VP, Chief Internal Auditor | Great West

Canada Life; London; On-site; CAD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Up to $2,000 education reimbursement

Mental health benefit $5,000

Pension plan

Share ownership program

Volunteer day

Job summary

Great-West Lifeco is seeking a Chief Internal Auditor to lead the Internal Audit function in Canada. The role focuses on governance, risk management, and control assurance across the organization, in partnership with leadership and 2nd Line functions.

The successful candidate will drive best-practice audit processes, build strong relationships with regulators and executives, and lead a diverse, high-performing team to continuously improve the control environment across global operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field; CPA/CA designation is an asset.
• 15+ years’ executive experience in a complex, regulated environment, ideally within financial services or insurance.
• Proven success leading an internal audit function and enterprise risk management capabilities.
• Strong experience managing relationships with regulators, external auditors, and senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Drive a best-practice Internal Audit with a strong customer focus.
• Support stakeholders’ understanding of governance and risk management frameworks and ensure independence.
• Maintain a comprehensive risk profile across delegated areas with executive visibility.
• Create a flexible audit plan based on collaboration with executives and management.
• Deliver high-impact written reports and presentations to the Audit Committee and regulators.
• Lead and develop audit staff to deliver reliable audit opinions and improve the control environment.

Skills

Executive leadership

Stakeholder management

Regulatory experience

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance

CPA/CA designation

Job description

Permanent Full Time

The Chief Internal Auditor, Canada has responsibility for leading the talented, well-respected Internal Audit community team in Canada.

The primary role of Internal Audit is to assist the Board in discharging its governance responsibilities in monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of systems of internal control, by providing independent reliable assurance that the organization’s governance, risk management and control processes are adequate, effective and sustainable.

The secondary objective is to work in partnership with the leadership team and business executives, developing strong and mutually beneficial relationships, to support and influence continuous improvement in the governance, risk management and control processes and practices through the sharing of best practices. Working as part of a dynamic Global Internal Audit team, the successful candidate will operate as de facto Head of Audit for all of the assigned businesses

What You Will Do

• Ensure the function drives a best practice approach and has a strong customer focus.
• Work to support stakeholders’ understanding of issues relating to the governance and risk management framework and ensure Internal Audit leverages the work being led by 2nd Line Risk and Compliance, while still providing the level of independent assurance expected by the Board.
• Maintain a comprehensive, reliable risk profile across delegated areas that will be derived from high executive visibility/connectivity and a fundamental understanding of the underlying risks.
• Have the ability to create a flexible plan from a blank sheet of paper based on collaboration with executives, management, Internal Audit colleagues, written documentation from Management and most importantly, from their knowledge and experience.
• Deliver high impact written reports and presentations on pertinent governance, risk management and control issues to the Audit Committee, senior executives, regulators and other key stakeholders.
• Instill a professional approach to the manner and methodology through which the Audit staff deliver their work.
• Enhance the function’s performance while improving personal performance and career development to provide a professional and reliable audit opinion with the aim of continuous development of the control environment

What You Will Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related discipline; CPA/CA designation is an asset.
• 15+ years of executive experience in a complex, highly regulated environment, ideally within financial services or insurance.
• Proven success leading a progressive internal audit function, strengthening audit practices, governance frameworks, and enterprise risk management capabilities.
• Strong experience managing relationships with regulators, external auditors, and senior stakeholders, with the credibility and judgment to influence across a complex global organization.
• Demonstrated ability to balance audit independence and governance rigor with business priorities, contributing meaningfully to strategic and commercial discussions.
• Track record of building, developing, and retaining high-performing, diverse teams, while fostering talent and leadership at all levels.
• Experience operating in global, matrixed environments, navigating competing priorities and collaborating effectively across geographies and functions.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills, with the presence to earn trust and respect from Boards, executives, colleagues, regulators, and external partners.
• Strategic yet hands-on leader who combines strong business acumen, sound judgment, and attention to detail with the ability to drive execution and results.
• Resilient, adaptable, and culturally agile, with the confidence to lead through complexity, challenge assumptions, make balanced decisions, and remain effective under pressure.

Career opportunities will be open a minimum of 5 business days from the date of posting, closing dates will vary depending on the search activity. All applications received will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Grow with Great-West Lifeco

Great-West Lifeco Inc is a Canadian headquarter, international financial services holding company with interests in life insurance, health insurance, retirement and investment services, asset management, and reinsurance businesses. We operate in Canada, the United States, and Europe under the brands: Canada Life, Empower and Irish Life. At the end of 2024, our companies had over 32,250 employees, 106,000 advisor relationships, and thousands of distribution partners – serving approximately 40 million customer relationships.

Great-West Lifeco trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the ticker symbol GWO and is a member of the Power Corporation group of companies.

What we offer:

We're committed to supporting our employees through every stage of their career. Here's what you can expect as a full-time or part-time permanent team member:

Career Development:

Opportunities for career advancement, access to industry-leading learning programs and up to$2,000 annually towards education reimbursement.

Health & Wellness:

Flexible health and dental benefits, plus a $5,000 mental health benefit to support your well-being.

Time Off:

In addition to regular vacation and personal days, we support community involvement with a volunteer day.

Financial Security:

Company-matching pension plan,share ownership program and additionalinvestment options.

Rewards and Recognition:

Employee recognition programs, service milestone celebrations, employee discounts and more!

Emphasis on Community:

We provide a workplace where employees feel connected and supported through Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), mentorship programs, social clubs and events.

Learn more about Great-West Lifeco.

We're committed to removing barriers and ensuring equal access to employment. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation during the application process may contact [e-mail]. All information provided will be handled in accordance with applicable laws and Great-West Lifeco policies.