Global Head of SOX Testing and Internal Controls

Global Head of SOX Testing and Internal Controls

This is a hybrid role with the flexibility to work both virtually and from one of our US Aon offices.

Aon is in the business of better decisions

At Aon, we shape decisions for the better to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world.

As an organization, we are united through trust as one inclusive team and we are passionate about helping our colleagues and clients succeed.

What the day will look like

Responsible for leading the enterprise governance, execution and transformation of the global Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance and internal control framework for a complex, publicly traded global insurance brokerage firm. This executive leads a global function responsible for ensuring the effectiveness of Internal Controls over Financial Reporting (ICFR), including advanced IT control environments spanning ERP platforms, brokerage systems, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity frameworks, and automated financial processes. The position requires strong leadership, stakeholder management, regulatory awareness, and deep technical expertise in financial and IT control environments with an emphasis on controls around revenue recognition. The role serves as key advisor to executive leadership and the Audit Committee on financial control risk, regulatory expectations, and emerging technology risks impacting financial reporting integrity.

• Define and lead the global SOX compliance strategy, governance framework, and annual testing plan.
• Oversee risk assessment and program scoping activities, including identification of significant accounts, disclosures, and in-scope geographic locations.
• Establish leading governance structures, escalation protocols, and reporting mechanisms for senior leadership and the Audit Committee.
• Ensure alignment with evolving regulatory guidance, PCAOB inspection trends and best practices in ICFR.
• Oversee the execution of the annual SOX program including:
  • Control documentation and process optimization.
  • Design effectiveness and operating effectiveness testing.
  • Deficiency evaluation and aggregation methodology
  • Remediation oversight and sustainable control design.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance control efficiency and reduce the compliance burden by modernizing the SOX program through:
  • Controle rationalization and standardization
  • Use of data analytics and continuous monitoring
  • Automation of testing procedures
  • Centralized control testing models and global shared services
• Maintain a strong relationship with External Audit to ensure coordination with the audit scope and drive increased reliance from external auditors through high-quality testing and documentation standards.
• Prepare reporting for Executive Leadership, Audit Committee and External Auditors.
• Provide enterprise oversight of IT General Controls and automated controls across global technology environments including:
  • Identity and access governance
  • Change management across core financial systems.
  • IT operations, reliance, and interface monitoring
  • Data governance and financial integrity controls
• Assess automated controls within ERP, brokerage platforms, data warehouses, and finance systems.
• Partner with CIO, CISO and enterprise architecture teams to align IT risk management and SOX requirements and ensure that controls are embedded system upgrades and implementations.
• Oversee controls related to emerging technologies such as AI and cloud platforms.
• Effectively manage stakeholder engagement through
  • Coordinating with regional finance and business leaders, internal audit, compliance, and the external auditor
  • Manage co-sourcing partners and third-party testing providers.
  • Lead training and awareness programs to strengthen global control culture.
• Build and lead a high-performing SOX testing organization with clear performance objectives, career development plans, and succession plans.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Skills and experience that will lead to success

• Twelve plus years of progressive experience in SOX compliance, internal audit, controllership, external auditing, or risk advisory
• Experience in IT controls testing within a complex global environment.
• Experience in insurance brokerage, financial services, or professional services organizations is preferred.
• Strong background knowledge of internal controls over financial reporting, IT General Controls and automated control testing, global regulatory environments, and governance frameworks.
• Proven leadership experience in managing global teams.

Education: Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, information technology, or related fields.

For positions in San Francisco and Los Angeles, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction record in accordance with local Fair Chance ordinances.

Aon is not accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms for this position. If you are a search firm, you will not be compensated in any way for your submission of a candidate, even if Aon hires that candidate.

Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

The salary range for this position (intended for U.S. applicants) is $220,000 to $260,000 annually. The actual salary will vary based on applicant's education, experience, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data. The salary may also be adjusted based on applicant's geographic location.

This position is eligible to participate in one of Aon's annual incentive plans to receive an annual discretionary bonus in addition to base salary. The amount of any bonus varies and is subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable incentive plan.

Aon offers a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time and regular part-time colleagues, including, but not limited to: a 401(k) savings plan with employer contributions; an employee stock purchase plan; consideration for long-term incentive awards at Aon's discretion; medical, dental and vision insurance. This role does not accrue vacation. Rather, this role is eligible to take paid time off at the discretion of the employee and management in accordance with company policy and practices. Various other types of leaves of absence; paid sick leave as provided under state and local paid sick leave laws, short-term disability and optional long-term disability, health savings account, health care and dependent care reimbursement accounts, employee and dependent life insurance and supplemental life and AD&D insurance; optional personal insurance policies, adoption assistance, tuition assistance, commuter benefits, and an employee assistance program that includes free counseling sessions. Eligibility for benefits is governed by the applicable plan documents and policies.