Chief Audit Executive

About the Role

The Chief Audit Executive ("CAE") serves as the senior executive responsible for the Bank's independent Internal Audit function. This role provides the Audit Committee and executive management with objective assurance regarding the effectiveness of internal control, including governance, risk management, regulatory compliance, and key strategic initiatives. The CAE reports functionally to the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors and administratively to the Chief Executive Officer.

The CAE leads a scalable, risk-focused audit function that evolves with the Bank's acquisition-driven growth strategy, supporting an enterprise-wide, risk-based model capable of assessing common processes, strategic initiatives, technology transformation, emerging risks, and market-level risk considerations. The CAE serves as a trusted advisor to the Audit Committee, executive management, regulators, and external auditors while preserving the independence and objectivity of the Internal Audit function.

Responsibilities

• Provide independent assurance to the Audit Committee regarding the effectiveness of governance, risk management, regulatory compliance, and internal control processes.
• Maintain an Internal Audit function that is independent of business line management and free from interference in determining audit scope, performing audit procedures, communicating results, and evaluating risk.
• Ensure Internal Audit possesses sufficient organizational stature, staffing, specialized expertise, technology capabilities, and budgetary resources to effectively fulfill its responsibilities.
• Establish and maintain clear advisory guardrails and triggers for early Internal Audit involvement in strategic initiatives, key operational projects, technology transformation, and acquisition-related activities while preserving independence.
• Clarify the roles and responsibilities of Internal Audit in relation to Enterprise Risk Management, SOX/FDICIA readiness, Compliance, and the broader Three Lines model.
• Provide regular executive-session reporting to the Audit Committee regarding significant risks, control issues, audit results, emerging risk trends, thematic observations, and the overall condition of the internal control environment.
• Direct a comprehensive enterprise-wide risk assessment process and develop a dynamic, risk-based audit plan addressing the organization's most significant risks, control activities, strategic initiatives, regulatory expectations, and emerging risk themes.
• Modernize and maintain the audit universe to support enterprise-wide, horizontal, and integrated reviews across common processes, systems, products, markets, and acquired entities.
• Align Internal Audit's risk assessment framework to common industry risk categories and the Bank's evolving risk taxonomy, including credit, market, operational, compliance, technology, cybersecurity, BSA/AML, third-party, model, financial reporting, and strategic risks.
• Maintain documented audit methodologies, reporting standards, workpaper expectations, issue rating definitions, validation procedures, and professional practices aligned with regulatory guidance and Institute of Internal Auditors standards.
• Standardize issue rating, management action plan, validation, closure evidence, and remediation expectations to promote consistency, transparency, and stakeholder understanding.
• Lead the effective implementation and ongoing optimization of Internal Audit technology platforms, including audit management systems, automated reporting, workflow tools, and data analytics capabilities.
• Develop and execute a data analytics strategy that embeds analytics across audit planning, fieldwork, testing, issue monitoring, reporting, and continuous monitoring activities.
• Establish governance, standards, documentation expectations, and quality controls for the appropriate use of artificial intelligence within Internal Audit.
• Develop and maintain a capability-based talent plan aligning Internal Audit staffing, skills, training, succession planning, and sourcing strategies to the Bank's audit universe, strategic plan, growth objectives, and evolving risk profile.
• Oversee co-sourced or outsourced audit activities, including provider selection, scope definition, quality assurance, deliverables, knowledge transfer, regulatory expectations, and independence considerations.
• Build and maintain trusted, constructive relationships with the Audit Committee, executive management, regulators, external auditors, business line leaders, and control functions while preserving Internal Audit independence.
• Develop an engagement model for Internal Audit's non-decisioning advisory involvement in key projects, strategic initiatives, technology changes, acquisitions, and process redesign efforts.
• Deliver timely, accurate, risk-focused, and actionable reporting to management and the Audit Committee regarding audit results, issue status, remediation progress, thematic trends, emerging risks, and assurance gaps.
• Maintain a forward-looking Internal Audit improvement roadmap with accountable owners, milestones, target dates, performance measures, and periodic reporting to executive management and the Audit Committee.
• Develop integration plans for acquired resources, processes, systems, audit coverage, and control environments resulting from acquisition activity.
• Coordinate with Risk, Compliance, SOX/FDICIA, and other assurance functions to support integrated assurance, reduce duplication, and strengthen enterprise-wide visibility into risk and control coverage.

Skills

• Expertise in governance, risk management, and internal control frameworks.
• Specialized knowledge in information technology, cybersecurity, compliance, BSA/AML, model risk, data analytics, SOX/FDICIA, and emerging technologies.
• Proficiency in audit management systems, automated reporting, workflow tools, and data analytics capabilities.
• Ability to develop and execute data analytics strategies for audit planning, fieldwork, testing, issue monitoring, and reporting.
• Experience with artificial intelligence governance, standards, and quality controls within Internal Audit.
• Strong leadership in talent development, including skills assessment, training, succession planning, and sourcing strategies.
• Effective stakeholder engagement with Audit Committee, executive management, regulators, external auditors, and business line leaders.
• Ability to deliver risk-focused, actionable reporting and enhance Audit Committee and management reporting with enterprise themes and forward-looking risk insights.