Principal Auditor

Company Overview

Since the establishment of the union of the United Arab Emirates in 1971, education has received the utmost attention of the founding leader, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may Allah have mercy on him, and his founding brothers. They believed that education was the cornerstone of building an enabled community that could keep pace with the advancements. Over the past decades, the wise leadership of the country was keen on building an educational system that matched its counterparts in the advanced nations. It harnessed for this purpose all the required capabilities, to achieve the country's agenda and national vision in this regard. Sincere efforts have also been made to develop education and adopt the best systems that achieve high-quality education outputs, to achieve the future visions and aspirations of the wise leadership.

Since investing in human capital is the main objective, the UAE has been keen on establishing the Ministry of Education and creating the appropriate environment to build pioneering Emirati schools, in terms of standards, form, and content they provide. It also made sure that such schools provided high-quality educational environment and owned the most technically advanced tools to be able to graduate generations that could pursue their university education confidently in higher education institutions to fulfil the requirements of labour market.

The MOE has also provided a smart learning system and high-quality digital platforms, side by side with the continuous development of school curriculums, according to national learning standards, assessment policy that is based on assessing for learning, and highest quality standards that match the best international practices. Various learning tracks, moreover, have been provided to support the capabilities and skills of students and achieve the country's strategy of encouraging the culture of creativity and innovation through providing the students with the skills of the 21st century and motivating them to have new ideas that relate to the reality they live in and foresee the future. This will eventually help in finding radical, sustainable solutions to the major issues, improving competitiveness, and supporting smart government in its attempts to keep pace with global advancements, advance education, and push it to broad horizons of excellence, leadership, and competitiveness.

Department Definition

The Internal Audit Department is an independent function reporting directly to the Minister of Education, certified in Quality Assessment by the UAE Internal Auditors Association. It is dedicated to promoting the principles of transparency, integrity, and institutional performance excellence in accordance with the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing, the Internal Audit Charter and Methodology of the Federal Government, and the Internal Audit Regulations issued by the UAE Accountability Authority.

The Internal Audit Department is responsible for reviewing and evaluating internal control systems, as well as examining financial, administrative, and operational activities to ensure compliance with the applicable laws, regulations, and policies adopted by the Federal Government. It also identifies potential risks and recommends corrective and preventive measures to mitigate those risks and enhance the efficient utilization of resources.

Furthermore, the Department supports informed decision-making through the issuance of periodic audit reports that present audit findings and improvement recommendations, thereby strengthening overall organizational performance and enhancing levels of compliance and quality across the Ministry.

Main Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Conduct annual risk assessments, fraud risk scenario analyses, and evaluations of the effectiveness of internal controls.
• Participate in the development of the Internal Audit Department’s strategic and annual audit plans.
• Execute financial and operational audit engagements related to the Section’s activities and processes and prepare the corresponding audit reports in accordance with the Federal Government Internal Audit Charter, Internal Audit Methodology, and the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing.
• Monitor the implementation of recommendations and directives resulting from internal audit engagements or issued by relevant oversight authorities, ensuring that identified deviations are appropriately documented, justified, and addressed in coordination with the departments concerned.
• Coordinate with the UAE Accountability Authority and other assurance providers to facilitate oversight and assurance activities within the Ministry, in collaboration with relevant organizational units, and assess their compliance with applicable requirements.
• Review and investigate fraud cases and prepare preliminary assessment reports in accordance with approved procedures and the regulations issued by the UAE Accountability Authority.
• Contribute to the review, enhancement, and continuous improvement of internal audit policies, procedures, and methodologies, and promote compliance with their implementation.

Qualifications and Experience

• Educational Qualification: Minimum bachelor’s degree in accounting, Business Administration, Finance, or any related discipline.
• Professional Experience: 4–5 years of practical experience in internal or external audit, or in accounting, finance, or risk management functions.
• Holds the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) certification or any other relevant certification in auditing, governance, risk management, or fraud prevention.
• Familiarity with International Internal Auditing Standards and audit and anti-fraud regulations issued by the UAE Accountability Authority, as well as governance standards.
• Knowledge of applicable federal government laws, regulations, and systems, including human resources, procurement, finance, assets and warehouses, strategic planning, etc.
• Knowledge of fraud indicators (red flags) and methods for their identification and detection.
• Ability to analyse fraud and corruption reports and assess their credibility and validity.
• Familiarity with administrative investigation procedures and evidence collection techniques.

Minimum Required Skills

• Demonstrates professionalism, integrity, and confidence.
• Committed to continuous learning and professional development.
• Communicate effectively.
• Applies the International Professional Practices Framework (IPPF) effectively.
• Effectively applies risk assessment and audit planning methodologies.
• Maintains strong awareness of the work environment and relevant organizational factors.
• Possesses good knowledge of data collection and analysis tools and techniques, as well as internal audit systems.