Director of Internal Audit- Head of Audit Professional Practices

Discover. A brighter future.

With us, you’ll do meaningful work from Day 1. Our collaborative culture is built on three core behaviors: We Play to Win, We Get Better Every Day & We Succeed Together. And we mean it — we want you to grow and make a difference at one of the world's leading digital banking and payments companies. We value what makes you unique so that you have an opportunity to shine.

Come build your future, while being the reason millions of people find a brighter financial future with Discover.

Job Description:

Description:

Discover’s Internal Audit (IA) Department has a commitment to provide insightful perspectives, leverage specialized talent, and deliver a refreshing experience to all of our stakeholders. This commitment is met through collaborative, hard-working, highly motivated, and technically skilled professionals who consistently deliver high-quality work in a challenging and fast-paced environment. IA brings a consultative and progressive approach to their work, which is predicated on a culture of enhancing risk management and business outcomes for Discover, actively contributing to the development of its professionals, and embracing a mindset of innovation and continuous improvement. The department of approximately 180 professionals globally is viewed as a critical piece of the risk management framework and is valued as a trusted voice and indispensable partner. 

The Director, of Internal Audit- Head of Professional Practices plays a pivotal role in ensuring the success of Internal Audit as a function and ensuring value is provided to the company. The Head of Professional Practices plays a critical role in leading the department to enhance audit methodology and process to meet regulatory expectations and industry standards. Additionally, this role will support the function with maturing its collaboration with critical risk functions, as well as building and maturing the department's dashboards and reporting capabilities for Senior Management and the Board.   

This role supports department leadership, including the CAE and Vice Presidents, in continually improving Audit’s perceived and actual value and driving a culture of continuous improvement. Responsible for direction and oversight of teams that manage department operations, methodology / standards, quality assurance, technology and data operations, and regulatory / board level reporting.   Additionally, sees operational and technical skills to support the Department objectives. Follows the Audit methodology providing strategic direction on the audits of coverage area, ensure a high quality of the audit work and audit reports, appropriately allocate audit staff in accordance with the pre-determined audit plan and budget hours and be able to adapt allocation of resources when audit plan changes, develop the annual audit universe for coverage area and be able to make adjustments based on needs and changes. Creates a culture of effective risk management, accountability, and demonstration of risk awareness across the organization.

Responsibilities:

• Manages and interprets data on business unit performance. Identifies and implements simple and informative measures to track progress and works with department leadership and Finance to update on progress and adjust as necessary. 

• Guides audit strategy and operations teams in addressing pressing business issues. Engages with department leadership and related business partners to identify and address current challenges. Guides team and leadership in balancing addressing current challenges with longer term strategic program changes. Manages both current challenges and longer-term strategic changes. 

• Manages direct reports and daily operations of the department including but not limited to audit committee reporting; methodology change management process; regulatory requests and interactions; quality assurance program; dynamic planning and risk assessment processes. 

• Provides logistical support and thought leadership for many of the activities intended to set strategic direction and maintain alignment within business unit (e.g., managing weekly Senior Operations staff meetings, participating in business unit scorecard and process reviews, organizing and conducting periodic strategy sessions for officers and directors and coordinating the creation of Executive Committee and Board-level presentations). 

• Additionally, supports the following:

  • Ensures regulatory items are effectively completed, validated, documented and reported timely.

  • Ensures adequate participation in exams and effective verification of closed regulatory items.

  • Provides execution and ongoing maintenance of the audit plan.

  • Executes the approved Audit Plan on schedule while maximizing audit resourc