoring control owner / operator responsibilities and expectations.
• Ensure alignment of process governance with expected internal control corporate risk management audit and compliance standards.
• Monitor segregation of duties across the organizational process structure and approve any new system access requests.
• Monitor and report on relevant KPIs for process efficiency compliance and risk mitigation.
• Controls assurance reporting to management (FLT ExCo etc) and Audit & Risk Committee as required.

3. Post-Implementation S/4HANA Finance Support

• Act as a permanent Business Process Owner representative for finance-related processes post-implementation. Manage change communication with control operators / owners
• Act as 1st stage gatekeeper and an effective filter for finance related system / process change requests. Coordinate with GIS and process owners to assess and resolve system/process issues and qualify / manage change requests.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives leveraging S/4HANA functionality analytics and automation capabilities to drive future improvements in process/control effectiveness and efficiency.

4. Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration

• Work closely with Finance GIS/IT Divisional teams and Central functions as well as with external audit and Internal Audit to ensure a coordinated approach to controls and governance.
• Provide subject matter expertise for relevant finance/internal control-related queries audits and reviews on an ongoing basis.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to process owners guiding them through governance controls and system utilization best practices.

5. Monitoring control effectiveness

• Develop risk-based testing approach and design internal control sampling methodology aligned with external auditor expectations and managements own risk appetite. Could include self-assessment (if considered appropriate) for a selection of controls.

• Monitor the effectiveness of controls through testing reviews and exception reporting.
• Oversee controls assurance programme/process (as approved by management and discussed with external auditors) to ensure controls are operating effectively on an agreed cyclical basis - via an annual governance calendar for reviews attestations (e.g self-assessments) and audits.

Required Skills & Experience

Education & Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in Accounting Finance Business Administration or related field.
• Professional certification preferred (e.g. CPA ACCA CIA CISA or similar).

Experience:

• Extensive experience in internal controls finance governance audit or process management.
• Experience with SAP S/4HANA preferred (preferably post-implementation environment).
• Familiarity with RACM management and internal controls frameworks (COSO or equivalent).
• Experience in process documentation and governance frameworks.
• Proven ability to bridge finance IT and operational stakeholders.

Skills:

• Strong understanding of end-to-end finance processes (P2P O2C R2R IM etc.).
• Excellent analytical problem-solving and process improvement skills.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Ability to work autonomously while managing multiple priorities.

Key Success Measures

• RACMs are up to date complete and aligned with current processes and risks.
• Governance forums and process reviews occur on schedule with actionable outputs.
• Post-S4HANA processes are stable efficient and well-documented.
• Reduction in control deficiencies and audit findings.
• High stakeholder satisfaction with process governance and support.

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