Finance Controls Testing Team Lead-Global Functions SVP

Job Summary:

The Global Finance Controls Testing Team Lead is responsible for leading and directing a team of controls testing professionals responsible for supporting the end-to-end controls testing, operational controls performance assurance/testing, and risk reduction efforts related to the risks identified by Internal Audit.

Key Responsibilities:

• Assess control design, design control testing tools, develop control testing procedures, ensure control testing transitions, disposition exceptions, and develop insights for all controls within the Finance organization.
• Carry key responsibility for Control Design Assessment (CDA) by resolving escalations, defining the work plan, and designing the quality review process.
• Perform decision-making of control testing design activity, which includes approving/signing-off, undertaking escalations, and owning Internal Audit and issue management related actions.
• Approve testing procedures in Confluence and is responsible for delivering relevant procedures to Internal Audit reviews and issue remediation.
• Maintain resource forecast for own team as well as forecasting for successful controls testing transition and Central Execution training.
• Have the ultimate decision on controls testing outlier escalations.
• Handle control testing interactions with senior managers at Director or Managing Director levels.
• Represent control testing in Operational Risk Forums (ORF) and senior meetings as needed and works with each respective team to finalize materials.
• Develop and drive quality-checking routines to ensure compliance with all relevant policies, operating guides, and owned control testing.
• Support team members on topics ranging from testing design and execution to performance management and control testing platforms basics.
• Help driving continuous improvements in accuracy, efficiency, timeliness, and quality of MCA control design assessment and controls testing.
• Maintain relationships and drive accountability with partners and stakeholders to drive control testing's success in support of the business's strategy.
• Appropriately assess risk when business decisions are made, demonstrating particular consideration for the firm's reputation and safeguarding Citigroup, its clients and assets, by driving compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations, adhering to Policy, applying sound ethical judgment regarding personal behavior, conduct and business practices, and escalating, managing and reporting control issues with transparency, as well as effectively supervise the activity of others and create accountability with those who fail to maintain these standards.

Qualifications:

• 10+ years relevant experience, 5+ years in Risk & Controls roles, 5+ years of direct management experience preferred. Hands on experience in the Finance function in a Global Bank would be a plus.
• Good understanding of Financial Services products and services.
• Subject matter expert on controls design, execution and/or control testing.
• Expert-level understanding of MCA (Managers Control Assessment) frameworks and processes.
• Advanced skills in MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, and MS SharePoint.
• Exposure to Testing tools, harness as well as Business Intelligence tools would be a plus.
• Outstanding people and relationship management skills with the ability to influence others and foster a sense of collaboration.
• Independent thinker and able to perform a credible challenge of businesses/functions.
• Ability to work effectively on virtual teams, including across different geographies and time zones preferred.

Education:

• Bachelor's/University degree, Master's degree preferred.

The Business Risk and Control Sr Officer I is a strategic professional who closely follows latest trends in own field and adapts them for application within own job and the business. Typically, a small number of people within the business that provide the same level of expertise. Excellent communication skills required in order to negotiate internally, often at a senior level. Developed communication and diplomacy skills are required in order to guide, influence and convince others, in particular colleagues in other areas and occasional external customers. Accountable for significant direct business results or authoritative advice regarding the operations of the business. Necessitates a degree of responsibility over technical strategy. Primarily affects a sub-function. Responsible for handling staff management issues, including resource management and allocation of work within the team/project

Responsibilities:

• Work with Management on governance and the facilitation of the execution of the Manager Control Assessment (MCA, & Control Self-Assessment) as required by the MCA Standard including the assessment and appropriate approval of risk associated with business changes.
• Accountable for the quality, completeness, and accuracy of the implementation of the Control Framework, including Risk Control Policy, Control Standard, Issue Management Policy, Lesson Learned Policy and Control Inventory.
• Ensure the identification of issue root cause, partnering with control and process owners to recommend holistic corrective actions and improvements, provide check and challenge to ensure appropriate escalation in according with Issue Management and Escalation Policies.
• Direct teams in the implementation of the Lessons Learned Policy, including monitoring of control breaches and dissemination and learnings across other business units for process improvement to limit the occurrence of similar future events and where similar risk exposure might exist.
• Support management in the review and challenge process, within the FLUs, on the effective design and management of controls to mitigate risks as required by the Control Standards, including implementation and operation, conducting the control monitoring, handling deficiencies, and escalating issues for resolution.
• With management, direct teams on the timeliness, accuracy and completeness of the MCA through controls prior to the execution of a process (QC).
• Assess, with management, the adherence to the MCA Standard through controls after the execution of a process (QA).
• Assist management in exercising control over Operational and Compliance Risk in accordance with established Policy requirements.
• Help management allocate resource to identify, assess, escalate, and manage risk exposures across Risk Categories (Operational Compliance, Strategic, Reputational, etc), including material, emerging and concentration risks in accordance with enterprise Policies and the establishment of Key Indicators to monitor risk exposures.
• Assess, with management, Risk Appetite and monitor / assess exposures against this in accordance with enterprise requirements (if applicable).
• Take ownership to identify, assess, record and response to Operational and Compliance Risk events, ensuring these are captured accurately, timely and in accordance with requirements.
• Responsible that adequate governance and training are in place to support management of Risk profiles.
• Assess, with management, the risks associated with New Activities and changes to the Business, ensuring these are well understood and adequately controlled (if applicable).
• Support management on operational risk scenario analysis and stress testing for Operational Risk Capital requirements.
• Be responsible of risk and control assessments or coordination for programs within various risk stripes and ensure sufficient subject matter expertise exists to enable management of these risks within the Business ( third party, fraud, sanctions etc) (if applicable).
• Take ownership to ensure that risk and control responsibilities and accountabilities are embedded within FLUs, including providing training and leading by example.
• Assist management in guiding and influencing standards and procedures that conform to enterprise requirements and support sound operational and compliance risk management.
• Apply knowledge of the business, products or services to identify and implement control points and processes throughout the business.
• Appropriately assess risk when business decisions are made, demonstrating particular consideration for the firm's reputation and safeguarding Citigroup, its clients and assets, by driving compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations, adhering to Policy, applying sound ethical judgment regarding personal behavior, conduct and business practices, and escalating, managing and reporting control issues with transparency.