AVP/VP, Audit Quality Assurance & Improvement Program (QAIP)

About the role

The DBS Group Audit COO Office supports Group Audit through transformation, risk and regulatory oversight, methodology governance, quality assurance and reporting. This role significantly contributes to the Group Audit Quality Assurance and Improvement Program (QAIP) by independently assessing the quality and effectiveness of internal audit activities, ensuring audit work meets internal and external standards, regulatory expectations and internal methodologies. It is based in DBS Asia Central.

Key responsibilities

• Independently lead internal quality assessments and full audit lifecycle reviews (planning, fieldwork, reporting and closure).
• Critically review audit workpapers and documentation, challenging testing depth, evidence sufficiency, clarity of issues, root cause analysis and professional skepticism.
• Prepare QAIP reports, thematic findings, quality ratings and improvement recommendations for the Group Audit COO, Group Chief Internal Auditor, senior management and potentially the Board.
• Track QAIP deficiencies and remediation actions and drive timely closure with audit teams.
• Coach audit teams on skills, documentation quality and methodology compliance while keeping QAIP independent.
• Coordinate external quality assessments, including evidence collation and responses.
• Identify recurring quality themes and recommend process, training or methodology improvements, staying independent of methodology ownership.
• Maintain independence and segregation from methodology design, GRC enablement and workflow configuration, and escalate unresolved quality disputes through governance channels.
• Mentor junior team members in audit quality assurance.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree or higher in a relevant discipline.
• Minimum of 7-10 years of progressive experience in internal audit, quality assurance, risk and control, governance, compliance or financial services assurance.
• Strong experience in QAIP, audit quality reviews, audit methodology, regulatory inspection management or professional practices.
• Expert knowledge of IIA standards, audit lifecycle management, work-paper quality, evidence standards, issue validation and regulatory expectations.
• Ability to challenge senior audit teams, work independently and manage multiple priorities.

Required skills

• Certifications such as CIA (strongly preferred), CPA, CA, CISA or CRMA are highly advantageous.
• Strong analytical, writing and stakeholder management skills; able to communicate complex quality findings clearly to senior stakeholders.