The Manager – Internal Controls will have a key role in assessing the company’s compliance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and preforming advanced-level internal audits and special projects. The internal controls program includes preparing and implementing a risk-based audit plan to assess, report on, and make suggestions for improving the company’s key operational and finance activities and internal controls. This is a newly created role which was previously performed by a third-party internal audit co-source provider.

• Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Design, execute and complete testing of the design and operating effectiveness of SOX business process and IT controls, including entity and process level controls, IT general and application controls and SOC reviews
• Analyze existing processes, systems, and procedures, recommend solutions, and work collaboratively with business unit leaders to implement changes / improvements.
• Assist in evaluation of new processes, policies and systems to determine relevance to and impact on the SOX program, including assessing design of controls based on identified risks
• Partner with external auditors to coordinate SOX testing
• Lead end to end walkthroughs to identify risks, control gaps, and improvement opportunities
• Evaluate audit findings and coordinate remediation of deficiencies
• Assist in the establishment of policies and procedures to ensure adequacy of internal controls and effectiveness in providing services to the business lines.
• Present findings and communicate recommendations to the Audit Committee, Acorda leadership team, and external auditors.
• Lead special projects including performance of Internal Audits at the request of the Audit Committee, CFO, and Controller.
• Manage and/or contribute to special projects both on-going and recurring (e.g., scaling controls, segregation of duties, implementation support/advisory), as needed, in an effective and efficient manner

Education and/or Experience

• Must have advanced SOX compliance experience and be knowledgeable with the following financial cycles: Record to Report, Order to Cash, Hire to Retire, Procure to Pay
• BS/BA degree in Accounting or Finance
• Technical auditing skills and corporate-level audit experience required
• 5 years of experience in SOX/internal audit, of which at least 3 years of SOX experience required

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• None

Qualifications:

• Proven experience in leading the execution of an end-to-end SOX program.
• Comprehension of internal auditing standards, Sarbanes-Oxley, COSO and risk-assessment practices.

Computer Skills:

• Must be proficient in MS Office Suite, and have advanced Excel skills.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

• One or more relevant professional certifications required (CPA, CIA, CFE)

Other Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated problem-solving abilities with customer service orientation
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to interact effectively with all levels of management
• Self-starter and flexible team player
• Strong project management abilities
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with changing processes and procedures

Physical Demands:

The physical demands here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• This position requires minimal travel; average travel for this position is 5-10% with some variation based upon the demands of the business imperatives.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

No specific work demands.

• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions