Qualifications

• Master’s degree in accounting, finance, commerce, business administration or relevant field
  
• Relevant professional certification (e.g., CIA, CPA, CISA, or equivalent)
  
• Be a member with good standing status in the relevant professional body(ies)
  
• Minimum 12 years relevant experience
  
• Demonstrated expertise in quality assurance and the application of risk-based auditing methodologies
  
• Solid experience in ethics and fraud investigations, audit finance, governance, risk management and internal control frameworks
  
• Experience in a senior leadership/internal audit management role
  
• Experience in multicultural donor-funded or development/research institutions
  
• Extensive analytical capability with strong attention to detail and advance report writing skills
  
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence senior levels
  
• Sound knowledge of regulatory frameworks, legal principles and economic environments relevant to internal audit
  
• Strong ability to interpret and apply institutional policies, procedures, and governance frameworks, with the capability to quickly analyze, decipher, and operationalize complex policy information in a dynamic environment
  
• Proficiency in auditing-related information technology systems and digital audit tools.
  
• Strategic thinking and enterprise risk foresight
  

• Lead the development and approval of the risk‑based annual and multi‑year audit plans covering internal and partnership audits, forming the basis for determining the scope of internal controls testing for review and approval by the AFRC.
  
• Provide independent insights and recommendations on emerging institutional risks, regulatory developments, donor compliance, and global trends in alignment with governance expectations.
  
• Develop and maintain audit policies, procedures, good practices and standard operating procedures to evaluate effectiveness of controls of the institute’s processes.
  
• Provide strategic oversight of audit execution across all audit cycles ensuring alignment with the approved audit plan, institutional risk priorities and quality standards.
  
• Oversee the establishment, implementation and effectiveness of governance systems for tracking audit actions and remedial outcomes, through the adoption of digital auditing tools, data analytics, automation, and technology-enabled assurance methodologies.
  
• Provide independent advisory to the AFRC and the Director General on matters relating to governance effectiveness, institutional accountability, risk exposure, and internal control frameworks.
  
• Ensure timely escalation of high‑risk issues and control deficiencies through the established mechanisms, provide periodic monitoring and reporting on implementation of remedial actions, and strengthen closure through formal accountability and defined timelines.
  
• Align internal audit priorities with ILRI’s strategic objectives, institutional risk appetite, enterprise risk registers, and emerging operational risks.
  
• Ensure institutional preparedness, resilience, and business continuity arrangements to support operational sustainability and crisis response capability through the evaluation of the adequacy of risk management practices across operational, financial, compliance, cybersecurity, and other reputational risk domains.
  
• Provide strategic leadership of the Internal Audit function, setting direction, priorities and capability requirements while fostering a high-performance and independent assurance culture.
  
• Oversee the design and delivery of periodic training programmes to strengthen awareness of internal controls and policy changes that will support institutional effectiveness.
  
• Direct special audit reviews ensuring appropriate scope, independence and reporting to the Board or the Director General.
  
• Oversee capacity development of the team and promote risk management, in cooperation with the Risk Management Committee, ensuring a culture of effective risk assessment and management across the institute.
  
• Oversee and ensure effective and efficient use of financial and other resources of the function.
  
• Safeguard the independence and objectivity of the Internal Audit function in line with IIA standards and best practice.
  
• Collaborate and foster strong working relationships with all relevant stakeholders across CGIAR to strengthen coordinated assurance and knowledge sharing.
  
• Perform any other related duties as may be required.