Director of Audit Services

Summary:

The Director of Audit Services plays a pivotal role in strengthening the UTMB operational integrity and strategic direction. This position works closely with the Chief Audit Executive, providing essential support in managing, coordinating, and directing initiatives that enhance the value of Audit Services across the UTMB community. This position involves extensive collaboration with all levels of management, employees, internal audit personnel, and external auditors, fostering an environment of continuous improvement and strong controls. The Director of Audit Services consults with administrators, faculty, and staff to champion best business practices, ensuring that financial, operational, and compliance risks are identified, assessed, and managed effectively.

Scope:

The scope of responsibility extends throughout UTMB.  This includes the routine operations of Audit Services, its interactions with various other departments within UTMB, and ensuring the implementation of audit requirements and guidelines set forth by the University of Texas System.

Responsibilities:

Strategic Partnership: 

• Assist the Chief Audit Executive in developing and executing the annual risk assessment and audit plan, aligning departmental initiatives with institutional goals, and identifying emerging risks and for exemplary professional representation of Audit Services and UTMB.
• Participate in organizational task forces or committees to offer expertise related to risks and controls.

Collaborative Engagement: 

• Build and maintain strong relationships across the institution, working with diverse stakeholders from faculty and staff to senior leadership, as well as external auditors and University of Texas System, to promote sound business practices.
• Consult proactively with various departments to identify opportunities for process improvement and control enhancements, turning audit findings into actionable insights that drive organizational excellence.
• Work with external auditors and assist in coordinating institutional responses.
• Conduct regular training sessions to promote education and awareness of risk and associated internal controls.

Audit Excellence: 

• Remain current with emerging risks, new audit regulations, methodologies, industry trends, legislative requirements, and professional accounting and auditing standards.  Communicate updates timely to relevant parties.
• Evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of internal controls, risk management, and governance processes.
• Oversee execution of the annual audit plan, audit fieldwork, and report drafting, ensuring accuracy, objectivity, and adherence to best practices in audit methodology.
• Incorporate the use of data analytics to enhance risk identification, quantification, testing, and project support and to provide valuable business intelligence to leadership.  
• Coordinate compilation and distribution of Institutional Audit Committee materials and communicate audit results, findings, and recommendations clearly to senior management and the Institutional Audit Committee.

Continuous Improvement: 

• Establish performance measures, conduct monitoring and perform continuous quality assurance of the department to ensure compliance with professional internal audit standards and University of Texas System and departmental policies.
• Monitor remediation progress and follow up on outstanding issues, leveraging technology and process enhancements to improve audit efficiency and impact.

Team Leadership & Development: 

• Lead and manage the audit team by focusing on performance and establishing priorities. 
• Foster a culture of professional development and knowledge sharing through coaching and mentoring.
• Perform other duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Technical knowledge:
  • Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) guidelines, including the Code of Ethics
  • Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS)
  • Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
  • Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS)
  • State and federal regulations
  • Information systems controls and environment
  • Financial applications (ERP), Microsoft Office, and audit work papers
• General leadership skills:
  • Engage and influence executive leadership, the Institutional Audit Committee, and key stakeholders, using persuasive and diplomatic communication.
  • Demonstrate adaptability, resilience, innovation, and resourcefulness when encountering unexpected challenges.
  • Operate independently, rendering impartial and unbiased judgments essential to properly conducting audits.
  • Maintain absolute independence and impartiality in all audit activities, ensuring unbiased assessments and credible reporting.
  • Develop, organize, and accomplish goals and direct simultaneous assignments prioritized by urgency, importance, and impact.
  • Recommend or make appropriate decisions based on exceptional ability to analyze intricate financial, operational, and system data.  Creatively demonstrate the analysis that supports the recommendation or decision.  
  • Collaborate with the high-performing internal audit team and lead strategically by effectively leveraging and recognizing skills within the team.
  • Communicate verbally and in writing with a high degree of professionalism and competence to all levels of the institution, including but not limited to, physicians, departmental directors, and university administrators.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, accounting, finance or related discipline plus eight (8) years of relevant experience to include: five (5) years of experience in internal audit and five (5) years of leadership experience.

• Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Public Accountant (CPA), or other relevant professional certification.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree.

• Experience in academic health care.

• Experience with data analytics.

• Demonstrated ability to use AI to enhance expediency and efficiency.

• Certified Information System Auditor (CISA) certification.

Equal Employment Opportunity

UTMB Health strives to provide equal opportunity employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. As a Federal Contractor, UTMB Health takes affirmative action to hire and advance protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.