Job Details

Assistant Audit Director, Office of Audit and Compliance - UT System

Position Number: 6368269
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Position Type: Assessment, Accreditation, and Compliance

Assistant Audit Director, Office of Audit and Compliance - UT System
Memphis, TN, United States

Job Identification: 3788
Job Category: Audit & Compliance
Posting Date: 07/08/2025
Job Schedule: Full Time
Locations: 66 North Pauline Street, Memphis, TN, 38163, US

Job Description
The Assistant Director performs varied and complex administrative duties, assists with directing the audit projects and human resources of the division of Audit & Compliance (A&C), conducts risk assessments and identifies projects for the annual audit plan, and serves as a resource to senior leadership at UT System Administration and/or the flagship campus or Health Science Center encompassing research, on maters of university policy and best business practices. This position oversees and administers the audit offices locally and may oversee one or more remote locations, including Knoxville, Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, Martin, and/or Pulaski.

This position specializes in at least one high risk topic specific to higher education, such as Research Security and Compliance, Athletics, Academic Affairs, Healthcare Education and Administration, State Funding, Campus Capital Projects and Maintenance, and/or Information Technology (IT) and IT Security. This position directs, manages, and performs varied and complex audit projects and serves as a resource to management on matters of university policy and best business practices, and maintains subject matter expertise in at least one higher education high risk area. This position manages and conducts audits and consulting projects and performs other activities such as developing educational materials, conducting training, serving on committees, and providing ad hoc consulting to university management at all levels. The assistant director is responsible for recruitment, supervision, and retention of respective team members and may supervise and direct other UT System auditors for specific projects or to accomplish the department's mission. The assistant director may also oversee system-wide projects and initiatives to accomplish the audit plan. This position concurrently directs, manages, and conducts multiple projects to completion, including drafting, editing, and finalizing written reports. The work conducted requires extensive interaction with coworkers and clients, excellent oral and written communication skills, sound judgment, and experience in handling personnel matters. This work requires a high degree of initiative and is performed under limited supervision. This position assists with administering the department and works directly with executive and senior management across the UT System. This position is a member of the A&C leadership team, reporting directly to the executive director of Internal Audit.

Responsibilities
Specific duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Assist with Audit Function Direction and Manage Personnel
Conducts annual risk assessment activities, participates in the development of the annual audit plan, and provides input on risks impacting the university's goals and strategic plan. Using independent professional judgment, prioritizes the projects to be conducted to accomplish the plan. Responsible for communicating audit results and recommendations or for overseeing communication to senior and executive management. In addition, assist with preparing reports and presentations for the Audit and Compliance Committee of the Board of Trustees.

Manage Audit Personnel
This position is responsible, in collaboration with department leadership, for recruiting, retaining, hiring, supervising, and handling of personnel issues for the audit staff supervised. This position provides leadership for those staff members. planning, assigning, and directing work. Provide employee development/conduct performance appraisals. Provide relevant training to staff. Conduct annual performance appraisals, citing accomplishments and identifying opportunities for improvement and professional development.

Monitor work progress to ensure timely completion of projects: Establish priorities of projects and tasks to meet the office's goals and annual plan and monitor the staff's progress, providing assistance or adjusting the scope of the project as necessary. Review and approve weekly effort (time) reports.

Conduct Audit Engagements or Consultations
Independently conducts the most highly complex and/or sensitive audits and consultations. These types of projects require specialized knowledge and skills not available from staff auditors. This type of work requires extensive professional experience and analytical skills. Works with audit director and/or executive director to coordinate third party consulting services if needed.

Direct and Manage Audit and Consulting Projects
This position must successfully employ project management skills to ensure resources are used in the most effective and efficient means and to ensure audit coverage is provided. Conducts or oversees risk analyses to define project objectives, scope, and methodologies. Develops or oversees development of project plans to achieve engagement objectives, including scoping areas to be reviewed, communication with auditees, data and information to be gathered, and methods of data/information gathering. Manages team members involved in conducting audit and special projects. Provide day-to-day guidance and direction to staff on appropriate steps to take to complete projects by reviewing and discussing the work plans for individual projects to ensure that appropriate steps are taken to meet the project objectives; as work progresses, reassess the plans as needed and suggest or provide alternative steps. Provide guidance on how to analyze or interpret information/ evidence to draw conclusions. Determine when follow-up is appropriate.

Manage the Quality Assurance and Improvement Program
This position reviews and approves the work of other auditors to provide ongoing monitoring of the performance of the internal audit activity. This position reviews documentation of work (workpapers) and written reports to ensure that appropriate and sufficient information/data/evidence have been gathered to achieve the project objectives, the evidence supports the conclusions reached and sound analysis and logical reasoning have been used, professional and office standards have been met, and any recommendations are not only appropriate to resolve any problems discovered, but are also practicable, cost efficient, and in keeping with the university's management philosophy and goals. In addition, reports must be reviewed to ensure the accuracy, completeness, and appropriateness of information conveyed to management. Assist with development of audit operating procedures. Ensure these procedures are implemented and followed in compliance with audit standards.

Develop and maintain subject matter expertise in at least one specialized audit audit related to higher education, such as Research Security and Compliance, Athletics, Academic Affairs, Healthcare Education and Administration, State Funding, Campus Capital Projects and Maintenance, and/or Information Technology (IT) and IT Security.

Advises Management
Provide information and recommendations to management as member of various university committees. Occasionally receive ad hoc requests to provide information and advice to various levels of university management on policies and procedures related to audits or investigations or as a subject matter expert.

Qualifications
A Bachelor's degree in accounting or other relevant business field, information systems, public administration, higher ed administration, or other field with acceptable relevant experience. Seven years progressively responsible experience in auditing, public accounting, information systems auditing, management consulting, or investigative work, including supervisory experience. Professional certification such as a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) or Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

Additional skills, experiences, and qualifications include:

A breadth of knowledge of the operation of a large university system, a four-year university campus including academic areas, athletics, auxiliary services, and student services, and/or an academic health care center.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills Knowledge of current internal audit philosophy and practices.
Skill in preparing or monitoring the preparation of comprehensive reports, interpreting and applying policies and regulations, and conducting interviews Ability to present training and information on fraud prevention, effective controls, and best practices to faculty, staff, and management.
Ability to organize work; to conceptualize and prioritize objectives; to evaluate evidence; to exercise independent judgment based on University of Tennessee policies and regulations; to plan, implement, evaluate and report activities; to allocate the workload of employees; to provide training and supervision.
Skill in establishing and maintaining working relationships and managing and resolving conflicts Ability to supervise multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining quality and timeliness.
Willingness to travel.
Knowledge and awareness of necessity to maintain confidentiality and objectivity Demonstrated soundness of judgment necessary to act on behalf of the Associate Director.
Ability to interact with and communicate information to senior management and the Audit and Compliance Committee Sense of urgency in approaching responsibilities.
Competent in Microsoft Office Word and Excel

Preferred Qualifications

A Master's degree with experience with a large public university system, healthcare, academic medical center, and/or in medical billing and administration. Active participation in professional organizations in a leadership role, speaking, writing articles, or active committee participation. Experience in building, training, and developing strong audit teams.

Additional skills, experiences, and qualifications include:

Ability to lead, develop, and motivate a diverse team and to build positive working relationships at all levels.
Ability to be nimble, flexible, and handle ambiguity well.
Ability to communicate and demonstrated interpersonal skills with the ability to influence through personal credibility, integrity, and professionalism.
Ability to effectively communicate both up and down to all levels of staff.
Knowledge of risk assessment techniques.
Ability to focus on clients and to be responsive to service standards and operational demands.

Application Process

For full consideration, applications should be accompanied by a letter of interest, a resume, and three professional references. Review of applications will begin immediately.

Benefits and Compensation

Compensation for the position is budgeted for $120,000 to $140,000.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits and much more. Additionally, Tennessee residents do not pay a state income tax. For more information on the University of Tennessee's benefits, visit https://hr.tennessee.edu/benefits/

About Us
The University of Tennessee System is the state's oldest higher education institution and preeminent public university. The UT System is comprised of campuses at Knoxville, Chattanooga, Pulaski and Martin; the Health Science Center at Memphis; and the statewide Institute of Agriculture and Institute for Public Service. With a presence in each of Tennessee's 95 counties and through the combined force of education, research and outreach, the University serves students, business and industry, schools, governments, organizations and residents statewide.

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