Effective management of the internal audit unit is essential for ensuring conformity with the applicable standards and providing value to the organization. In strengthening the internal audit activity, it is important to properly position the internal audit department to align its work in support of the organization’s objectives, cooperate with the management of the organization, maximize the use of available audit resources, and assure their professional development. Heads of internal audit units play a critical role in responding to these demands and need to develop a broad toolkit of technical and soft skills. In this context, the learning event provided a venue for a dialogue among heads of internal audit unit about the requirements and approaches for improving the management of internal audit functions in the public sector.

The workshop welcomed senior internal auditors from SEE countries. It provided an overview of relevant theory and implications for practice, case studies and practical examples from the faculty. The overall objective of the learning event was to strengthen the capacity for effective management of the internal audit function in public sector organizations in SEE countries.

What it was about

At the workshop we discussed the following topics:

• Requirements of the international audit standards pertaining to management of the internal audit function, importance of an audit charter and maturity models
• Proficiency and due professional care
• Importance of risk-based planning for aligning internal audit activity with the organization’s objectives and appropriate allocation of audit resources
• Quality assurance program
• Communication and solving conflict situations

What were the benefits

The workshop was highly participatory. The program was interactive, consisting of short theoretical sessions, combined with implications that pertain to management of the internal audit unit, examples from the region, case studies and group exercises.  

The following were the learning objectives:

• Understand the requirements of the international standards relevant for managing the internal audit unit and how to exercise due professional care as a head of internal audit unit
• Learn about best practices in risk-based planning and identify areas for improvement in strategic and annual planning
• Identify areas for improvement of quality assurance program
• Identify appropriate course of action in conflict situations and how to communicate sensitive findings

Faculty

Tina Toman Pfajfar, Deputy Director and the Head of the On Site Inspection Section, Insurance Supervision Agency, Slovenia

Tina Toman Pfajfar is Deputy Director and also the Head of the On Site Inspection Section at the Insurance Supervision Agency. In the past she was the Director of Internal Audit Service at the Slovenian KD Life Insurance Company. She also worked for the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Slovenia where she held a position of the Head of Internal Audit Service. Her main responsibilities included risk-based internal auditing, providing assurance to the Minister (or Board) about the risk management and internal control system, preparing a Manual for the Internal Audit Service, PIFC, and others.

She is the president of the Internal Audit Committee at the Slovenian Institute of Auditors and vice president of the Slovenian Chapter of the IIA – Institute of the Internal Auditors. She is Certified Internal Auditor at the Slovenian Institute of Auditors, State Internal Auditor at the Ministry of Finance, State Auditor at the Court of Audit of the Republic of Slovenia and she has a Certification in Risk Management Assurance (CRMA) at The Institute of Internal Auditors.

Paul Scholte, Director, the Dutch Central Government Audit Service

Paul Scholte is a director of the Netherlands Governmental Audit service. The audit service is assigned to the audit of the annual accounts of the Netherlands government and audits with the purpose of improving management. He is charged with the audits for the ministry of Security and Justice and for the ministry of Infrastructure and Environment. Further he is responsible for the Audit service in the North Netherlands.

Previously he was charged with business operations of the Netherlands Correctional Institutions and as the CFO of the Agency for Netherlands Employment Services charged with a mayor reorganization of Employment Services and management of employee insurance schemes.

Furthermore is he board member of The Royal Netherlands Institute of Chartered Accountants where he manages the portfolio Public Sector.

Borko Abramovic, Head of Internal Audit Unit, Secretariat of Judicial Council, Montenegro

Partners

This learning initiative was supported by: