The Internal Controls & Projects Manager shall be responsible for ensuring the right level of internal control and driving process improvement projects within LFCS and LBeauty and managing the conduct of retail audits for perfumes and cosmetics brands across Southeast Asia.
1. Ensuring the right level of internal control within LFCS and LBeauty
a. Coordinate Internal Control self-assessment and action plans implementation
- Execute and coordinate yearly LVMH Enterprise Risk and Internal Control Assessment campaign. Perform test of design and review supporting documents submitted by process owners. Perform substantive tests to validate the accuracy of Test of Design assessment and to ensure alignment with the Group’s internal control expectations.
- Work with the process owners to design action plans to effectively address the gaps identified. Actively support local teams during implementation phases.
b. Implement internal controls on risk areas
- Conduct audit testing of potential risk areas and identify reportable issues.
- Actively participate in the drafting, development, and implementation of standard operating procedures to ensure compliance with LVMH policies and local laws to strengthen internal controls, and to promote standardization of processes.
- Review and approve the creation of new accounts, the assignment of roles and creation of new profiles in SAP. On an annual basis, review the roles assigned to all active users using the segregation of duties principle.
- Revise the Purchase Order validation workflows in SAP according to changes in the organization and ensure alignment with organizational needs.
- Conduct fraud investigations when a suspected or confirmed fraud case has been reported. Inform and alert the organization on fraud cases and fraud attempts.
c. Coordinate internal audits and follow-up on audit action plans
- Assist process owners during internal audit phases for audits conducted by Central Internal Auditors.
- Follow-up on the action plans and ensure implementation of committed actions. Provide a clear picture of the progress and status for clear reporting to Management.
- Participate in the audits conducted by the Central or Regional Internal Control Teams (joint audits, by invitation).
2. Drive process improvement projects
a. Manage the implementation of internal control projects and other initiatives
- Manage process improvement initiatives, promoting standardization and consistency of processes across the different brands within the region
- Conduct information dissemination advocating internal control good practices.
b. Change management
- Plan, manage and deploy significant process transitions (e.g., adopting a new company-wide tool) or significant process changes (e.g., implementation of new processes) within the organization.
3. Manage the conduct of retail audit of perfumes and cosmetics brands across Southeast Asia
a. Plan and supervise the execution of retail audits
- Plan an audit schedule through risk assessment of retail points of sale (POS) across Southeast Asia.
- Manage 1 Internal Control Assistant Manager in the execution of retail audits, ensuring compliance with SOP, retail guidelines, and alignment with LVMH control requirements.
- Ensure the main control gaps are identified, formulate recommendations and work with management to devise action plans to effectively address the gaps identified.
- Ensure effective communication of the results of the audits to local and regional Management through presentation and a comprehensive retail audit report.
- Plan and implement an effective and consistent method to follow-up on the action plans committed by the audit stakeholders to ensure the control issues are addressed.
b. Provide support to stakeholders
- Conduct testing of potential risk areas and identify issues. Monitor and provide advice to Management to minimize risks.
- Conduct training, if necessary, to support new store openings or to strengthen internal control awareness of store staff/back-office support functions.
Key Competencies & Skillset
- Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in financial or business roles with focus on internal control, process reviews/improvement (e.g., external/internal audit or internal control positions). Experience with Enterprise Risk Management would be an added advantage.
- Minimum 2 years managerial experience.
- Willing to travel up to 25% of working time in the South-East Asia Region.
- Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to deal with all levels in the organization.
- Prior experience in retail industry is a plus.
- System oriented. Knowledge in ERP systems (SAP) and POS systems would be a plus.
- Good knowledge of current accounting and financial practices will be a plus.
