Audit Manager: Group Internal Audit

Who are we?


Sanlam was established as a life insurance company in South Africa but has since transformed into a diversified financial services group that operates across the African continent, India, Malaysia and selected developed markets, with listings on the Johannesburg, A2X and Namibian stock exchanges. In 2018 the Group celebrated its centenary as well as 20 years since demutualisation and listing in South Africa and Namibia. Sanlam is one of the largest internationally active insurance groups in the world with a presence in 31 countries and has the biggest non-banking financial services footprint on the African continent.



The Group's five business clusters (Sanlam Fintech, Sanlam Life and Savings, Sanlam Investment Group, Sanlam Allianz and Santam) house the Group's business operations. The Group Office provides strategic direction and support to the five clusters, assisting them in realising their strategies and meeting their business objectives. The Group Office is responsible for governance and for the Group's centralised functions, which include: Finance, Actuarial and Risk Management, Strategy, Human Resources, Market Development and Sustainability.




What will you do?


Responsible for the review and assessment of systems of control and procedures in the organisation in order to minimise risk and loss. This will include assessing internal controls and liaison with external auditors, risk management, loss control and systems evaluation. Accountable for the independent performance of complex audits. Work will include planning, performance and documentation of audits and the reporting and resolution of any weaknesses and shortcomings. May also be responsible for managing, structuring and focusing the work of the small audit teams. Will manage audit relationships with directors and line management in regard to audit performance, finalisation of reports and agreement on remedial action.




What will make you successful in this role?



Audit planning – Align the audit effort with the strategy, objectives and emerging risks of SADC and Ghana businesses:

Perform overall risk analysis of the businesses
Design an overall audit plan that is aligned with the risk profile and strategic objectives of the businesses
Negotiate and contract the annual audit plan and budget with senior management and the in-country audit committees
Regular communication with the EXCO members
Understand sources and trends in profits and profit drivers influencing it
Manage the capturing and continuous updating of the annual audit plan on the internal audit software




Execution of the annual audit plan and developing audit plans for new clients

Staff scheduling
Guidance on risk and control analysis
Approve audit programmes
Drive and support the development of audit frameworks to be captured on the internal audit software to allow for reuse and standardisation between audit teams
Manage general quality assurance on audit assignments
Ensure quality of audit data captured on the audit software in order to use the outcomes for business information
Support and drive the use of data analytics on audit assignments
Guidance during the performance of ad-hoc audit requests
Provide guidance as to the practical implementation of the methodology
Integration with external audit requirements




Communication and reporting

Rating of audit observations and obtain management comments on Priority 1 & 2 audit observations
Drafting, issuing and discussing management letters
Drafting of Audit and Risk Committee audit reports in country and attendance of these Committees
Summarising key messages from in-country audit outcomes for inclusion into the SanlamAllianz Audit and Risk Committee
Timely communication with senior management of changes to audit plans as well as significant audit observations.
Follow-up previous audit observations
Overall conclusion on control environments
Highlight significant concerns and trends




Client and Assurance relationships and networking

Regular discussions with senior management regarding focus areas, progress with strategies and emerging and existing risks.
Liaise with external auditors, risk management, forensics and compliance to ensure assurance provision is optimised for the client
Maintain Client Relationships:

Business Audit Committees with external directors and the Audit Committee Chairman
Business CEO and Exco






Staff management

Skills development and coaching
Staff management (performance evaluations, training & development, etc.)
Provide input methodology and other best practices by performing the necessary research and maintaining/ obtaining topical knowledge
Focussed team meetings
Creation of a learning culture
Effective successor planning
Motivate staff to continuously improve




Departmental initiatives

Targets achieved




Research and innovation

To be contracted on a yearly basis







Qualification and Experience



A completed Bcom degree in Financial Accounting / Management Accounting / Diploma in Internal Auditing or relevant qualification
Chartered Accountant (CA) is advantageous
Minimum of 10 years relevant auditing experience of which 5 should be in Financial Services and 5 should be in a supervisory (manager) position.





Knowledge and Skills



Risk and loss control
Complex Internal Audits
Reporting to various stakeholders
Coaching and mentoring of junior auditors
Audit performance and remedial action





Personal Attributes



Plans and aligns - Contributing through others
Manages complexity - Contributing through others
Business insight - Contributing through others
Balances stakeholders - Contributing through others





Build a successful career with us


We're all about building strong, lasting relationships with our employees. We know that you have hopes for your future – your career, your personal development and of achieving great things. We pride ourselves in helping our employees to realise their worth. Through its five business clusters – Sanlam Fintech, Sanlam Life and Savings, Sanlam Investment Group, Sanlam Allianz, Santam, as well as MiWay and the Group Office – the group provides many opportunities for growth and development.




Core Competencies



Cultivates innovation - Contributing through others
Customer focus - Contributing through others
Drives results - Contributing through others
Collaborates - Contributing through others
Being resilient - Contributing through others





Turnaround time



The shortlisting process will only start once the application due date has been reached. The time taken to complete this process will depend on how far you progress and the availability of managers.



The closing date for applications is 7 November 2024.




Our commitment to transformation


The Sanlam Group is committed to achieving transformation and embraces diversity. This commitment is what drives us to achieve a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace as we believe that these are key components to ensuring a thriving and sustainable business in South Africa. The Group's Employment Equity plan and targets will be considered as part of the selection process.


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