Who We Are
International Justice Mission (IJM) is the global leader in protecting vulnerable people from violence around the world. Our team of over 1,200 professionals are at work worldwide in over 30 offices. Together we are on a mission to rescue millions, protect half a billion, and make justice unstoppable.
We are a global community that cares for one another. We believe that the way we work is as important as the results we achieve. We provide professional excellence with joy and celebration to all those we serve.
The Need
For over 25 years, IJM has pioneered the work to protect vulnerable people from violence. 9 out of 9 times in the last decade, IJM’s Justice System Strengthening Projects have reduced slavery and violence between 50 and 85% for very large populations of people in poverty. As we grow to expand our impact to protect 500 million people from violence, we are seeking an experienced Sr. Lead, Global Assurance.
Global Assurance function is responsible for conducting periodic audits and assessments of IJM’s global offices to provide reasonable assurance regarding compliance with internal policies, external financial statutory and regulatory requirements, and the overall effectiveness and efficiency of financial operations.
Global Assurance adds value by providing stakeholders with constructive feedback and recommendations to foster process improvements, enhance internal control systems, and mitigate potential risks. The team’s assessments help ensure IJM’s financial management aligns with established standards, policies, and best practices.
The Senior Lead, Assurance – North America is a key position within the Global Assurance Team (GAT), responsible for leading assurance audit and advisory functions for IJM’s US financial and accounting operations. This role is critical in providing oversight, strategic input, and value-added recommendations that strengthen internal controls, enhance financial compliance, and promote operational excellence across the organization’s domestic operations.
The Senior Lead works closely with IJM’s US Finance and Accounting teams, including Shared Services, Payroll, Treasury, FP&A, and other relevant functional units to assess financial processes, identify risks, and recommend best practices and improvements. The role requires advanced knowledge of US GAAP, federal compliance requirements, and the complexities of nonprofit financial operations within the US regulatory environment.
This position is hybrid (onsite Tuesdays & Thursdays) if located in the Washington, DC area OR remote for non-local candidates. It reports to the. It reports to the Director, Global Assurance.
Responsibilities
Strategy & Knowledge Development & Implementation:
1. Lead and execute audits for US finance functions, including payroll (domestic and expatriate), AP/AR, revenue recognition, tax filings, grants compliance, and shared services.
2. Review financial statement consolidation processes, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and alignment with US GAAP.
3. Assess accounting treatment of cross-border transactions to and from the US office, ensuring proper recording, documentation, and regulatory compliance.
4. Evaluate revenue accounting processes, with emphasis on gift/donation processing, revenue recognition, and classification.
5. Conduct detailed reviews of grant accounting, including US government (USG) grant management, compliance, and reporting.
6. Assess accounts payable processes including supplier invoices and expense report approvals, workflows, and compliance.
7. Perform risk-based assessments to determine audit priorities aligned with organizational goals.
8. Review internal controls over digital systems such as Workday, including currency translation in the multi-entity environment.
9. Audit payroll processes for compliance with US laws, including expatriate payroll, benefits, and taxation.
10. Provide assurance over budgeting, financial reporting, journal entries, reconciliations, and expenditure tracking.
11. Review and audit multi-book accounting structures within the global ERP system to ensure integrity and accuracy of financial data across both standalone company books and consolidated financial statements.
12. Review and assess system-related controls, including security roles, user access, and authorization matrices.
13. Evaluate the structure and application of the Financial Data Model (FDM) to ensure consistency, compliance, and alignment with financial reporting and control objectives.
Internal Controls & Compliance
1. Assess adequacy and effectiveness of internal control frameworks within the US Finance operations.
2. Provide recommendations to strengthen segregation of duties, authorization workflows, and financial oversight.
3. Monitor implementation of audit recommendations and track remediation progress.
4. Identify control gaps or areas of non-compliance and recommend mitigation strategies.
5. Ensure alignment with IRS, FASB, and federal audit requirements (e.g., A-133 / Single Audit).
Networking & Partnership:
1. Serve as a primary assurance point of contact for US Finance teams.
2. Partner with Global Accounting, FP&A, Shared Services, and Payroll to coordinate reviews.
3. Support collaboration with Legal, Compliance, Global Grants, and Treasury for integrated assurance reviews.
4. Communicate effectively with senior leadership, providing updates on risks and emerging control concerns.
5. Support response to external audit findings and coordinate action plans.
Policies and Procedures:
1. Identify areas for improvement in policies and procedures, making recommendations to strengthen internal controls and operational efficiency.
2. Provide guidance on updating financial policies and reference manuals to align with the industry’s best practices.
3. Offer insights on finance policy enhancements, ensuring compliance and effective implementation.
Communication:
1. Ensure timely and transparent communication with all audit stakeholders, following best practices in engagement management.
2. Provide clear audit notifications, periodic updates, and key insights throughout the audit process.
3. Present audit objectives, findings, and recommendations effectively in meetings with senior leadership and field office teams.
4. Discuss and align preliminary audit findings with field office leadership to ensure clarity and mutual understanding.
5. Prepare comprehensive audit reports, incorporating management feedback and submitting them for Director, Global Assurance, review.
6. Track the implementation of audit recommendations, following up on corrective actions to ensure full resolution.
7. Monitor and support the execution of external audit recommendations, ensuring timely and effective compliance.
Training and Development:
1. Provide advisory support and consultation on financial compliance, audit readiness, and control design.
2. Develop and deliver targeted training sessions for US-based finance staff on risk mitigation and control expectations.
3. Identify knowledge gaps and support continuous improvement in accounting operations.
Global Assurance Contributions:
1. Contribute regional perspectives and best practices to the Global Assurance methodology.
2. Collaborate with other regional assurance leads to ensure consistency of audit approaches and tools.
3. Participate in global assurance planning, tool development, and strategic initiatives.
General tasks:
1. Keep abreast of evolving US financial reporting, tax, and grant compliance regulations.
2. Maintain internal audit certifications and complete continuing education requirements.
3. Participate in GAT meetings, cross-departmental initiatives, and ABC learning programs.
Qualifications:
Education & Experience:
1. Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field (master’s degree preferred).
2. Active CPA, CIA, or similar certification is required.
3. Minimum 8-10 years of relevant experience in audit, accounting, or financial compliance.
4. Experience with nonprofit organizations and federal grants compliance is highly preferred.
5. In-depth understanding of US GAAP, FASB, and federal Uniform Guidance regulations.
Technical Competencies:
1. Deep knowledge of financial accounting processes and systems.
2. Expertise in risk-based auditing and internal control assessments.
3. Strong data analysis and reporting skills.
4. Familiarity with ERP systems (Workday preferred).
5. Knowledge of federal grant regulations, tax reporting, and nonprofit accounting.
6. Strong understanding of IRS compliance, including payroll taxation and reporting requirements.
7. Proficiency in financial audit planning and risk assessment techniques, including development of audit scopes and resource plans.
8. Experience evaluating compliance with Uniform Guidance, cost principles, and sub-recipient monitoring requirements.
9. Competency in auditing multi-book accounting and ensuring data accuracy and integrity across consolidated and standalone reporting structures.
10. Knowledge of system control auditing, including user access, security roles, and financial system configurations such as Financial Data Model (FDM).
Non-Technical Competencies:
1. Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
2. Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
3. Ability to influence and collaborate across teams.
4. High integrity, independence, and professional judgment.
5. Organizational awareness and ability to navigate complex systems.
6. Strong planning and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
Application Process:
Upload Resume, Cover Letter & Statement of Faith* in one PDF document.
*What is a statement of faith?
A statement of faith should describe your Christian faith and how you see it as relevant to your involvement with IJM. The statement can either be incorporated into the cover letter or submitted as a separate document and should include, at a minimum, a description of your spiritual disciplines (prayer, study, etc.) and your current fellowship or place of worship.
IJM holds strict safeguarding principles and a zero tolerance to violations of the Safeguarding Policy, Protection against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment Policy, and Code of Ethics. Candidate selection is based on technical competence, recruitment, selection and hiring criteria subject to assessing the candidate’s value congruence and thorough background, police clearance, and reference check processes.
At IJM, we’re committed to building a diverse workforce through fair and equitable employment practices. IJM encourages people of any race, color, age, sex, marital status or political ideology to apply for employment. While we welcome everyone into this work, we truly believe that the work we are doing is God’s work, not our own, and practice spiritual disciplines together daily. That’s why we legally require under SEC. 2000e-1 [Section702] of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that all employees practice a mature orthodox Christian faith, as defined by the Apostles’ Creed.
IJM requires a background check, police clearance and thorough review of references with an employment offer and/or employment contract.
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