Internal Audit Manager

Conning is a leading global investment management firm with a long history of serving the insurance industry.

We develop customized investment strategies that address our clients' unique objectives, requirements and tolerance for risk. We develop solutions by leveraging Conning's risk management tools and utilizing a highly disciplined investment process that relies on fundamental analysis.

The Internal Audit Manager is the deputy to the Director, Head of Internal Audit, and is accountable for portfolio-level oversight of the global audit plan, the quality of all audit output, and senior stakeholder engagement with executive management, the Audit Committee, Group Audit (Generali), external auditors, and regulators. Given the lean structure of the function, the manager is expected to flex between overseeing engagements and personally executing audits end-to-end. This may encompass complex, regulator-driven, or sensitive audits across Conning Holdings Limited's entities. The role balances portfolio leadership, hands-on execution where required, direct people-leadership of the audit team, and the ongoing maturity of the internal audit function.

Responsibilities

Engagement Oversight & Direct Execution

• Provide executive oversight of the full audit portfolio: monitor scope, budget, timing, and quality across all in-flight engagements.
• Perform final-level review of audit reports, workpapers, RACMs, and finding ratings prior to Director sign-off, ensuring conclusions are well-supported, risk-prioritized, and aligned to IIA standards.
• Resolve technical, scoping, sampling, and stakeholder escalations raised by team members, and provide direction on audit judgment and risk interpretation.
• When the audit is staffed, act as engagement quality owner, providing real-time direction, escalation support, and final review.
• When operating as a solo auditor, comprehensively lead and execute the audit end-to-end, including planning, RACM development, walkthroughs, control testing, workpaper preparation, report drafting, and stakeholder closeout. This applies to the most complex, cross-border, or regulator-driven audits (e.g., investment process, valuation, CLO/private debt, IT general controls, regulatory thematic reviews, Group Audit (Generali) requests) where no junior resource is assigned.
• Operate as the QA owner for the function, including internal QA reviews, methodology adherence checks, and readiness for external Quality Assessment Reviews (QARs) under IIA Global Internal Audit Standards.
• Lead complex root-cause analysis and contribute to thematic insights across the audit portfolio (e.g., recurring control weaknesses, regulatory hot spots, technology and resilience risks).
• Apply advanced data analytics and AI-enabled audit techniques to scale execution and oversight across a multi-entity portfolio.

Executive, Board & Regulatory Engagement

• Co-prepare and present Audit Committee and Board materials with the Director, including quarterly results, plan progress, KRIs, emerging risk themes, and issue status.
• Lead engagement with executive leadership across business lines and global entities; act as escalation point for sensitive findings, management disagreements, and rating discussions.
• Serve as primary day-to-day liaison for regulatory exam responses, external auditor coordination (e.g., reliance discussions, SOC reporting), and Group Audit (Generali) interactions.
• Represent internal audit in governance forums (risk committees, control committees, new product committees) as delegated by the Director.

Maintain trusted-advisor relationships with C-suite and senior executives across Conning's global footprint.

Team Leadership & Talent Development

• Manage and measure performance of direct reports, including setting goals and measuring progress towards those targets.
• Supervise direct reports; allocate engagements, set annual objectives, and own performance management and year-end calibration.
• Coach staff on technical execution, judgment, report writing, and stakeholder management. Provide real-time engagement feedback and contribute to formal performance reviews.
• Onboard new hires and co-source resources, including methodology training, tool enablement, and stakeholder introductions.
• Manage co-source vendor relationships, including statement-of-work scoping, budget management, and performance evaluation.
• Foster a high-performance, inclusive, and feedback-rich team culture aligned with Conning and Generali Group values.

Audit Plan Strategy & Risk Assessment

• Co-own the global audit universe and annual risk-based plan with the Director, aligning to IIA standards, Generali Group expectations, and entity-specific regulators (SEC, FCA, CSSF, Finanstilsynet, MAS, SFC, Consob).
• Lead the enterprise risk assessment process, including emerging-risk scanning (AI, cyber, private credit, climate, geopolitical, regulatory change, operational resilience, third-party risk) and integration with second-line risk views.
• Recommend in-year plan changes, resourcing reallocations, and scope adjustments to the Director and Audit Committee in response to risk events or regulatory developments.
• Maintain alignment with Group Audit (Generali) on shared risk themes, methodology, and reporting expectations.
• Lead continuous monitoring and intelligence-gathering across assigned entities and themes.

Strategic Initiatives & Function Maturity

• Drive the multi-year evolution of the internal audit function, including methodology, technology stack (GRC tooling, analytics platforms, Microsoft 365 Copilot and AI agents), continuous auditing, and KPI/KRI dashboards.
• Lead or sponsor function-wide initiatives such as QAR readiness, methodology refresh, analytics build-out, and folder/template standardization (SharePoint, OneNote, Teams).
• Represent internal audit on cross-functional governance, transformation, regulatory, or technology programs.
• Stay current on developments in internal audit practice, financial services regulation, and emerging risk, and bring insights back to the team and Director.
• Deputize for the Director with the Audit Committee, executive leadership, Group Audit (Generali), regulators, and external auditors when required.

Requirements

Education & Certifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Business, or a related discipline required; Master's degree preferred.
• CPA, CIA, or CISA certification required; additional certifications (e.g., CFA, CAMS, CRMA, CISSP) a plus.

Experience

• Minimum of 7 years of internal audit, external audit, risk, or compliance experience.
• Big 4 or large regional public accounting firm experience strongly preferred, complemented by in-house internal audit experience in asset management, investment management, insurance, or broader financial services.
• Demonstrated experience leading and overseeing complex, multi-entity, cross-border audit engagements end-to-end.
• Proven experience reviewing audit workpapers, reports, and findings as a final or QA-level reviewer.
• Experience supporting or owning Audit Committee and Board reporting cycles, including drafting materials and presenting results.
• Experience interacting with regulators and external auditors, including reliance discussions and exam response coordination.
• Experience managing a small team of internal auditors, including direct supervision, performance management, hiring, and development.
• Experience managing co-source vendor relationships and third-party audit resources.
• Experience contributing to or leading the annual risk assessment and audit plan development for a global function.
• Experience operating within a matrixed, parent-company governance structure (e.g., reporting to a Group Audit function) strongly preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Deep working knowledge of the IIA Global Internal Audit Standards, COSO Internal Control - Integrated Framework, COSO ERM, and risk-based audit methodology, including QAR readiness and methodology design.
• Deep fluency in the regulatory environment applicable to asset managers and global financial services entities and the ability to translate regulatory expectations into audit strategy, scope, and reporting.
• Strong executive presence, with proven ability to communicate audit results, risk themes, and strategic recommendations to C-suite executives, Audit • Committee members, Board members, regulators, and external auditors.
• Strong people leadership skills, including coaching, performance management, talent development, and team building in a small, high-performing function.
• Strong portfolio management skills, including the ability to oversee multiple concurrent engagements, manage budgets, and balance oversight with hands-on execution as staffing requires.
• Strong strategic-thinking, analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills, including the ability to identify thematic risks and propose function-level improvements.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, professional scepticism, discretion, and diplomacy in high-stakes interactions with executive management, regulators, and external auditors.
• Ability to flex between portfolio oversight and hands-on solo execution of complex audits without diluting strategic focus.
• Strong commitment to high-quality audit documentation, reporting, and governance discipline.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, OneNote, SharePoint, Teams); fluency with Microsoft 365 Copilot, AI agents, GRC platforms, and audit analytics tools strongly preferred.
• Strong international experience and cross-cultural communication skills, with the ability to operate effectively across multiple time zones and regulatory regimes.
• Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 6 weeks per year.

Decision Making Level/Position Latitude

Broad latitude for making decisions within the scope of audit engagements. Expected to exercise sound judgment and discretion in identifying risks and recommending solutions.

Position Scope Data

One direct report. Accountable for the quality and timeliness of audit deliverables. May oversee and coordinate with outsourced internal audit co-sourcing partners as needed.

Conning is an equal opportunity employer. Our company embraces the principles of inclusion; our employees can bring the best version of themselves to work every day. We thrive in an environment where everyone's voice is heard, every idea counts, and the differences of our employees are valued. We provide reasonable accommodations to those who need them.

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact us to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.

Applicants must exhibit a strong commitment to meet compliance obligations reflecting Conning's core values of honesty and integrity; must accept responsibility for compliance in each role and comply with all applicable rules, regulations, and legal requirements.