Internal Control Global Testing COE Team Lead, Corporate Functions

MISSION STATEMENT

Internal Control Global Testing COE Team Lead / MPOC Corporate Functions combines a managerial role with operational activities. He/she plays a critical role in:

• Ensuring successful Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) & non-SOX Testing

• Contributing to Root Cause analysis of identified deficiencies and sustainable Action Plan definition with the support of Internal Control end-to-end process and Operational teams

• Supporting Standardization and Automation of control performance across countries

• Providing managerial support to Testing COE Specialists including people development

• Defining together with the Head of the Testing COE the KPI’s and annual priorities for the Testing COE in line with the Internal Control department objectives and roadmap

Internal Control Global Testing COE Team Lead / MPOC Corporate Functions is a permanent member of the Testing COE Leadership Team.

Internal Control Global Testing COE Team Lead / MPOC Corporate Functions will be part of a global Testing Center of Excellence that will be organized by End-to-End (E2E) process, as follows:

• Manage Finance

• Source to Pay

• Manage People & Culture

• Demand to Cash

• Manage Medical, R&D and Launch to Engage

• Plan to Manufacture, HSE and Security

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

MANAGE CONTROL ENVIRONMENT

• Support Internal Control Global Process Leads in the creation / update of test scripts for SOX & non-SOX testing through constructive feedback and sharing of best practices

• Coordinate the CSA campaign by consolidating the Local Process Owners list, updating the tools and following the CSA completion and sign-off

MANAGE CONTROL ACTIVITIES

Sarbanes Oxley (SOX) Testing (Controls in SOX perimeter)

• Support Internal Control Global Process Leads in the preparation of SOX narratives and flowcharts

• Schedule, organize and participate in design walkthrough meetings based on instructions received by Internal Control E2E teams 

• Maintain IT Dependencies inventory and ensure identified evidence (test of one) from Local Process Owners are properly documented during design testing

• Collect evidence from the First Line of Defense and perform the SOX Design testing (test of one) and Operating effectiveness testing as prescribed by the Internal Control SOX Methodology team for the defined scope

• Report deficiencies in Interact (=Sanofi Internal Control tool) based on the Internal Control guidelines for defined scope

• Follow up on action plan implementation for scoped controls

• Perform update procedures and remediation testing for the scoped controls

• Support the root cause analysis, definition of sustainable remediation plans and their monitoring. Help defining cross-country remediation plans

• Support the process owners in definition and understanding of SOX relevant controls and its documentation such as narratives / flowcharts

• Support external auditors’ activities related to internal control and facilitate exchange of information

Internal Control Testing (Controls in non-SOX perimeter)

• Collect evidence from the First Line of Defense and perform testing as prescribed by the Internal Control non-SOX Methodology team for the defined scope

• Report deficiencies in Interact (=Sanofi Internal Control tool) based on the Internal Control guidelines for defined scope

• Support the root cause analysis, definition of sustainable remediation plans and their monitoring. Help defining cross-country remediation plans

• Support the process owners in definition and understanding of non-SOX relevant controls and its documentation such as narratives / flowcharts

PARTNER WITH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS

• Manage relationship with Control Owners

• Support the Assurance Tower in the First Line of Defence by providing training on how to perform continuous checks for completeness and accuracy of SOX/non-SOX controls documentation

• Clarify Ad-hoc questions from local External / Internal auditors

DRIVE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT 

• Identify gaps per country in control performance (at control step level) and escalate to Internal Control E2E process team

• Make recommendations on standardization of control performance and testing across countries

• Actively support the automation initiatives over control performance and testing

MANAGE TEAMS OF TESTING COE SPECIALISTS

• Contribute to the definition of and monitor the achievement of the Testing COE performance KPI targets

• Manage a team of Testing COE Specialists by:

• • Defining yearly priorities for his/her team members in line with the Testing COE annual priorities

  • Supervising and support team members to deliver on their yearly priorities

  • Assessing team members performance

  • Identifying individual development plans with team members and monitor progress

  • Fostering performance culture

MAIN POINT OF CONTACT (MPOC) RESPONSIBILITIES

• Is the main contact point for the Internal Control E2E Process teams for Corporate Functions processes (Manage Finance, Source to Pay, Manage People & Culture) with a focus on Manage Finance and Source to Pay

• Align with the Planning Lead the planning of Testing COE Specialists for each testing cycle and escalate to the Head of the Testing COE and the Head of the Internal Control E2E Process teams for Corporate Functions processes any risk related to planning of resources

• For Corporate Functions processes with a focus on Manage Finance, works in coordination with the relevant Internal Control E2E process teams for the delivery of the full SOX and non SOX annual cycles

• Performs quality review of the working papers of the Testing COE Specialists for the Manage Finance Process

• Support, in coordination with the relevant Internal Control E2E Process teams, the training of Testing COE Specialists for the Corporate Functions processes with a focus on Manage Finance (including Control Implementation Guidelines and test scripts)

REQUIREMENTS

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• 7-9 years’ experience in SOX testing and/or internal control management

• Sound knowledge in the Manage Finance process (accounting, finance)

• Global Business Services / Shared Service Center experience, including team management

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office

Preferred:

• Advanced degrees such as MSc or MBA

• Audit experience gained at Big4 companies

• Knowledge in Source to Pay and/or Manage People & Culture processes is a plus

• SAP knowledge

• Database handling skills

KEY SKILLS

• Proven ability to collaborate and communicate effectively with stakeholders

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities

• Strong interpersonal skills for effective collaboration

• Detail-oriented with excellent organizational capabilities

• Inter-cultural skills and eagerness to work in a very international setting

• Fluent in English

OTHER

• May partly work on shifted hours (January, June and October, subject to planning adjustments)