Internal Control Officer

South Dakota State Government; Pierre (SD); On-site; USD 67,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance options

Eleven paid holidays

Retirement benefits (SDRS)

Job summary

The South Dakota State Government seeks an Internal Control Officer in Pierre, SD to support and improve the organization's internal control framework. The role collaborates with management to identify weaknesses, recommend improvements, and promote accountability and risk management across divisions.

The ideal candidate holds a bachelor's in accounting/related field, with experience in controls, audit, compliance, and risk.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Auditing, Risk Management, or related field.
• Experience in internal controls, internal audit, compliance, accounting, risk management, or related area.
• Strong understanding of accounting principles, internal control frameworks, and risk management concepts.
• Experience with control testing, process reviews, audit procedures, and documentation.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and investigative skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; proficiency in MS Office.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain effective internal control policies, procedures, and processes.
• Assess business processes to identify operational, financial, compliance, and fraud-related risks.
• Conduct periodic reviews and testing of internal controls to determine effectiveness.
• Identify control deficiencies and recommend corrective and preventive actions.
• Monitor implementation of management action plans and follow up on issues.
• Review financial and operational transactions for compliance with policies.
• Support risk assessment and risk management activities.
• Assist audits with documentation and explanations; provide supporting information.
• Prepare clear reports on control reviews, findings, risks, and improvements.

Skills

Internal controls

Internal audit

Risk management

Process testing

Documentation

Analytical thinking

Communication

Excel

Word

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting

Bachelor's degree in Finance

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

Word

Job description

Job ID: 37086

Agency: Department of Education

Location:Pierre, SD (Negotiable within the state of South Dakota)Salary: $74,499.84/annually

Pay Grade: L

Closing Date: 09/03/2026

The Internal Control Officer is responsible for supporting, implementing, monitoring, and improving the organization's internal control framework. This position helps ensure that financial and operational processes are effective, risks are appropriately managed, policies and procedures are followed, and the organization complies with applicable laws, regulations, and internal requirements.

The successful candidate will work closely with management and employees across divisions and also with the State Internal Control officer to identify control weaknesses, recommend practical improvements, and promote a strong culture of accountability and risk management.

This is a full‑time position with the Department of Education. For more information on the Department of Education, please visit https://doe.sd.gov/ .

The Ideal Candidate Will Have:

• bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Auditing, Risk Management, or a related field;
• experience in internal controls, internal audit, compliance, accounting, risk management, or a related area;
• strong understanding of accounting principles, internal control frameworks, and risk management concepts;
• experience with control testing, process reviews, audit procedures, and documentation;
• strong analytical, problem‑solving, and investigative skills;
• excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and Word.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• develop, implement, and maintain effective internal control policies, procedures, and processes;
• assess business processes to identify operational, financial, compliance, and fraud‑related risks.
• conduct periodic reviews and testing of internal controls to determine their effectiveness;
• identify control deficiencies and recommend corrective and preventive actions.
• monitor implementation of management action plans and follow up on outstanding control issues;
• review financial and operational transactions for compliance with established policies and procedures;
• support the organization's risk assessment and risk management activities;
• assist with internal and external audits by providing documentation, explanations, and supporting information;
• prepare clear reports on control reviews, findings, risks, and recommended improvements;
• monitor compliance with applicable laws, regulations accounting standards, and organizational policies;
• investigate unusual transactions, control breaches, and potential instances of fraud when required;
• maintain appropriate documentation of control activities, testing results, and remediation efforts;
• provide guidance and training to employees on internal controls, policies, procedures, and risk awareness;
• recommend improvements to systems and processes to increase efficiency, accuracy, and accountability.

This position is exempt from the Civil Service Act.

This position is eligible for Veterans' Preference per ARSD 55:10:02:08.

NCRC: If you possess a National Career Readiness Certificate, please submit the certificate with your application. For more information on how to acquire a National Career Readiness Certificate contact a South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation Job Service Office. A certificate is not necessary to be considered.

The State of South Dakota does not sponsor work visas for new or existing employees. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete an Employment Eligibility Verification, Form I-9. The State of South Dakota as an employer will be using E-Verify to complete employment eligibility verification upon hire.

The State of South Dakota offers $0 premium employee health insurance option plus eleven paid holidays, generous vacation and sick leave accrual, dental, vision, and other insurance options, and retirement benefits. You can view our benefits information here . This position is a member of Class A retirement under SDRS.

'An Equal Opportunity Employer'

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