Description

About the Board

The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) is committed to learning, equity, engagement and innovation.  We are guided by our vision, Growing Together, the mission that every student experiences a sense of belonging and engages in dynamic learning to reach their potential and build their own future, and our values of Compassion, Dignity, Trust, and Joy to guide our daily work and ensure that we honour the unique identities and needs of all. Proudly serving a community of approximately 50,000 students in the City of Hamilton and surrounding area, HWDSB operates across 80 elementary schools, 13 secondary schools and 1 Adult Learning Centre, in addition to providing support and service to approximately 8,800 staff members.

Staff Wellness

At HWDSB, staff wellness is a priority. We are committed to co-creating and fostering an environment where staff feel safe, valued, and supported. We are continuously striving to support the needs of our diverse community and actively work to foster and maintain a culture of human rights.

Our holistic Staff Wellness program has been designed to support employee's well-being in all dimensions of health. As one part of this comprehensive program, all staff as well as their dependents have access to free and confidential supports through our Employee and Family Assistance Provider (EFAP), in addition to many other program components.

About the Role

This position supports the West of Central Region which includes the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board, Waterloo Region District School Board, Waterloo Catholic District School Board, Upper Grand District School Board, Wellington Catholic District School Board, Halton District School Board, Halton Catholic District School Board, District School Board of Niagara and Niagara Catholic District School Board. Reporting to the Regional Internal Audit Manager (RIAM), the incumbent will provide senior Board Management and the Audit Committees of the Board of Trustees of the ten West of Central Region school boards with an independent assessment of the effectiveness of control procedures and an evaluation of risk exposure relating to the achievement of the district school board's strategic objectives. This is accomplished by executing the audit projects (financial, operational and compliance) defined in the annual audit plan and approved by the Audit Committee.

It is the responsibility of all regional internal audit staff to follow all Board policies and procedures. Internal Audit work meets the international professional practice standards of the Institute of Internal Audit (IIA). This position profile addresses the requirements of the Regional Internal Audit Mandate.

Duties include but are not limited to:

Work with the RIAM to support the annual planning process, by:
Revising/updating /expanding the internal audit universe with results from the annual assessment of strategic and operational risks.
Creating the internal audit plan.
Developing audit project plans and terms of reference memos for approval by Board Management and the Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees.
Completing audit planning and scoping requirements for assigned projects:
Communicating with auditees to:
Determine logistics
Obtain planning information
Coordinate and deliver information sessions to audit clients associated with the project.
Coordinating the development of data extraction queries or data analytics.
Using information gathered, creates a ‘Key Risk and Control Summary' and draft an audit program to reflect the risk profile.
Finalizing the assurance program and obtain approval to proceed from the RIAM.
Coordinating audit procedures and work plans with external consultants as required.
Executing financial, operational and compliance audits. This includes:
Keeping auditee management, the school board Senior Business Official (SBO) and the RIAM informed about the status of the project.
Performing audit tests; completing information technology general computer control (ITGC) tests under the supervision of the Senior Internal Audit Consultant or the RIAM.
Identifying impediments with the potential to delay the completion of the audit and devises plans to resolve them.
Preparing the automated working paper file ensuring appropriate evidence exists to support audit findings and control deficiencies in accordance with auditing standards.
Sharing preliminary findings with auditee management to confirm assessment of the issue and to obtain cooperation.
Reviewing working papers of internal auditors as required.
Clearing any coaching notes issued by the RIAM upon file review.
Transferring unresolved or open control deficiencies to the audit follow up database.
Identifying issues and performs thoughtful analysis in collaboration with audit clients to develop practical and value-added recommendations using independent judgment.
Drafting the audit report and presents it to the RIAM for review and approval. Coordinates with the auditee to obtain management action plans to address the control deficiencies that have been reported.
Communicating or assists in communicating the results of audit and consulting projects via written reports and oral presentations to both Board management and to the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.
Performing special projects and assignments (such as forensic investigations, process and advisory consulting) requested by School Boards as assigned by the RIAM.
Pursuing professional development opportunities, including external and internal training and professional association memberships, to enhance performance, identify trends and information to share with both other Regional Internal Audit Teams (RIATs) and audit clients, and to meet professional continuing education requirements. Shares information gained with co-workers.
Providing on-the-job training to other regional audit staff; may provide input and contributes to the evaluation of auditor performance for work supervised if requested.
Making recommendations to improve departmental practices.

Deadline for submission is 4:00pm on Friday November 28 , 202 5 . Applicants who are short-listed for this position will be invited for a virtual interview. If you require accommodation, please notify us in advance and we will work with you to meet your needs as HWDSB is committed to providing accommodation throughout the recruitment and selection process, based on any human rights protected grounds.

Employment Equity, Inclusion and Indigeneity Statement

Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) is committed to building inclusive learning and working environments where students see themselves reflected in the curriculum, staff population, local environmental context and the broader community.

HWDSB's vision of Growing Together is rooted in our mission to ensure every student experiences a sense of belonging and engages in dynamic learning to reach their potential and build their own future. Guided by this mission, HWDSB strives to build a workforce that embodies the values of Compassion, Dignity, Trust, and Joy, while reflecting and welcoming the diverse and distinct identities, experiences and unique needs of our students, staff and our communities.

HWDSB seeks qualified candidates who share our commitment to equity, inclusion and Indigeneity, and who will contribute to the vision of creating inclusive and equitable outcomes for every student. HWDSB especially invites and welcomes applications from:

Indigenous Peoples (e.g., First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples).
Members of groups that commonly experience discrimination due to race, ancestry, colour, religion and/or spiritual beliefs, or place of origin (e.g., Black and racialized communities, immigrant communities, etc.).
Persons with visible and/or invisible (physical and/or mental) disabilities.
Persons who identify as women.
Persons of marginalized sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions. (i.e., Two-spirit and LGBTQIA+).
 As part of HWDSB's commitment to employment equity, inclusion and Indigeneity and removing barriers to groups that have faced and continue to face barriers in employment, we invite all applicants to complete a voluntary questionnaire that collects identity-based information. The voluntary questionnaire is on the Apply to Education application page for this position.

HWDSB is committed to providing accommodation throughout the recruitment and selection process, based on any human rights protected grounds. If you require accommodation, please notify us in advance and we will work with you to meet your needs.

Land Acknowledgement

HWDSB is located on ancestral Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Confederacy land as determined by the Dish with One Spoon treaty. The Dish with One Spoon wampum belt represents the treaty relationship between the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and Anishinaabe with respect to sharing the land and resources thereon. The intent of this agreement is for all nations sharing this territory to do so responsibly, respectfully and sustainably in perpetuity. We respect the longstanding relationships with the local Indigenous communities, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Six Nations of the Grand River.

Applicant Self-Identification Form

The information collected on this form is used to monitor HWDSB's progress toward our equity goals including our commitment to diversity in HWDSB recruitment and hiring practices. We are committed to the security and confidentiality of information under our control, and to the protection of privacy with respect to personal and confidential information that is collected, used, disclosed and retained in the system (Policy 1.6 - Privacy). Information on this form is collected pursuant to Ontario's Education Equity Action Plan (Ministry of Education) and in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). Access to this form is restricted to specific individuals in Human Resources. The Research and Analytics Department will use aggregate data from all the forms (not individual data) for internal reporting. Their access and use of the data is governed by MFIPPA and ethical research practices. Applicant Self-Identification Forms will be maintained in the Human Resources job competition file and securely destroyed 1 year after the job posting for candidates not selected for an interview and 6 years after the job posting for candidates interviewed, in accordance with general records retention principles. If you prefer not to answer any of the questions, you can select “prefer not to answer”. This in no way affects your application or the applicant selection process. If you have questions or concerns about this form please contact humanresources@hwdsb.on.ca.

Requirements

Qualifications:

A degree/post-secondary education in Accounting, Finance, Computer Science or a similar field.
A Canadian professional accounting designation (CGA, CMA or CA) or one of the following certifications: Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) or Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).
Knowledge of Public Sector Accounting Board (PSAB) accounting standards, Ministry of Education compliance requirements and board policies and procedures.
Minimum four years of related internal or external audit experience.
Experience with current internal auditing standards and techniques, risk management and control concepts.
Experience using the Committee of the Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) framework.
Experience in project management in a collaborative environment involving cross-functional teams on time-sensitive tasks and balance multiple priorities/assignments.
Proficient skills using Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, VISIO and PowerPoint) and Audit Management software.
Advanced written and verbal communications skills effectively working with all levels of management.
Excellent critical thinking skills and the ability to exercise good judgement when solving problems quickly and effectively.
Demonstrated belief in customer service excellence and supporting a cooperative team environment.
The successful applicant may be required to work after hours based on system needs.
Valid driver's license and reliable transportation required.