The Sr Director, Technology Audit will participate in leading and/or overseeing the execution of major segments of the Visa audit plan as approved by the Visa Europe and Visa Global Board of Directors. This critical role will lead/oversee the design and execution of selected audit engagements as well as participating key administrative aspects of audit department management including auditable entity maintenance and staff performance management. The Sr Director will coach and develop team members, as appropriate, serving as a key contact with client management throughout the audit process and with senior clients on an ongoing basis. It is important that this Sr Director stay abreast of European regulatory expectations, VEL Board concerns, company business strategies, industry advances, and the risk profile of assigned business areas to ensure relevancy of audit approach. The Sr Director will attend and present to VEL Risk Committee and VEL Board Audit Committee on technology and cybersecurity audits performed in the period, as well as interacting with VEL regulators. As such, gravitas and ability to communicate effectively with these senior stakeholders is key.

Essential Functions

• Responsible for assisting the VP –Technology Internal Audit, the VEL/Visa Inc Chief Auditors and other Audit Leaders in the execution of major segments of the Technology audit plan, as approved by VEL and VI’s Boards of Directors.
• Manages a team of audit professionals, providing direction and ensuring accomplishment of department goals. Provides ongoing coaching to Audit professionals of various levels and experience, including consultants. Prepares and delivers end-of-job performance evaluations for in-charges, and approve evaluations for all assigned auditors.
• Assists the VP - Technology Audit and Audit Leadership Team with hiring and personnel decision for assigned team.
• Assists VP - Internal Audit and VEL/VI CAE in ongoing risk assessment, development of the audit plan, and reporting to executives, regulators, and Audit Committees.
• Ensures each audit has sufficient and skilled resources, an appropriate scope, including European coverage and regulatory/Board considerations, and is effectively supervised. Makes decisions on issue significance and risk ratings.
• Is considered an authoritative expert in technology audits, and in the professional practice of internal auditing, stays current on industry, accounting, and regulatory issues and best practices for assigned areas, imparting this knowledge to team and clients.
• Represents Internal Audit at stakeholder meetings as required and offers control advisory services to management in a manner that does not compromise the independence and objectivity of Internal Audit.
• Makes presentations to executives on audit plans and audit issues to encourage proactive improvement in the control environment, as required.
• Provides thought leadership and creativity in the approach and delivery of audit services and evaluation of the overall control environment.
• For each audit engagement, provides overall support and leadership to ensure quality of Audit services provided.
• Specifically:
  • Provide direction to in-charge auditors to ensure that audits are planned and executed in accordance with department and professional standards. This includes assisting in the design of and approval of the audit scope, work program, and testing plan for each audit assignment.
  • Ensure audit work-papers are properly reviewed by the assigned in-charge, and provide second level review of work-papers as needed.
  • Review draft audit findings, and ensure issues are appropriately vetted and constructed given the circumstances and facts.
  • Provide reports to client managers on the effectiveness of their business unit’s internal control structure, along with recommendations that improve the effectiveness and/or efficiency of a control or process.
  • Evaluate the adequacy and timeliness of management’s response and the corrective action (to be) taken on all significant weaknesses noted in the reports and advise management on optimal actions.
• Maintains constructive business relationships with appropriate levels of management to ensure that Audit is aware of changes in regulations, business activities and objectives.
• Promotes thought leadership for new ideas and new ways of executing projects and processes to drive continuous improvements in the delivery of internal audit services.
• Participates in activities related to systems development, new products, mergers and acquisitions, and analyze new policies to ensure that control considerations are evaluated in the early stages of the project.
• Provides control consulting services to management to assist in redesign efforts that improve the control environment.
• Provides insight on the state of the control environment and best practices to executive management of assigned areas.
• Coordinates with other risk management functions and external Auditors to minimize duplication of effort and to ensure that issues raised as a result of their reviews are appropriately addressed.
• Leverages advanced financial, operational and technical knowledge and professional judgment in the practice of internal auditing, consistent with professional standards (IIA, relevant accounting standards, COBIT, COSO, etc.)
• Direct management responsibility for a team of audit professionals. Also ensures proper supervision over multiple engagement teams, often concurrently executing audit projects, sometimes staffed with a mix of employee and co-sourced professionals with varied backgrounds and expertise.

This is a hybrid position. Expectation of days in office will be confirmed by your hiring manager.

Basic Qualifications

• 12 years of work experience with a Bachelor’s Degree, 10 years of work experience with an Advanced degree (e.g. Masters/MBA/JD/MD), or a minimum of 5 years of work experience with a PhD

Preferred Qualifications

• 15-18 years of experience with a Bachelor’s Degree or 12 years of experience with an Advanced Degree (e.g. Masters, MBA, JD, MD or PhD)
• Bachelor's degree in computer science, management information systems, or in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math)
• 10 - 12+ years of internal audit experience, preferably in a global, public company, or professional services assurance experience
• 10-12+ years of deep technical experience in one or more of the following domains: data center design and management, information security, distributed operating systems, databases (SQL or NoSQL), network technology, mobile payments, tokenized services, cloud-based and virtualized environments, SAN and NAS storage systems, IBM mainframe, or Hadoop.
• CPA/Chartered Accountant, CIA, CISA or other relevant professional certification highly desired
• One or more Technical certifications or other information security certifications (e.g., CISSP, CEH, CISM, etc.) highly desired.
• Demonstrated experience managing and overseeing multiple technology audits and teams within a complex operational and regulatory environment that includes mainframe, distributed and network platforms
• Excellent supervisory and time management skills with extensive experience in managing a staff of diverse professionals
• Extensive experience evaluating risks and system controls associated with complex business applications and processes
• Extensive experience in utilizing and auditing generative AI technologies to enhance audit processes and ensure compliance with regulatory standards.
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills, ability to articulate risk to all levels of Board, regulatory and executive management and achieve buy-in on need for risk mitigation with management stakeholders.

Visa is an EEO Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status. Visa will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with EEOC guidelines and applicable local law.