What are the responsibilities and job description for the Operations Auditor position at Loyola University - New Orleans?
Independently performs its evaluation of the University’s activities and evaluates risk; compliance with and adequacy of applicable policies and procedures; and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Audit reports on its activities to Management and, the Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees. Operations Audit furnishes the President, the Audit Committee and the Board of Trustees with facts, analyses, recommendations and pertinent information about the activities reviewed. Internal Audit supports the University’s enterprise risk management (ERM) program consistent with guidance issued by the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO).
Additional Desirable Qualifications:
- Prepare information for Audit Committee meetings quarterly.
- Conduct process/workflow reviews (not just control testing) to identify redundant approvals, manual bottlenecks, and non-value-added steps across administrative functions (procurement, HR, financial aid, student accounts, etc.).
- Benchmark departmental operations against peer institutions and industry practice to identify efficiency gaps.
- Facilitate process-mapping or Lean/continuous-improvement workshops with process owners rather than simply issuing a report.
- Recommend and help design internal control structures that are more efficient to operate, not just more restrictive (e.g., replacing manual reconciliations with system-based controls) Perform special audits/investigations as requested by the President and/or Audit Committee.
- Assist and coordinate activities and audits with all external auditors and coordinate the University’s management response to all external audit findings.
- Develop and/or revise audit procedures, ensuring the procedures address areas or risk, including compliance with University policies and procedures, laws, regulations, contracts, etc.
- Develop and administer control self-assessment (CSA) tools so departments can evaluate their own processes routinely, reducing the volume of ad hoc reviews the controller has to run.
- Serve as the primary liaison to external auditors, pre-testing high-risk areas and packaging documentation so external fieldwork (and controller involvement in it) is faster and narrower in scope
- Maintain a centralized library of process documentation/SOPs so institutional knowledge doesn't sit solely with the controller's staff
- Provide continuous auditing/monitoring (automated exception reports, dashboards) so issues surface between formal audit cycles instead of piling up for year-end.
- Report issues identified as part of the audit procedures. Develop recommendations which identify and facilitate effective and efficient improvements in the University’s operations.
- Identify opportunities for automation or system configuration changes that eliminate manual controls entirely (workflow tools, ERP configuration, RPA).
- Partner with IT on data analytics builds that let both audit and management self-monitor key risk indicators.
- Review the University’s compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), including FASB ASC 958 (Not-for-Profit Entities) requirements for net asset classification, contribution and revenue recognition, and functional expense reporting, and coordinate with the Controller’s Office on annual financial statement audit readiness.
- Monitor compliance with the U.S. Office of Management and Budget’s Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200) governing Single Audits of federal financial assistance.
- Provide project-management support for control remediation efforts, including timelines and resource needs.
- Conduct post-implementation reviews to confirm a change actually achieved the intended efficiency or risk-reduction result
- Oversee the University’s confidential reporting (whistleblower/ethics hotline) mechanism and investigate reported concerns in coordination with the Audit Committee, as appropriate.
- Track and report quantifiable outcomes of process-improvement work (hours saved, error rates reduced, cycle-time improvements) to the Audit Committee — reframing the function's success metric from "issues found" to "issues resolved and value added"
- Position is the Ex-Officio chair of the Conflict of Interest Committee and coordinates all meetings, investigations and outcomes with appropriate departments.
- Oversee compliance with Policies and Procedures in conjunction with the Division of Finance and handle policy exceptions directly with departments.
- Other duties as assigned.
- Minimum Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field. Working knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), including FASB Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 958 for not-for-profit and higher
- Minimum five years of experience in auditing, public accounting, or internal audit management, preferably within a college, university, or other not-for-profit organization.
- Ability to demonstrate skill and experience in preparing and presenting oral and written reports to management, including the Board of Trustees.
- Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) or Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA).
Additional Desirable Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration or related field.
- College/University auditing experience.
- Experience with data analytics or audit management software (e.g., ACL, IDEA, or similar tools) to support risk-based and continuous auditing.
- Familiarity with the NACUBO enterprise risk management (ERM) framework and higher education risk assessment practices.
- Knowledge of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget’s Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200) and Single Audit requirements for federal financial assistance.