Internal Controls & Risk Manager – Francophone West & Central Africa

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES Responsible for developing, implementing and monitoring an effective internal control system for operations, accounting, tax accounting and financial reporting processes, including financial systems and applications.Supporting advising, maintaining and improving the SGS risk and control framework in business processes within SGS globally.Participating in process improvement projects but also ensure that risks and controls are properly addressed in process change management (Ex: Global Procurement Policy redesign, Revenue recognition rules strengthening ).Providing guidance and training to group affiliates, promoting best practices and ensure efficient use of common ERP platforms across the network.Liaise and coordinate with all stakeholders to ensure group Internal Controls of Financial Reporting (ICOFR) objectives. SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIESMonitoring of the adequacy of the level of internal financial controls at affiliate level.Manages and drives improvement in the internal control environment to ensure compliance to the internal control systems and processes by the local Finance teams in the affiliatesEnsures accounting controls are implemented and maintained by affiliatesSupport Affiliates in implementing Minimum Controls Standards (MCS) corrective measures.Put in place a written procedures manual for each affiliate;Ensure internal audit findings are corrected in line with timeline agreed in internal audit report and ensure internal control environment amended to address all internal control pointsAssist FMs during external audits: calendar and activities management. Ensure preparation, supply of documents and response to avoid audit overrunsMonthly review of the Balance Sheets reconciliations, including bank reconciliations, IFRS15 and IFRS 9 and escalate any risks to RFC, relevant Managing Directors and Regional Managing Director;Review and validate the reconciliations of submodules data and external data to GL accounts: inventories, AP, AR, fixed assets, payroll, WHT, governmental fees, etcReview the SOD per affiliates once per quarter;Review the implementation of EEMEA region Level Of Authorities (LOA) rules as well as the Group Financial Manual (GFM) in the affiliatesReview of reconciliation between Group reporting and statutory local reporting at year-end: equity reconciliationsProcurement activities: regular review of the tender process.Assist the Francophone West and Central Africa Regional Financial Controller on Ad’hoc controls project basis .Ensures affiliates client’s payment conditions are in line with Group Policy and watches over their implementation.Reviews affiliates requests for annual inventory write-offs for obsolescence/ time expired itemsConduct risk assessment of departments/business segments;Conduct audit testing of potential risk areas and identify reportable issues;Deliver adequate and timely reporting on the internal control framework and control deficiencies to ensure appropriate communication, documentation, escalation to stakeholders (FDs, RFC, MDs): monthly