Senior Director of Audit and Advisory Services – Global Quality Assurance Improvement Program, Professional Practices

As the Senior Director of Professional Practices, you will lead the global quality assurance improvement program for Audit and Advisory Services. You will play a pivotal role in supporting the audit practice to deliver high-quality, professional, and valuable audit and advisory services. This position offers an exciting opportunity to inspire change and innovation within the Audit and Advisory Services department, contributing to the overall success and effectiveness of the organization.

Responsibilities:

• Develop, implement and maintain the Global Quality Assurance and Improvement Program for Manulife Audit and Advisory Services to evaluate and ensure conformance with professional standards and regulatory requirements, achievement of performance objectives and continuous improvement.
• Design, manage and complete quality assurance reviews ensuring compliance with professional standards and regulatory requirements.
• Develop and supervise plans to address findings and opportunities for improvement.
• Establish methodologies, tools and processes for completing quality assurance assessments and identifying areas for improvement.
• Develop targeted training and guidance to address thematic quality issues and support audit teams in implementing corrective actions.
• Monitor key performance indicators and metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of the quality assurance program and find opportunities for enhancement.
• Manage ongoing improvement initiatives and projects taken on by the Professional Practices Team taking into account alignment of Internal Audit professional standards, frameworks and leading industry practices and designed to support efficiency and effectiveness of the Audit Practice.
• Stay updated on emerging trends, regulations, and developments in the internal audit profession to continuously improve the quality assurance program.
• Prepare reports and present to the Audit Leadership Team on the results of the quality assurance assessments and recommendations for improvement.
• Participate in all communications to the Manulife Executive Leadership Team and Audit Committee relating to the results of quality assessments.
• Contribute to the development of Audit and Advisory Services policies, procedures, strategy, direction, and related training to help ensure Manulife Audit and Advisory Services is meeting the highest of quality standards.
• Drive continual improvement of audit processes leveraging technology to the fullest.
• Manage information gathering, reporting, and tracking of items for external regulators.

Challenges/Opportunities:

• Driving continuous improvement in quality and cost effectiveness of services provided.
• Collaborating with Global Audit and Advisory Services management and staff to obtain consensus on improvement opportunities.
• Prioritization and time management in a multi-tasking environment; meeting project and objective commitments while maintaining flexibility.
• Keeping current with new audit techniques, company policies and procedures, regulatory requirements,
• Benchmarking with peers in other Audit departments, particularly in Professional Practice roles to drive continuous improvement.
• Some business travels within the North America and Asia region.

Knowledge/Skills/Competencies/Education:

• Excellent knowledge of audit methodologies, control frameworks, risk management practices, and regulatory requirements relevant to the Internal Audit profession, including the International Professional Practice Framework for Internal Auditing and COSO Internal Control Frameworks.
• University Degree plus a recognized a recognized accounting (CA, CMA, CGA, CPA) or auditing (CIA, CISA) professional designation preferred.
• Proven track record in developing and implementing or managing an internal audit quality assurance program within a corporate environment.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify root causes and develop practical solutions.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with internal stakeholders at all levels.
• Attention to detail and a commitment to maintaining high standards of quality and integrity in audit processes.
• Knowledge of relevant regulatory requirements and industry best practices in internal audit quality assurance.
• Ability to effectively manage regulatory relationships and navigate regulatory requirements relevant to the Internal Audit profession.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in diverse environments and cultures across a number of geographically dispersed office locations.
• Strong understanding of cultural difference across countries with good relationship skills including a demonstrated ability to deal effectively with staff at all levels and different locations.
• Training or facilitation experience desired.

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About Manulife and John Hancock

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. To learn more about us, visit https://www.manulife.com/en/about/our-story.html.

Manulife is an Equal Opportunity Employer

At Manulife/John Hancock, we embrace our diversity. We strive to attract, develop and retain a workforce that is as diverse as the customers we serve and to foster an inclusive work environment that embraces the strength of cultures and individuals. We are committed to fair recruitment, retention, advancement and compensation, and we administer all of our practices and programs without discrimination on the basis of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion or religious beliefs, creed, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), sexual orientation, genetic characteristics, veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, disability, or any other ground protected by applicable law.

It is our priority to remove barriers to provide equal access to employment. A Human Resources representative will work with applicants who request a reasonable accommodation during the application process. All information shared during the accommodation request process will be stored and used in a manner that is consistent with applicable laws and Manulife/John Hancock policies. To request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact recruitment@manulife.com.

Salary range is expected to be between

If you are applying for this role outside of the primary location, please contact recruitment@manulife.com for the salary range for your location. The actual salary will vary depending on local market conditions, geography and relevant job-related factors such as knowledge, skills, qualifications, experience, and education/training. Employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance.

Manulife offers eligible employees a wide array of customizable benefits, including health, dental, mental health, vision, short- and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance coverage, adoption/surrogacy and wellness benefits, and employee/family assistance plans. We also offer eligible employees various retirement savings plans (including pension and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions) and financial education and counseling resources. Our generous paid time off program in Canada includes holidays, vacation, personal, and sick days, and we offer the full range of statutory leaves of absence. If you are applying for this role in the U.S., please contact recruitment@manulife.com for more information about U.S.-specific paid time off provisions.