Director, Internal Audit, Professional Practices

You are as unique as your background, experience and point of view. Here, you’ll be encouraged, empowered and challenged to be your best self. You'll work with dynamic colleagues - experts in their fields - who are eager to share their knowledge with you. Your leaders will inspire and help you reach your potential and soar to new heights. Every day, you'll have new and exciting opportunities to make life brighter for our Clients - who are at the heart of everything we do.

At Sun Life, we're driven by our Purpose: helping our Clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. Our values shape how we work: caring, authentic, bold, inspiring, and impactful.

When you join Sun Life, you'll work with passionate colleagues and empowering leaders who support your growth and celebrate your contributions, so you can make a meaningful difference in our Clients' lives.

Discover how you can make a difference in the lives of individuals, families and communities around the world.

Job Description

This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to Sun Life's ambition of becoming one of the best insurance and asset management companies in the world by helping shape a best-in-class global Internal Audit function. The Internal Audit Professional Practice group leads the development of methodology, enables effective use of audit tools and technology, and delivers programs across quality assurance, reporting, training, and operational effectiveness for the Audit Department worldwide.

Reporting to the AVP, Internal Audit - Professional Practice & Enterprise Initiatives, the Director will lead a team responsible for advancing global audit tools and technology, strengthening reporting and data capabilities, and enhancing Internal Audit operations across the enterprise.

The role will work closely with other Directors in Professional Practice to deliver the group’s mandate, influence global priorities, and drive consistent execution across Internal Audit. The role provides a unique opportunity to interact with senior Internal Audit leaders and further enhance skills essential to audit leadership, transformation, and stakeholder management. Please note that this is a hybrid role requiring at least 2 days in the office per week at our Toronto One York location.

What will you do?

Technology Implementation

• Lead implementation, enhancement, and ongoing support of audit workflow and GRC technology, ensuring solutions meet the needs of global audit teams
• Promote a digital and continuous improvement mindset by assessing current processes and recommending automation, analytics, and AI-enabled audit practices
• Play an active role in advancing responsible Gen AI capabilities and adoption within Internal Audit
• Oversee project plans, monitor progress, and manage risks and dependencies to support on-time, on-budget implementation
• Manage communications, stakeholder engagement, and relationships across Internal Audit and partner teams to enable smooth delivery and adoption
• Build strong partnerships with Second Line and other stakeholders to align solutions, data, and reporting needs where appropriate
• Oversee training, change management, and user adoption activities to build capability across global audit teams

Global Reporting

• Manage preparation of the quarterly Audit Committee report and periodic management reporting, ensuring accuracy, quality, timeliness, and clear executive-level messaging
• Design and deliver reporting, dashboards, and insights for senior management, regulatory, external, and internal stakeholder needs
• Lead and execute a data quality program to improve reliability, consistency, and confidence in Internal Audit reporting

Internal Audit Operations

• Lead change management within Internal Audit, helping teams adopt new ways of working and achieve higher levels of performance
• Participate in Professional Practice programs, audit transformation, and strategic initiatives, including collaboration with teams across North America and Asia
• Maintain current knowledge of internal audit standards, methodology, technology trends, and best practices in financial services

What do you need to succeed?

• 8-10 years of progressive audit, risk, or related financial services experience is required; insurance industry experience would be considered an asset.
• Experience with audit technology, data analytics, dashboards, automation is required.
• Strong technical knowledge of Internal Audit concepts, methodology, standards, and quality expectations, including experience conducting internal audits.
• Ability to understand complex business processes, assess risks, and identify key controls and reporting implications.
• Flexible, creative thinker with a continuous improvement mindset and comfort working with ambiguity.
• Strong people leadership skills, with the ability to coach, develop, and motivate a team.
• Strong change management skills and ability to lead through transformation, competing priorities, and ongoing change.
• Proven staff management and development skills.
• Very strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear, concise materials for senior leaders and governance forums.
• Ability to build trusted relationships, work effectively across global teams, and influence outcomes with senior stakeholders.
• Experience with AI-enabled solutions would be considered an asset.

What's in it for you?

• Time off giving you the flexibility to focus on the moments that matter including 20 vacation days per year
• Flexible Benefits from the day you join to meet the needs of you and your family
• Pension Plan participation starts immediately, and you are automatically enrolled. We help you save more with Sun Life automatic and matching contributions and by including both your salary and bonus when making contributions.
• The opportunity to move along a variety of career paths with amazing networking potential
• Flexible hybrid work model
• Work and professional development that is united by our Purpose: to help Clients and Employees achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives
• A friendly, collaborative, and inclusive culture
• We’re honoured to be recognized as a 2026 Best Workplace in Canada by Great Place to Work® Canada

The Base Pay range is for the primary location for which the job is posted. It may vary depending on the work location of the successful candidate or other factors. In addition to Base Pay, eligible Sun Life employees participate in various incentive plans, payment under which is discretionary and subject to individual and company performance. Certain sales focused roles have sales incentive plans based on individual or group sales results.

Diversity and inclusion have always been at the core of our values at Sun Life. A diverse workforce with wide perspectives and creative ideas benefits our Clients, the communities where we operate and all of us as colleagues. We welcome applications from qualified individuals from all backgrounds.

Persons with disabilities who need accommodation in the application process, or those needing job postings in an alternative format, may e-mail a request to thebrightside@sunlife.com.

We are proud to be a hybrid organization that offers our employees the choice and flexibility to work from both the office and virtually based on the needs of the business, our Clients and you.

We may use artificial intelligence to support candidate sourcing, screening, interview scheduling.

We thank all applicants for showing an interest in this position. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Salary Range

110,000/110 000 - 180,000/180 000

Job Category

Internal Audit

Posting End Date

31/07/2026

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