Director, Internal Controls

NYSERDA; City of Albany (NY); In loco; USD 180.000 - 240.000; Tempo pieno

Descrizione del lavoro

NYSERDA is seeking a Director of Internal Controls to lead the design, implementation, and oversight of its internal control framework, risk management, compliance, and control improvements. Reporting to the CFO, the role partners with Finance, Internal Audit, Legal, IT, and Operations to strengthen the control environment and ensure regulatory alignment.

The position focuses on governance over financial reporting, budgeting, procurements, and payroll, with a commitment to continuous improvement

Competenze

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or a related field with 10 years of experience in internal controls, internal audit, accounting, finance, risk management, compliance, or a related discipline including 5 years experience in supervisory roles
• Demonstrated experience designing, evaluating, and improving internal control environments
• Strong knowledge of financial processes, risk assessment, and governance principles
• Experience working with internal and external auditors
• Experience with ERP systems and financial technology platforms
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to influence and collaborate with stakeholders across organizational functions
• Experience leading projects and managing multiple priorities in a complex organization
• Intellectual curiosity and a desire to improve processes to meet business needs while maintaining compliance standards

Mansioni

• Lead the design, implementation, documentation, and ongoing assessment of the organization’s internal control framework.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of financial and operational controls and identify opportunities to strengthen the control environment.
• Develop and maintain risk assessments, control matrices, process documentation, and remediation plans.
• Identify emerging financial, operational, compliance, and technology-related risks and recommend appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Establish monitoring and reporting mechanisms to provide leadership with visibility into key control risks and deficiencies.
• Ensure appropriate segregation of duties, authorization protocols, reconciliations, and other safeguards are in place.
• Ensure financial processes and controls comply with applicable laws, regulations, accounting standards, organizational policies, and funding requirements.
• Partner with Finance leadership to strengthen governance over financial reporting, budgeting, procurement, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and other financial processes.
• Monitor changes in regulatory and accounting requirements and assess their potential impact on the organization’s control environment.
• Develop and maintain internal control policies, procedures, standards, and guidance.
• Serve as a key Finance liaison for internal and external audits.
• Coordinate management responses to audit findings and oversee corrective action plans.
• Monitor remediation activities and provide updates to senior leadership.
• Support the preparation of audit materials, financial control documentation, and management representations.
• Collaborate with Internal Audit and external auditors to ensure appropriate coverage of significant financial and operational risks.
• Lead initiatives to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and reliability of financial processes and controls.
• Evaluate existing processes and identify opportunities for automation, standardization, and technology-enabled controls.
• Partner with Finance and IT on implementation of financial systems and control requirements.
• Promote a continuous improvement mindset across Finance and the broader organization.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the CFO and VP on internal controls, financial risk, and compliance matters
• Build partnerships across departments to promote control ownership and accountability
• Develop and deliver training and guidance on internal controls, risk management, and compliance
• Lead, mentor, and develop internal controls staff where applicable
• Communicate complex control and risk matters clearly to executives and stakeholders
• Perform managerial duties with respect, fairness, and inclusion across the workforce

Conoscenze

Internal controls

Risk management

Financial governance

Audit liaison

Leadership

Communication

Process improvement

Analytical thinking

Formazione

Bachelor’s in Accounting/Finance/Business Admin or related

Master’s degree in related field

Strumenti

ERP systems

Financial technology platforms

Descrizione del lavoro

As a leader in advancing New York’s energy transition, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is a credible, objective and trusted partner in energy planning and in deploying new innovative technologies to build an affordable, abundant, reliable, and clean energy system. NYSERDA works with stakeholders statewide, including residents, business owners, developers, community leaders, local government officials, universities, utilities, investors, entrepreneurs, and more, to develop, invest, and foster conditions that:

• Attract the private sector capital investment needed to expand New York’s clean energy economy.
• Advance solutions for using clean energy at a large-scale in New York.
• Enable New York’s communities and residents to benefit equitably in the clean energy transition.

Job Overview

NYSERDA is looking for a Director of Internal Controls to provide strategic leadership and oversight of the organization’s internal control framework, risk management, compliance, and control improvement initiatives. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, this position is responsible for ensuring that processes, systems, policies, and controls are appropriately designed, consistently executed, and aligned with organizational objectives, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices.

The Director partners closely with Finance leadership, Internal Audit, Legal, Information Technology, Information Security, Operations, and other business leaders to identify and mitigate financial and operational risks, strengthen internal controls, and promote a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

Primary Responsibilities

Internal Controls & Risk Management

• Lead the design, implementation, documentation, and ongoing assessment of the organization’s internal control framework.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of financial and operational controls and identify opportunities to strengthen the control environment.
• Develop and maintain risk assessments, control matrices, process documentation, and remediation plans.
• Identify emerging financial, operational, compliance, and technology-related risks and recommend appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Establish monitoring and reporting mechanisms to provide leadership with visibility into key control risks and deficiencies.
• Ensure appropriate segregation of duties, authorization protocols, reconciliations, and other safeguards are in place.

Financial Compliance & Governance

• Ensure financial processes and controls comply with applicable laws, regulations, accounting standards, organizational policies, and funding requirements.
• Partner with Finance leadership to strengthen governance over financial reporting, budgeting, procurement, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and other financial processes.
• Monitor changes in regulatory and accounting requirements and assess their potential impact on the organization’s control environment.
• Develop and maintain internal control policies, procedures, standards, and guidance.

Audit & Assurance

• Serve as a key Finance liaison for internal and external audits.
• Coordinate management responses to audit findings and oversee the development and implementation of corrective action plans.
• Monitor remediation activities and provide regular updates to senior leadership.
• Support the preparation of audit materials, financial control documentation, and management representations.
• Collaborate with Internal Audit and external auditors to ensure appropriate coverage of significant financial and operational risks.

Process Improvement

• Lead initiatives to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and reliability of financial processes and controls.
• Evaluate existing processes and identify opportunities for automation, standardization, and technology-enabled controls.
• Partner with Finance and IT teams on implementation of financial systems, system enhancements, and related control requirements.
• Promote a continuous improvement mindset across Finance and the broader organization.

Leadership & Stakeholder Partnership

• Serve as a trusted advisor to the CFO and VP on internal controls, financial risk, and compliance matters.
• Build strong partnerships across departments to promote effective control ownership and accountability.
• Develop and deliver training and guidance on internal controls, policies, risk management, and compliance.
• Lead, mentor, and develop internal controls staff, as applicable.
• Communicate complex control and risk matters clearly to executive leadership and other stakeholders.
• Perform all managerial and supervisory responsibilities with respect, fairness, consistency, and inclusion across the workforce.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or a related field with 10 years of experience in internal controls, internal audit, accounting, finance, risk management, compliance, or a related discipline including 5 years experience in supervisory roles OR a Master’s degree with 8 years of experience in internal controls, internal audit, accounting, finance, risk management, compliance, or a related discipline including 5 years experience in supervisory roles
• Demonstrated experience designing, evaluating, and improving internal control environments.
• Strong knowledge of financial processes, risk assessment, and governance principles.
• Experience working with internal and external auditors.
• Experience with ERP systems and financial technology platforms.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and collaborate with stakeholders across organizational functions.
• Experience leading projects and managing multiple priorities in a complex organization.
• Intellectual curiosity and a desire to improve processes to meet business needs while maintaining compliance standards.

Preferred Qualifications

• CPA, CIA, CISA, CFE, or other relevant professional certification.
• Experience with COSO Internal Control—Integrated Framework and enterprise risk management principles.
• Experience with SOX compliance,
• Experience developing automated or technology-enabled internal controls.
• Experience in a highly regulated, nonprofit, governmental, or similarly complex environment.

Please note that during the application process, you may be prompted to opt-in to Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) scoring. This is an automatic request in the ADP system but is not a feature that is used by NYSERDA in its recruiting and hiring process. Your response will have no impact on your application to NYSERDA.