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Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
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POSITION DESCRIPTION FOR JOB POSTING |
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Position Number: 00113335 |
Description Activated On: 9/11/2026 11:58:42 AM |
Position Purpose: Describe the primary purpose of this position and how it contributes to the organization’s objectives. Example: Provides clerical and office support within the Division to ensure its operations are conducted efficiently and effectively. As a direct report to PSERS' Chief Audit Officer (CAO), this position works collaboratively with other assurance providers to protect PSERS's value by providing a wide range of independent, risk-based assurance and advisory services for the Agency to enhance its governance, risk management and control processes. This position ensures audit engagements are executed with appropriate depth, technical rigor, and alignment with the Agency’s risk profile while maintaining conformance with professional auditing standards. |
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Description of Duties: Describe in detail the duties and responsibilities assigned to this position. Descriptions should include the major end result of the task. Example: Types correspondence, reports, and other various documents from handwritten drafts for review and signature of the supervisor. This position provides strategic, operational, and technical leadership for the audit function, including development of the annual risk assessment and audit plan. The role requires advanced expertise in pension, financial reporting, actuarial valuation inputs and calculations, regulatory compliance, and GAAP accounting standards within a large public pension or organizations with similar environment. Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following: STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP AND RISK-BASED PLANNING • Leads the pension and financial reporting component of the annual risk assessment process, identifying emerging, systemic, and enterprise-level risks associated with the Agency’s strategies, business practices, evolving accounting standards and third-party vendor oversight. • Assists the CAO in developing the annual audit plan to ensure appropriate coverage of high-risk processes, technology platforms, and regulatory requirements. • Identifies recurring control weaknesses, emerging risk trends, and systemic themes; communicates insights to relevant stakeholders and escalates significant concerns promptly to the CAO. OVERSIGHT OF AUDIT ENGAGEMENTS • Leads, directs, and oversees audit engagements, ensuring appropriate audit scope, objectives, methodology, resourcing, timeliness, and deliverables. • Conducts and/or reviews engagement-level risk assessments, audit methodologies, and audit programs to ensure alignment with approved scope, objectives and applicable professional standards. • Oversees the testing and analysis of pension administration and related services, financial transactions, valuation calculations, general ledger activities, and regulatory requirements. • Evaluates the design and operating effectiveness of internal controls against policies, applicable accounting standards, valuation methodologies and regulatory frameworks affecting pension and financial reporting activities. • Reviews audit evidence, data-analytics results and working papers to ensure audit conclusions are technically sound, sufficiently supported, and documented in accordance to Internal Audit methodology. • Provide technical direction, coaching, and quality review to audit staff and exteranal service providers throughout the audit lifecycle. DATA ANALYTICS AND TECHNOLOGY OVERSIGHT • Supports Internal Audit Office’s data analytics program and ensures integration of advanced analytics into audit methodologies and risk monitoring practices. • Promotes the integration of advanced analytics, and technology-enabled audit techniques to audit engagements. • Encourages the use of data-driven auditing techniques to enhance fraud prevention and detection. GOVERNANCE AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS • Ensures the audit function operates in conformance with applicable professional auditing standards and internal audit policies. • Supports the Internal Audit Office’s Quality Assurance and Improvement Program (QAIP) and implements improvements where appropriate. • Evaluates and enhances audit methodologies to address emerging risks and technological advancements. • Coordinates with external auditors and other assurance providers to optimize audit coverage and minimize duplication of effort. COMMUNICATION AND ADVISORY ROLE • Demonstrate executive presence through strong written and verbal communication, negotiation, influencing and stakeholder engagement skills, supported by sound judgment, risk awareness and strong business acumen. • Serves as a trusted advisor by building collaborative relationships across the organization, facilitating constructive dialogue, resolving differing perspectives, and promoting practical, risk-informed solutions that strengthen governance and accountability. • Ensure significant control deficiencies, potential non-compliance, or emerging issues are escalated promptly to the CAO and other appropriate stakeholders. • Reviews draft and final audit reports to ensure findings and recommendations are clear, concise, balanced, and actionable. • Leads discussion with management to validate facts, obtain management responses, and agree on realistic corrective-action plans and implementation timelines. • Presents audit results to the Audit, Compliance and Risk committee of the PSERS Board articulating the significance, business impact, and recommended actions. LEADERSHIP AND TALENT DEVELOPMENT • Supervises staff and provides technical guidance on internal audit engagements. • Assigns responsibilities based on engagement complexity and staff expertise. • Reviews audit workpapers to ensure adherence to professional standards and internal methodology. • Promotes professional development, technical expertise, and a culture of professional skepticism and continuous improvement. ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES • Leads special investigations, perform non-audit related advisory services, conduct follow-up assessment procedures, and support the internal audit strategic initiatives. • Maintains strict confidentiality of fiduciary, proprietary, and market-sensitive information. • Performs other related duties as assigned by the CAO. This position operates with substantial autonomy and executive-level judgment under the general direction and guidance of the Chief Audit Officer. |
Decision Making: Describe the types of decisions made by the incumbent of this position and the types of decisions referred to others. Identify the problems or issues that can be resolved at the level of this position, versus those that must be referred to the supervisor. Example: In response to a customer inquiry, this work involves researching the status of an activity and preparing a formal response for the supervisor’s signature. This position is responsible for independent decision making relating to assigned work. |
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Requirements Profile: Identify any specific experience or requirements, such as a licensure, registration, or certification, which may be necessary to perform the functions of the position. Position-specific requirements should be consistent with a Special Requirement or other criteria identified in the classification specification covering this position. Example: Experience using Java; Professional Engineer License Experience: •One year of experience as an Senior Internal Auditor, PSERS (Commonwealth title); or •Five years of professional accounting or auditing experience, and a bachelor’s degree which includes or is supplemented by eighteen (18) credits in accounting or finance; or •An equivalent combination of experience and training which includes or is supplemented by eighteen (18) credits in accounting or finance. Licenses, registrations, or certifications: 1. N/A 2. N/A 3. N/A 4. 5. 6. |
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Essential Functions: Provide a list of essential functions for this position. Example: Transports boxes weighing up to 60 pounds.
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