Overview

Are you someone who is passionate, motivated, and driven to make a difference?  If so, MSA Safety is the perfect fit for your career. 

 

At MSA, SAFETY is who we are AND it is what we do.  We are a purpose-driven company committed to deploying innovation and technology to deliver on our Mission to help protect people and assets all around the world.  We continue to be relentless in our pursuit of solving our customers greatest problems so they can go home safe each and every day. 

 

Are you in?  Read on for more details about this particular role.

Responsibilities

Overview:

The Director of Internal Audit leads the global audit function for a $1.8B multinational safety technology company, ensuring effective risk management, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency. As a member of the Finance and Global Leadership Teams, this role partners with senior leadership, the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors, and the external auditors to deliver strategic insights and maintain a strong control environment. The Director of Internal Audit will act with the utmost professionalism and highest level of objectivity, integrity, and ethics.

This role reports functionally to the Chair of the Audit Committee and administratively to the Sr. VP and CFO.

 

Responsibilities:

Audit Leadership: Provide independent, objective control assurance and advisory/ consulting services designed to add value and improve MSA’s operations and overall systems and processes. Oversee the execution of the internal audit plan, ensuring audits are completed on time and within budget.

• Serve as an executive advisory member of the following councils/ committees: Finance Leadership Team. Global Leadership Team, Cybersecurity Executive Steering Body, Crisis Management Advisory Council, ESG Steering Body, Disclosure Committee.
• Stay abreast of emerging risks and industry trends, including regulatory changes and technological advancements.
• Define, develop, and communicate a multi-year strategic plan and vision for the Internal Audit function aligned with MSA’s strategies, objectives, and risks.
• Be a change leader within the organization to implement change.
• Design and execute an annual enterprise-wide comprehensive risk-based audit plan, ensuring timely and effective completion of audits.
• Collaborate with the independent external auditors to ensure maximum leverage of internal audit activities and resources and ensure appropriate risk coverage through both the internal and external audit plans.
• Oversee and conduct global financial, operational, IT, strategic and compliance audits across the company.
• Provide clear, value add recommendations and assist Management with prioritizing and resolving audit and compliance issues on a timely basis.
• Complete special projects as requested by the CFO, Audit Committee, Board of Directors, and Executive Management and provide leadership and support to legal and compliance for investigations.
• Develop operational goals and KPIs for the function and ensure successful completion and measurement.

Risk Management: Identify and assess areas of significant business risk and implement audit strategies to mitigate these risks.

• Work in partnership with the Executive Director, Global FP&A & Strategy to develop the annual ERM survey to GLT members, interview the ELT to understand top risks and mitigation strategies, incorporate survey results into the annual audit plan risk assessment.

Regulatory Compliance: Ensure compliance with relevant regulations, including Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) requirements.

• Lead the Sarbanes Oxley Act compliance efforts for the company and function as the primary liaison with the external auditors related to compliance efforts.
• Work in conjunction with company executives to monitor, assess and enhance the design and operation of global internal controls and eliminate redundant and ineffective procedures, when necessary.

Reporting: Communicate significant risks and audit findings to Senior Management and the Audit Committee.

• Develop and deliver clear and concise Audit Committee reports which keep the Committee updated on the status of significant risks, the control environment, SOx testing results, audit findings and other required information.
• Present audit findings and recommendations to senior management and the Audit Committee.

Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate with various departments to ensure a comprehensive understanding of business processes and risks.

• Manage stakeholders by building strong relationships and developing trust through understanding needs and concerns, effectively communicating audit/SOx findings and working collaboratively to address issues.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships throughout the organization and with external stakeholders and stay current with changes in the industry and the company.

Talent Management: Lead, mentor, motivate, and develop the internal audit team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

• Recruit, coach, develop, train and mentor a high performing internal audit team that is viewed as the “eyes and ears” of senior management and is a future talent pool for financial and operational leadership opportunities within the organization and a preferred destination for internal rotational opportunities.
• Partner with third party resources to provide additional skills needed to complete projects.
• Maintain an active and highly desired guest auditor program.
• Work with the FLT to develop and retain talent across the global finance department.

Quality Assurance: Develop and implement quality assurance programs to enhance audit practices and methodologies.

• Assist with process improvement and increased use of technology as it relates to finance processes and internal audit.
• Engage with leaders in the internal audit profession to bring a best-practice approach to MSA and proactively shape the internal audit practices and procedures considering industry issues and trends.
• Foster a continuous improvement culture within the function through development of team skills, embracing innovative technologies and seeking ways to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of audits.
• Ensure team understanding of Global IIA standards and application of such standards.
• Ensure an External Quality Assessment of the Internal Audit function is performed every 5 years.

Qualifications

Key Success Factors:

Strong Leader, Relationship Builder and Communicator – A strategic, visionary, and motivational leader who is a trusted business advisor to various stakeholders, including the Chair of the Audit Committee, Board of Directors, and senior management. Ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner, both verbally and non-verbally.

Strong Stakeholder Management – Strong understanding of the business as well as the perspectives of those in the field, along with the accounting perspective.

High Performing Rotational Team with Strong Leadership Potential – Excellent leader, recruiter, developer, and provider of high performing talent to the MSA organization.

Value Add & Risk Based Annual Audit Plan – Ability to build a risk based annual audit plan through a strong partnership with the business and aligned with organizational strategy, vision, and risk, including emerging risks.

Successfully Execute Against Internal Audit Plan – Ability to execute against annual audit plan while providing for flexibility to cover emerging or elevating risks.

Qualifications:

• Ability to apply strong business acumen and judgement.
• Experience in assessing global risk and in performing and overseeing financial, operational, IT, strategic and compliance audits as well as advisory/ consulting engagements.
• Strong people leader with proven success in people management.
• Proven ability to implement change as well as the ability to direct others within the organization for which there is no direct authority.
• A proven leader in recruiting, coaching, and developing talented individuals in finance, technology, or related disciplines with high leadership potential into a high performing team.
• Ability to use well-honed professional judgement to make good strategic decisions.
• Excellent communication and relationship building skills.
• Exceptional negotiation skills.
• Excellent analytical skills and problem-solving abilities.
• Strategically oriented, but highly reliable in executing against goals.
• Ability to build trust with stakeholders.
• Presentation skills and strong leadership presence, including experience presenting to and interacting with C-suite executives and the Board of Directors.
• Proven record of successfully adding value, developing recommendations and plans, and partnering with executives and senior managers to facilitate and drive key initiatives to completion.
• Solid understanding of business processes, information technology, cybersecurity, ESG, data privacy and their effect on financial statements.
• Proven experience analyzing complex financial and operational information and preparing detailed, complex audit reports.
• Strong knowledge of accounting, GAAP, GAAS, GIAS (Global Internal Audit Standards), SOx 404 and 302 requirements and operational controls.
• Ability and willingness to travel 15-25% of the time, including international travel.

Education:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, economics, or related discipline.
• Certifications: Active CPA, CIA, or CISA.

Experience:

• A minimum of 10+ years of progressive global finance and audit leadership experience with a large publicly traded company. Brings a strong foundation in public accounting and a solid business acumen, enabling a holistic understanding of risk, governance and operational effectiveness.

Preferred:

• Experience with advanced technology related to audit techniques (i.e., AuditBoard or other GRC products), data analytics and related tools.
• The ability to take the team to the next level technologically.
• Experience with SAP and S 4/HANA.
• Experience with Oracle Cloud.

Internal Job Description

This is posted at an EX22.