Strategy Analyst

Position Overview

The Illinois Tollway is dedicated to providing and promoting a safe and efficient system of highways while ensuring the highest possible level of service to our customers. The Tollway is a user-fee system – no state or federal tax dollars are used to support maintenance and operations. Operations are funded by toll and concession revenues.

Essential Job Functions

• Support the execution and ongoing tracking of strategic initiatives outlined in the Tollway’s strategic plan, partnering with initiative leaders, department ambassadors, and cross-functional teams to monitor progress, identify risks, and recommend adjustments as needed.
• Develop and maintain reporting mechanisms to communicate the status of strategic initiatives and related projects to executive management and relevant stakeholders.
• Collaborate with Internal Audit to support annual planning and execution of internal control testing efforts; lead and coordinate internal control testing activities ensuring that all relevant risks are identified and mitigated with robust, well-designed controls that operate effectively.
• Partner with process and control owners to evaluate, enhance, and remediate internal control gaps and findings, providing expert guidance on best practices and process improvements.
• Manage the documentation and tracking of internal control gaps, deficiencies, and remediation actions.
• Support the training and education of agency personnel on risks, internal controls, design of controls, testing results, and remediation plans.
• Provide regular reporting and feedback regarding internal control testing results and program effectiveness.
• Support the completion of enterprise risk assessments, working with leadership and other agency stakeholders to identify, evaluate, and prioritize risks across the organization.
• Cook up with risk owners to develop, implement, and monitor risk response and mitigation strategies.
• Aid in the development and tracking of key risk indicators (KRIs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure and report on risk exposure and program effectiveness, ensuring informed decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Prepare ERM program update materials and reports for stakeholders, summarizing risk management outcomes and recommendations.
• Actively support organizational change initiatives by collaborating with project teams to identify impacts, facilitate effective communication, and assist with the adoption of new processes or systems.
• Assist with training and education of agency personnel on change management principles, ensuring understanding and engagement across the organizations.
• Serve as a liaison between the Strategy and Implementation Office and department stakeholders, facilitating dialogue to address challenges, sharing best practices, and identifying opportunities for operational and process improvements.

Qualifications

• Education (Required): Bachelor’s degree in Business, Management, Accounting, Finance, Information Technology, Data Science, Engineering, or a related field from a four-year accredited university; or equivalent professional experience in a relevant discipline.
• Education (Preferred): Master’s degree or higher in Business Management, Accounting, Finance, Information Technology, Data Science, Engineering, or related field from a four-year accredited university.
• Skills and Experience: Minimum of 5 years of experience in audit, internal controls, risk management, consulting, or a closely related professional field.
• Proven project management skills with experience leading and organizing cross-functional initiatives in a fast-paced deadline-driven environment.
• Strong analytical and creative problem-solving abilities to support complex projects and drive business improvements.
• Strategic thinker with demonstrated expertise in interpreting and utilizing data for decision-making and risk mitigation.
• Professional certifications such as CPA, CRMA, CIA, CISA, PMP, or CCMP are highly desirable.
• Comprehensive understanding of risk management frameworks, methodologies, and principles (e.g., SOX, COBIT, NIST, CSA, PCI) with the ability to recommend and implement best-in-class controls, is preferred.
• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and data analytics platforms.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with a focus on collaboration, initiative, integrity, and the ability to prioritize and deliver results as part of a team.
• Experience supporting strategy, transformation and change management initiatives, including communication, training, and process adoption, is preferred.
• Ability to act as a liaison between departments, facilitating dialogue, resolving conflicts, and supporting operational improvements.