Director, Internal Controls

Aegon; United States; Hybrid; USD 167,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Aegon Americas is seeking a senior SOX controls leader to manage day-to-day execution of the Sarbanes-Oxley program across global units. You will collaborate with Finance, Operations and Technology, identify deficiencies, and report to Group Risk.

The role requires extensive experience in internal controls, risk management and financial reporting, with leadership responsibilities and strong communication skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance or relevant field, or equivalent work experience.
• 15 years of combined business experience.
• Seven years of experience in managerial and leadership roles.
• In-depth knowledge and hands on experience with internal controls, audit or risk management within the financial services industry.
• Ability to document and verbally communicate financial reporting processes in a clear and concise manner.
• Communication and relationship skills to educate/raise awareness of foundational elements/methodologies needed to support an internal controls framework.
• Project management skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the evaluation and design of internal controls.
• Make recommendations for improvement and drive changes to controls and processes.
• Oversee the documentation, timing and execution of consolidated reporting process flows, with a focus on internal controls and SOX compliance.
• Lead the execution of management's SOX risk assessment and scoping activities related to the global SOX effort to ensure proper risk identification, process mapping and controls linkage for a sustainable internal control framework.
• Lead the development and implementation of goals, policies, priorities and procedures relating to internal controls over financial reporting and SOX.
• Prepare and present updates to senior and executive management including supporting deliverables and other tasks needed to support the audit committee's responsibilities for controls and our external auditors as laid out in their charter.
• Partner and liaise with external auditors and external consultants to plan and implement an assessment of the control environment and the annual plan and timeline for doing so.
• Prioritize within a multi-year plan on what is most important at different stages.
• Develop processes and policies for reporting findings and lead communicator of those finding to interested parties, including FinOp and SOX/In Control Steering Committees.
• Collaborate with first line process owners in development of action plans to assess the adequacy of action taken by management to correct control deficiencies, and continuing reviews with appropriate management on action until satisfactory resolution.
• Develop and implement a system to capture and track control deficiencies through all global country units, as well as supporting driving resolution for any internal or external audit findings.
• Help support testing the design and operating effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting.
• Collaborate and assist in assessing control implications within the Issue Paper process.
• Coordinate and assist other global country units in the execution and reporting of SOX in their respective countries/units.
• Assist in the development of and collection of representation letters and certifications throughout the global country units.
• Support the efforts of the Disclosure Committee and assist in facilitating the reporting of disclosures with senior leadership.
• Help support the Audit Committee including ensuring they have all the needed information/analysis to perform their control related functions as laid out in the Audit Committee Charter.
• Help coordinate external auditor independence and ensure there is proper oversight through all country units.
• Support the maintenance of the Global SOX methodology including providing updates as needed.

Skills

Internal controls

Risk management

Leadership

Financial reporting

Communications

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance

CPA

Job description

Responsible for the day-to-day execution of the Aegon Americas Sarbanes Oxley (SOX) controls program with oversight to all global country units. Coordinates with individuals in various functions, including Finance, Operations and Technology. Responsible for the identification, assessment, oversight reporting and disclosure of all key controls and deficiencies across the company and ensures the business procedures and/or controls are in compliance with applicable regulatory and corporate standards and practices. Develops and maintains relationships with senior and executive management and process owners, as well as risk management personnel (second line of defense) and internal audit personnel (third line of defense). Serves as the lead for communication and reporting to and with Group Risk.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the evaluation and design of internal controls.
• Make recommendations for improvement and drive changes to both controls and processes.
• Oversee the documentation, timing and execution of consolidated reporting process flows, with a focus on internal controls and SOX compliance.
• Lead the execution of management's SOX risk assessment and scoping activities related to the global SOX effort to ensure proper risk identification, process mapping and controls linkage for a sustainable internal control framework.
• Lead the development and implementation of goals, policies, priorities and procedures relating to internal controls over financial reporting and SOX.
• Prepare and present updates to senior and executive management including supporting deliverables and other tasks needed to support the audit committee's responsibilities for controls and our external auditors as laid out in their charter.
• Partner and liaise with external auditors and external consultants to plan and implement an assessment of the control environment and the annual plan and timeline for doing so.
• Prioritize within a multi-year plan on what is most important at different stages.
• Develop processes and policies for reporting findings and lead communicator of those finding to interested parties, including FinOp and SOX/In Control Steering Committees.
• Collaborate with first line process owners in development of action plans to assess the adequacy of action taken by management to correct control deficiencies, and continuing reviews with appropriate management on action until satisfactory resolution.
• Develop and implement a system to capture and track control deficiencies through all global country units, as well as supporting driving resolution for any internal or external audit findings.
• Help support testing the design and operating effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting.
• Collaborate and assist in assessing control implications within the Issue Paper process.
• Coordinate and assist other global country units in the execution and reporting of SOX in their respective countries/units.
• Assist in the development of and collection of representation letters and certifications throughout the global country units.
• Support the efforts of the Disclosure Committee and assist in facilitating the reporting of disclosures with senior leadership.
• Help support the Audit Committee including ensuring they have all the needed information/analysis to perform their control related functions as laid out in the Audit Committee Charter.
• Help coordinate external auditor independence and ensure there is proper oversight through all country units.
• Support the maintenance of the Global SOX methodology including providing updates as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance or relevant field, or equivalent work experience.
• 15 years of combined business experience.
• Seven years of experience in managerial and leadership roles.
• In-depth knowledge and hands on experience with internal controls, audit or risk management within the financial services industry.
• Ability to document and verbally communicate financial reporting processes in a clear and concise manner, including assessment of design and operating effectiveness controls.
• Communication and relationship skills to educate/raise awareness of foundational elements/methodologies needed to support an internal controls framework.
• Project management skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• CPA
• Big 4 public accounting experience working with controls within the Sarbanes Oxley environment.
• Recent experience with a listed U.S. company that is a domestic registrant.

Working Conditions

• Hybrid (In Office: Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays)

Salary

The Salary for this position generally ranges between $167,000 - $200,000 annually. Please note that the salary range is a good faith estimate for this position and actual starting pay is determined by several factors including qualifications, experience, geography, work location designation (in-office, hybrid, remote) and operational needs. Salary may vary above and below the stated amounts, as permitted by applicable law.

Additionally, this position is typically eligible for an Annual Bonus based on the Company Bonus Plan/Individual Performance and is at the Company's discretion.

This job description is not a contract of employment nor for any specific job responsibilities. The Company may change, add to, remove, or revoke the terms of this job description at its discretion. Managers may assign other duties and responsibilities as needed. In the event an employee or applicant requests or requires an accommodation to perform job functions, the applicable HR Business Partner should be contacted to evaluate the accommodation request.