Operational Excellence Chief Advisor

National Bank of Canada; Montreal (administrative region); Hybrid; CAD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and wellness program

Group insurance

Generous pension plan

Employee and Family Assistance Program

Telemedicine service

Virtual sleep clinic

Preferential banking services

Community initiatives involvement

Job summary

National Bank of Canada is seeking a Chief Advisor Operational Excellence within Internal Audit to drive quality across audit mandates and elevate practices through expert advisory support. You will lead, train, and influence diverse audit teams, focusing on consistency and high standards across the function.

Supported by a hybrid work model, the role offers exposure to senior leadership, strategic initiatives, and the opportunity to shape audit methodology at scale for a 12-month mandate.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in audit and 10+ years of experience in internal or external audit.
• Professional auditor certification: CPA, CIA or equivalent.
• Strong ability to influence, coach, and train across teams and functions.

Responsibilities

• Drive quality in audit mandates through active engagement in multiple files.
• Serve as a trusted expert advisor, promoting best-in-class audit methodologies.
• Contribute to colleague development through training and knowledge transfer on audit processes and reporting.
• Foster alignment across Audit teams by strengthening consistency in practices, documentation, and execution standards.

Skills

Audit

Coaching

Communication

Influencing

Leadership

Continuous Improvement

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in audit

10+ years in internal or external audit

CPA or CIA or equivalent

Job description

This 12-month mandate is designed as a high-impact career accelerator within Internal Audit Operational Excellence and Professional Practice at National Bank. As Chief Advisor Operational Excellence, you will play a pivotal role at the center of the Internal Audit function, influencing audit quality across the organization while gaining unmatched visibility with senior stakeholders and leadership within the function. You will operate at the core of the Internal Audit function, working closely with senior leaders and audit teams across business sectors, allowing you to influence practices and contribute to the evolution of audit methodology at scale.

Your role

• Drive quality in the audit mandates through active engagement and participation in multiple files
• Serve as a trusted expert advisor, shaping and elevating audit practices through the promotion of best-in-class methodologies
• Contribute to the development of your colleagues through training, coaching, and the transfer of knowledge on the audit process and reporting
• Foster alignment across Audit teams by strengthening consistency in practices, documentation, and execution standards

This 12-month mandate is designed as a high-impact career accelerator within Internal Audit Operational Excellence and Professional Practice at National Bank. As Chief Advisor Operational Excellence, you will play a pivotal role at the center of the Internal Audit function, influencing audit quality across the organization while gaining unmatched visibility with senior stakeholders and leadership within the function. You will operate at the core of the Internal Audit function, working closely with senior leaders and audit teams across business sectors, allowing you to influence practices and contribute to the evolution of audit methodology at scale.

Your role

• Drive quality in the audit mandates through active engagement and participation in multiple files
• Serve as a trusted expert advisor, shaping and elevating audit practices through the promotion of best-in-class methodologies
• Contribute to the development of your colleagues through training, coaching, and the transfer of knowledge on the audit process and reporting
• Foster alignment across Audit teams by strengthening consistency in practices, documentation, and execution standards

This mandate is ideal for experienced professionals seeking to broaden their impact, develop transversal expertise, and position themselves for future opportunities within large-scale organisations.

What you will gain :

• A panoramic view of the Bank’s operations and risk landscape
• Direct exposure to senior leadership and strategic initiatives within the function
• The opportunity to influence audit practices across multiple teams
• A recognized experience in Operational Excellence and Professional Practice
• Development of coaching, advisory and transversal leadership skills
• A strong platform for future internal opportunities or career advancement

Your team

You will join a centre of excellence which supports over 100 colleagues and will report to the co-lead Senior Directors - Internal Audit Operational Excellence Assurance and Professional Practice. This position will give you the opportunity to work as part of a dynamic, innovative team where management practices favour a good work-life balance and in a sector where you can constantly progress while taking on varied assignments enabling a transversal view of the organization. We offer a flexible, hybrid work model and a management approach focused on autonomy, work-life balance, and high-value contributions.

We offer a wide range of ongoing learning opportunities for your development, including hands-on learning. Training content on topics such as internal audit, risk management and the Bank's business is available to support your continuous learning. Access to colleagues with different expertise and experience as well as diverse profiles enriches your development from all points of view.

Prerequisites

• Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree and a significant experience of 10+ years in internal or external audit
• In depth understanding of the audit process (leading mandates, identifying risks, evaluating controls, drafting issues/audit reports)
• Professional auditor certification: CPA, CIA or equivalent
• Curious, with a desire to learn new business activities and related processes
• Ability to collaborate effectively and influence in a positive way with team members, team leads and the management team
• Independent, accountable, collaborative, good attention to detail and proactive
• Comfortable with ambiguity and working on several files simultaneously
• Excellent spoken and written communication skills, ability to simplify and synthesize information

Languages: French, English

Reason to require this language: you will need to work closely with our colleagues outside Quebec.

Required skills: Artificial Intelligence, Auditing, Coaching, Communication, Continuous Improvement, Governance, Influencing, Initiative, Internal Audit, Internal Audit Change Management, Proactivity, Process Improvement, Risk Management, Teamwork

Your benefits

• Health and wellness program, including many options
• Group insurance
• Generous pension plan
• Employee and Family Assistance Program
• Preferential banking services
• Opportunities to get involved in community initiatives
• Telemedicine service
• Virtual sleep clinic

We have an offer that keeps up with trends as well as your needs and those of your family.

Our dynamic work environments and cutting-edge collaboration tools foster a positive employee experience. We actively listen to employees’ ideas. Whether through our surveys or programs, regular feedback and ongoing communication is encouraged.

Making a bold move in a people-first environment

We're a bank on a human scale that stands out for its courage, entrepreneurial culture, and passion for people.Our mission is to have a positive impact on people's lives. Our core values of partnership, agility, and empowerment inspire us, and inclusion is central to our commitments. We aim, wherever possible, to provide a barrier-free and accessible environment to all employees.

We strive to provide accessibility measures throughout the recruitment process within the limits of our available resources. If you require accommodations, feel free to let us know during our initial conversations. We welcome all candidates! What can you bring to our team?

Join us!