Director, Audit Services

Arizona Public Service - APS; Phoenix (AZ); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work

Arizona on-site presence

Job summary

Arizona Public Service (APS) seeks a Director of Audit Services to deliver independent risk-based assurance and consulting. You will design and execute strategies to strengthen governance, risk management and controls across the organization.

With 10+ years in accounting/audit and 5+ years in leadership, you will lead a high-performing team, partner across functions, and bring advanced analytic capabilities and technology to audits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or related field.
• 10+ years of diverse accounting or auditing experience or equivalent.
• 5+ years in a leadership role with proven ability to lead teams.
• Deep knowledge of electric utility industry and business issues.
• Ability to partner across the organization and maintain objectivity.

Responsibilities

• Plan and implement audit strategy aligned with company objectives.
• Lead preparation of audit plans to assess internal controls.
• Oversee risk assessment and annual audit plan development.
• Develop and coach a high-performing audit team.
• Coordinate metrics reporting to Audit Committee and management.
• Leverage data analytics, automation, and AI to improve audits.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Critical thinking

Strategic thinking

Mentoring

Project management

Data analytics

Education

Bachelor's Degree in accounting or related field

Master's Degree (preferred)

CPA/CIA/CISA preferred

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Power BI

Copilot

Audit software

Job description

Arizona Public Service generates reliable, affordable and clean energy for 2.7 million Arizonans. Our service territory stretches across the state, from the border town of Douglas to the vistas of the Grand Canyon, from the solar fields of Gila Bend to the ponderosa pines of Payson. As the state’s largest and longest-serving energy provider, our more than 6,000 dedicated employees power our vision of creating a sustainable energy future for Arizona.

Since our founding in 1886, APS has demonstrated a strong commitment to our customers in one of the country’s fastest growing states, earning a reputation for customer satisfaction, shareholder value, operational excellence and business integrity.

Our present and future success depends on the creative and dedicated people of our company who demonstrate the principles outlined in the APS Promise: Design for Tomorrow, Empower Each Other and Succeed Together.

Summary

With direct accountability to the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors, and reporting administratively to the Chief Financial Officer, the Director of Audit Services is responsible for providing independent, objective risk-based assurance and consulting activities designed to add value and improve Company operations. Develop and implement the overall strategy to help the organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of governance, risk management, and control processes.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in accounting or related field.
• Ten (10+) years of diverse accounting or auditing experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Five (5+) years’ experience in a leadership role with proven ability to develop and manage high performing teams.
• In depth knowledge of the electric utility industry and associated business issues.
• Ability to remain independent and objective while also demonstrating an ability to partner across all areas within the organization to add value to its operations.
• Must demonstrate sound judgment and discretion with confidential and sensitive matters and the ability to elevate difficult issues to an appropriate level to ensure they are adequately addressed.
• Strong critical thinking and creativity skills along with the ability to exercise sound judgment by making decisions based on accurate and timely analyses.
• Effective communication demonstrated through written communications and presentations skills, including capacity for strong Board-level and executive engagement.
• Strong project management and process improvement focus.
• Proficiency with Microsoft applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Copilot, and Power BI.

Preferred

• Master’s Degree is highly preferred.
• CPA/CIA/CISA preferred.
• Experience with AutoAudit or similar software is preferred.

Major Accountabilities

• Plan, evaluate and recommend strategies, programs, policies and processes for Audit Services department that align and support the Company’s overall business objectives. Develop and manage the setting and achievement of long-term and annual department goals that support company-wide business plans.
• Provide direction and oversight in the preparation of detailed audit plans and programs to ensure audits are comprehensive in scope to sufficiently assess the Company’s system of internal controls. Also understands the Company’s risk profile with the ability to discern risk levels and develop the annual audit plan to provide coverage of the higher level risks, partnering with the Enterprise Risk Management program and engaging the enterprise Executive Risk Committee.
• General areas of audit emphasis may include but not necessarily be limited to: financial information; anti-fraud; regulatory matters; Generation, Transmission, Distribution, and Palo Verde Operations; environmental, health, and safety compliance; power dispatch, fuel procurement, and hedging; information systems development, implementation, and security; customer experience; cybersecurity; Sarbanes-Oxley; and, jointly owned facilities cost settlements.
• Select and develop a high performing team through effective coaching, performance feedback, recognition, training and developmental opportunities.
• Coordinate and administer an annual risked based audit plan. Develop and track department metrics with reporting to the Audit Committee and management.
• As appropriate, lead and direct the proactive management and understanding of industry’s best practices and technology trends, lead benchmarking efforts and provide insight to executive levels. Coordination with industry peers and Company’s external auditors is important in these efforts.
• Lead department efforts to utilize technology to improve the quality and efficiency of audit projects. This could include, but is not limited to, data analytics, automation, and artificial intelligence.
• Plan, implement and control the cost and budget in the area of responsibility and initiate actions in cases of deviations.

Export Compliance / EEO Statement

This position may require access to and/or use of information subject to control under the Department of Energy's Part 810 Regulations (10 CFR Part 810), the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) (15 CFR Parts 730 through 774), or the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) (22 CFR Chapter I, Subchapter M Part 120) (collectively, 'U.S. Export Control Laws'). Therefore, some positions may require applicants to be a U.S. person, which is defined as a U.S. Citizen, a U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident (i.e. 'Green Card Holder'), a Political Asylee, or a Refugee under the U.S. Export Control Laws. All applicants will be required to confirm their U.S. person or non-US person status. All information collected in this regard will only be used to ensure compliance with U.S. Export Control Laws, and will be used in full compliance with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of national origin and other factors. For positions at Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Stations (PVNGS) all openings will require applicants to be a U.S. person.

Pinnacle West Capital Corporation and its subsidiaries and affiliates ('Pinnacle West') maintain a continuing policy of nondiscrimination in employment. It is our policy to provide equal opportunity in all phases of the employment process and in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. This policy of nondiscrimination shall include, but not be limited to, recruiting, hiring, promoting, compensating, reassigning, demoting, transferring, laying off, recalling, terminating employment, and training for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, disability, age, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, protected veteran status, or any other classification or characteristic protected by law.

For more information on applicable equal employment regulations, please refer to EEO is the Law poster. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of every person hired to work in the United States, refer to E-Verify poster. View the employee rights and responsibilities under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

In compliance with the Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988, the Company is committed to a work environment that is free from the effects of alcohol and controlled substances, and free from the abuse or inappropriate use of prescribed and over-the-counter medications. The Company requires employees to be subject to drug and alcohol testing that is job-related and consistent with business necessity, regulatory requirements and applicable laws.

Hybrid

Employees in hybrid roles work both in their home offices (virtually) and alongside their colleagues (in person).

In order for employees to build strong relationships and to promote meaningful in-person interactions, hybrid employees are expected to work about 40% of their time in-person at an APS or other (non-home office) location.

• Employees are expected to reside in Arizona (or New Mexico for Four Corners-based employees).
• Working from a home office requires adequate technology and an appropriate ergonomic set up.
• Role types are subject to change based on business need.