Vice President, Internal Audit

Pattern Energy Group LP•Houston, TX

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Pattern Energy is seeking a strategic internal audit leader. This role oversees the Internal Audit function by providing independent, risk-based assurance, advisory, and investigative services across the organization. This individual will work in collaboration with the Audit Committee and senior management to identify emerging risks, enhance governance and internal controls, ensure compliance with global audit standards, and support enterprise risk management. The role also leads audit strategy, planning, resourcing, and quality improvement, delivers financial, operational, SOX, and forensic audits globally, and ensures the Internal Audit function adds measurable value while maintaining independence, high professional standards, and strong stakeholder engagement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting required; Masters of Business Administration, a Must be a Certified Public Accountant and/or Certified Internal Auditor.
CIA and/or CPA
CISA, CFE, CRMA, or other certifications are beneficial.
Minimum fifteen (15) years Internal Audit experience, with a minimum of 10 years of senior management experience within a large company that is ideally publicly traded, with a preference towards Renewable Energy, Independent Power Producer or Utility organizations.
Minimum ten (10) years public practice or related expertise as reliance is placed upon Internal Audit by external financial auditors for SOX 404, investigations and Financial Statement Audit work.
Superior leadership skills with excellent project management abilities
Deep understanding of the rigors and requirements of internal audit (operational and financial) and governance, risk and control advisory services who can be a true business partner to the executive leadership team as well as the Board of Directors/Audit Committee
Extensive experience with global Internal Audit planning and execution, risk management, Anti-Corruption (FCPA, UK Bribery Act, etc.), process and systems development, Whistleblower Investigations and SOX compliance control
Referenceable track record of leading and building (team, methodologies, best practices) a global Internal Audit function where Internal Audit is a critical stakeholder in the business.
A good understanding of the organization's IT environment and
Has successfully led large-scale transformations and dramatic data-driven culture change agendas in order to drive best-in-class performance in revenue, profit, and shareholder value creation.
Leader of a major division of an international company with a global Finance perspective and an understanding of the cultural/business dynamics of international
Extensive experience driving best-in-class integrated process improvement initiatives in Finance, Operations, Supply Chain, Human Resources, and Sales/Marketing in a complex environment.
Leads inspirational change using teams through a major division/company and built strong direct reporting Understands, respects and engages people at every level of an organization.
Exceptional communicator who effectively cascades key messages throughout the organization. Lengthy track record of leading large-scale global company-wide changes by involving and creating buy-in from all essential internal and external
Highest ethical standards and values.
Establishes strong, trust-based bonds with the executive leadership team and the audit chair/committee and all other stakeholders.
Change agent and driver of a high-performance culture within both the organization and Internal Audit Function.
Builds high performance teams and instils audit cross-training throughout the organization
Possesses an appreciation and sensitivity for a diverse, multi-cultural employee, supplier and customer set.
Focuses and delivers against the critical initiatives/results that move the needle; drowns out drama and noise, maintains a strict discipline around only what
Bright, a “quick-thinker” who can easily hold his or her own in the company of thought-leaders.
Strategic; analytic; someone who can thoroughly grasp complex situations and quickly cut through to the key elements without “getting lost in the details”; financially astute.
Takes ownership for/delivers portfolio company results (i.e., performance to “full potential”, at or above expectations).
Drives iterative/evolving output, ensuring alignment across key constituents; adjusts priorities and initiatives accordingly.
Concentrates communications around “so what” – moving from conclusion to detail as appropriate; owns the whole picture and in such context, all the details in areas of critical importance.
Mobilizes resources, management teams, and organizations around a clear vision/plan to deliver/over-deliver on expectations.
Able to operate globally; willing to travel to all areas.

Nice To Haves

CISA, CFE, CRMA, or other certifications are beneficial.

Responsibilities

Communicate regularly with the Audit Committee and Executive Management team on the organization’s risk management activities and obtain approval for the risk-based Annual Internal Audit Plan.
Assist Senior Management and the Audit Committee in understanding risks and other audit-related matters to meet their oversight responsibilities.
Identify and communicate trends and emerging risks/issues that could impact the organization.
Understand and meet the organization’s governance needs as well as those of the Audit Committee and Senior Management to provide the necessary assurance and consulting services.
Continuously improve the quality of the Internal Audit Function to ensure Internal Audit efforts add value to the organization and that the maturity of the Internal Audit Function is at an advance stage/level. This process will consider emerging trends and successful practices in internal audit.
Lead, hire and train high-quality, competent, ethical, objective Internal Audit staff who can add value to the organization and advance within Internal Audit and/or the organization.
Engage co-source auditors and specialists as required and ensure engaged co-source auditors and specialists are qualified and perform quality work.
Provide risk-objective, reasonable assurance, advisory, insight and foresight on the effectiveness of the organization’s internal control environment to key stakeholders.
Provide forensic investigations globally across the
Partner and coordinate with second-line assurance functions to avoid duplication of assurance efforts and work with those functions to understand the risks/compliance requirements to the organization and how best to mitigate risk and comply with legal, regulatory and applicable standards.
Provide financial and operational audits globally across the
Lead testing of Sarbanes-Oxley controls and advise the Internal Controls Department as needed.
Ensure conformance with the Global Internal Audit Standards.
Ensure that the Internal Audit Function remains free from all conditions that threaten the independence of the function and the ability of internal auditors to carry out their responsibilities in an unbiased objective manner,
Monitor and advise on the organization’s enterprise risk management program/
Help assess and identify risks (e.g., help the Audit Committee and Senior Management assess the organization’s approach to managing risks, monitor the progress of risk management activities, and provide recommendations to improve the organization’s internal control environment).
Provide recommendations on how best to align the organization’s governance efforts by monitoring elements of the company’s governance processes, making recommendations for improvement, following up on corrective actions, and reporting results to the Audit Committee.
Present at Audit Committee meetings by prioritizing issues, delivering relevant and timely reporting. Report progress against the Annual Audit Plan.
Provide Audit Committees with a high-level perspective on key organizational risks, which in turn helps directors assess the adequacy of risk monitoring, as well as work with the audit committee in developing programs that help prevent fraud. Report progress against the Annual General Plan and KPI performance measures.
Provide and advise the Audit Committee with current information on leading practices in risk management and corporate governance.
Meet with the Audit Committee at each Audit Committee meeting and with the Audit Committee chair before and/or after each committee meeting and as needed between meetings at the request of the Audit Committee Chair or when the Chief Audit Executive deems a meeting is required to discuss a significant risk issue/event.
Hold frequent formal and informal meetings with Senior Management and ongoing dialogue to provide updates on internal audit projects and get Senior Management’s input/feedback on Internal Audit plan/projects.
Establish a career development and mentoring program as part of the Internal Audit
Maintain a Quality Assurance and Improvement Program that conforms to the Global Internal Audit Standards. Ensure that the results of internal and external quality assessment results are timely reported to the Audit Committee and Senior Management, including all action plans required to address identified conformance gaps and enhancement opportunities.
Ensure alignment of the Annual Risk Assessment and Internal Audit Plan to stakeholder objectives to ensure value-added internal auditing activities.
Provide forecast and budgets for the Internal Audit Function.
Develop/maintain an Internal Audit Strategic Plan that is aligned with the organization’s strategic plan and focus on advancing the services provided by the Internal Audit Function to strengthen the organization’s ability to create, protect, and sustain value by providing the board/audit committee and management with independent, risk-based, and objective assurance, advice, insight, and foresight