Internal Audit Lead - Financial Risk

Overview

The Internal Audit Lead for Finance, Treasury & Financial Risk will oversee comprehensive audit initiatives within finance, treasury, and financial risk domains including credit, capital, and liquidity risk management. The incumbent will independently strategize, execute, and report audits, evaluating governance, risk, and internal control effectiveness against regulatory and internal benchmarks.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead full lifecycle audits in finance, treasury, and financial risk activities such as financial reporting, accounting, liquidity, funding, investment management, payment systems, and tax operations.
• Independently manage audit engagement planning, risk assessment, scoping, execution, and reporting ensuring high-quality risk-focused audits.
• Assess compliance with IFRS standards, Central Bank of UAE regulations, and internal policies to identify control gaps and suggest improvements.
• Analyze treasury frameworks including cash management, foreign exchange risk, and hedging processes to ensure strong governance and controls.
• Stay current with changes in financial reporting standards, regulatory guidance, and fintech innovations to integrate them into audit scopes.
• Review external audit findings, evaluate their implications for internal controls, and monitor remediation progress.
• Utilize advanced data analytics to detect anomalies, emerging risks, and control issues across financial and treasury operations.
• Deploy data models, dashboards, and automation tools to enhance audit quality and efficiency in planning and monitoring.
• Support the development of a risk-based audit plan that embraces continuous auditing and thematic review techniques.
• Ensure audit activities comply with regulatory mandates and internal governance frameworks.
• Evaluate effectiveness of financial risk management practices including credit, market, and liquidity risk oversight.
• Provide foresight on emerging financial, regulatory, and operational risks affecting the organization.
• Constructively challenge existing control processes promoting a robust risk culture.
• Deliver clear, risk-based audit reports and recommendations to senior management and the Head of Internal Audit.
• Develop and maintain strong stakeholder relationships to facilitate timely remediation of issues identified.

Qualifications and Skills

• Minimum of 7 years in internal audit, external audit, or financial control within banking, fintech, or financial services sectors.
• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, or related field.
• Professional certifications such as CPA, ACCA, CA, CIA, or CISA are highly desired or in progress.
• Deep knowledge of finance, accounting, treasury functions, IFRS, and CBUAE regulatory standards.
• Demonstrated leadership in audits covering financial reporting, treasury, liquidity, funding, and financial risk disciplines.
• Familiarity with internal control frameworks like COSO and risk-based auditing practices.
• Advanced proficiency in data analytics and visualization tools like SQL, Python, Power BI, and Tableau to translate data into audit insights.
• Exceptionally analytical mindset with skills in risk identification, process evaluation, and control assessment.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement abilities, including report presentation to senior leadership.
• Strong independence, multitasking capability, and delivery of high-quality results in dynamic environments.
• Strict professionalism exhibiting skepticism, integrity, and meticulous attention to detail.
• Fluent English communication required.

Employee Benefits

• Flexible work model fostering autonomy and trust.
• Opportunity in a fast-growing setup offering career acceleration and ownership.
• Access to employee stock option plans.
• Comprehensive health insurance coverage.
• Flexi Perks allowance for personal health, wellness, education, or professional growth.