CTE AEC Assurance Manager

Proposition

The role of CTE ITAC Assurance Manager contributes to ensuring that Shell maintains a fit for purpose and design effective control framework, with specific focus on the system and technical elements of financial controls including configurations, system reports, interfaces, and workflows.

The successful candidate will be responsible for driving the centralised delivery of 2nd Line SOX assurance over Application Embedded Controls, ensuring high-quality testing in accordance with relevant standards and methodologies, and aligning with the agreed SOX attestation timeframes.

Where do you fit in?

Central Testing Excellence Team (CTE Team) is the centralized 2nd Line function providing independent and objective assurance over Shell SOX financial control framework. Covering over 90% of all Shell SOX controls globally, the assurance provided by CTE Team significantly contributes to Shell’s SOX compliance. The Team evaluates effectiveness of manual, IT Application financial controls (ITACs) and IT General Controls (ITGC).

IT Application Controls (ITACs), also known as Application Embedded Controls, are an important part of the SOX controls landscape, with approx. 800 ITDMs and 200 system controls at Shell, across variety of applications. Due to technical nature and evolving IT landscape, ITACs are complex to construct & manage, and require involvement of multiple stakeholders.

What’s the role?

CTE ITAC Assurance Manager is expected to lead and manage a team of technical assurance professionals within the ITAC Testing Team.

This role will drive the centralised delivery of independent 2nd Line assurance over Application Embedded Controls and ensure that testing is performed with high quality and in line with relevant methodology and guidelines. The successful candidate will be a Subject Matter Expert for independent evaluation of technical elements utilised in financial controls.

This global position will give the successful candidate visibility of senior stakeholders across both Finance and IT organizations.  As a member of the CTE Leadership Team, this position also offers the opportunity to serve as a community leader, overseeing activities such as communications, learning and development, people matters, and operational excellence.

Key accountabilities include:

• End-to-end coordination and management of the annual 2nd Line ITAC testing across various systems (SAP & non-SAP), in line with SOX reporting cycle. Quality assurance to ensure all ITAC testing is delivered with consistently high quality and in line with the established methodology. Robust monitoring & reporting of delivery status; impact assessment of control deficiencies, timely reporting of testing outcomes and value adding insights to senior stakeholders.  

• Acting as an owner of the global ITAC testing methodology and ensuring it is fit for purpose and sufficiently robust to provide reasonable assurance. Develop 2nd Line assurance approach for emerging technologies and concepts, addressing advancements in digital transformation of Shell (S4/CFIN, Machine Learning/AI, etc.). Keep up to date with regulatory changes and industry best practices related to ITAC controls assurance and its digital transformation and applying these best practices in CTE assurance.

• Leading a team of risk and assurance specialists with expertise in both finance and IT, focusing on enhancing team skills and fostering continuous capability growth. Developing others is a key aspect of this role, as CTE ITAC Assurance Manager will oversee the learning and development program for the team, covering both technical (IT) & financial risk aspects.

• Transformational leadership. Encouraging innovation and driving the continuous improvement and automation initiatives within ITAC Testing Team. Partnering with key stakeholders to transform 2nd Line assurance through continuous control monitoring, data analytics, and other innovative approaches. Demonstrating strategic mindset to form future of assurance.

• Collaborating with Controls Design Team, IT, external audit and other relevant stakeholders to assess ITAC control deficiencies. Serving as single point of contact for external audits on the ITAC framework.  Collaborating with other CTE Managers to jointly oversee the resource pool, ensuring optimal allocation of assurance deliverables.

• Utilize network of Shell contacts to identify the appropriate focal points to support 2nd Line controls assessment. Support the team in find effective solutions to challenges encountered during controls testing.

What we need from you?

This global role would suit an experienced individual who has previous experience of 12-15 years, including minimum 10 years in IT and/or financial audit, risk management, SOX controls assurance, or SAP process architecture. Experience in IT application controls and reports assurance in major audit/accounting firm (Big4) is preferred.

Due to highly complex nature of Shell's IT landscape and ITAC controls framework, the successful candidate is required to possess combined expertise in both IT application assurance and finance controls & risks.

The successful candidate should have a degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or Finance/Accounting. Professional certifications in internal audit (e.g. CIA), IT audit (e.g. CISA, CISSP), SAP, and/or finance (ACCA, CPA, or equivalent) are highly desirable. The candidate must be able to demonstrate very strong understanding of risk management, SOX compliance requirements, governance models and assurance frameworks.

Strong technical expertise in SAP is required, including good understanding of configurations within SAP Project Reference Object and basic SAP ABAP. Strong grasp of IT architectures and concepts, including cloud-based software distribution models, interfaces, and middleware. This technical knowledge should be paired with solid understanding of accounting principles, business processes (such as R&A, PGS, HM, manage close, Trading, group reporting, master data) & and the key financial risks associated with those processes. Solid understanding of trading process & system landscape at Shell would be a plus.

The successful candidate should have a strong track record of team leadership and relationship management. Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills are required, the candidate should be able to convey complex technical issues in non-technical and business terms.

The candidate should have ability to cut through complexity in unstructured environment, work independently and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.