VP, Internal Audit, Global Asset Management

Job Description

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The Opportunity

Sun Life is seeking an accomplished audit, risk, or compliance executive to lead Internal Audit coverage for its global Asset Management businesses.

Reporting to the Senior Vice-President and Chief Auditor, the Vice-President will lead a global team across North America and Asia and serve as a member of the Global Audit leadership team. The role provides independent assurance and strategic insights across a business that is a key priority for Sun Life and manages more than $900 billion in assets supporting Sun Life’s insurance businesses and external clients.

This is an opportunity to shape a globally integrated, forward-looking audit strategy for a growing and evolving business, influence senior executives and the Audit Committee, develop a high-performing global team, and help transform Internal Audit through technology, data and AI.

The Mandate

The Vice-President will:

• Set the global audit strategy and risk-based Audit Plan for Asset Management, ensuring coverage is focused on the most material strategic, financial, operational, regulatory, technology and emerging risks.
• Provide independent assurance, insight and constructive challenge on the effectiveness of governance, risk management and internal controls, helping senior management anticipate and address evolving risks.
• Advise senior executives and the Audit Committee, providing clear and forward-looking perspectives on significant risks, control themes and emerging issues.
• Lead and develop a high-performing global team across North America and Asia, attracting and developing strong talent and creating a culture of performance excellence and care.
• Build trusted relationships with senior business leaders and Risk and Compliance partners, enabling transparent dialogue and coordinated assurance while preserving Internal Audit’s independence and objectivity.
• Maintain strong regulatory and industry connectivity, bringing external perspectives, emerging trends and leading practices into Sun Life and representing Internal Audit effectively with regulators and external auditors.
• Lead innovation and transformation, advancing the use of data, analytics, technology and AI to improve audit quality, efficiency, insight and foresight.
• Contribute to the leadership of Global Audit, helping shape the function's strategy, talent, operating model and capabilities.

The Ideal Candidate

The successful candidate will be an established senior leader with strong Asset Management expertise and the executive presence to operate credibly with senior management, regulators and Board-level stakeholders.

They will bring:

• Significant leadership experience in Internal Audit, Risk, Compliance or a related control function, with substantial experience supporting Asset Management businesses.
• Deep understanding of Asset Management business models, risks, controls and the regulatory environment, particularly in North America.
• Experience developing and executing risk-based assurance strategies within a large, complex, regulated financial institution.
• A track record of leading geographically diverse teams, attracting and developing talent, and building strong succession and specialist capabilities.
• Strong business judgment and the ability to influence and constructively challenge senior executives while maintaining trusted relationships.
• Experience communicating significant risk and control matters to Boards, Board committees or comparable senior governance forums.
• Credibility and experience interacting with regulators, external auditors and other assurance providers.
• Demonstrated ability to lead change and innovation, including leveraging technology, data and analytics to strengthen assurance and insights.
• A university degree or equivalent professional experience. Relevant professional designations such as CIA, CPA/CA, CFA, CISA or CRMA would be an asset.

Leadership Profile

Success in this role requires a leader who:

• Thinks strategically and enterprise-wide, connecting business strategy and external developments to emerging risks and assurance priorities.
• Leads with confidence and sound judgment, bringing an independent point of view while remaining pragmatic and solutions-oriented.
• Influences at the highest levels, simplifying complex issues and communicating with clarity and impact.
• Builds exceptional teams, setting high standards while creating an inclusive environment centered on development, collaboration and accountability.
• Looks forward, not backward, using insight, external perspectives and innovation to anticipate where risks are evolving.
• Champions change, challenging established approaches and improving how Internal Audit delivers value.

Global Scope

This role works across North America and Asia and requires flexibility to engage colleagues and stakeholders across time zones, including some early-morning or evening meetings and periodic travel.