Internal Audit Manager

At Cleco, we're not just powering lives—we're powering a cleaner, smarter future for Louisiana.

With bold investments in innovative energy solutions, we’re transforming how we power our communities: smarter, cleaner, and more sustainable. This is a long-term commitment to our people and our communities because our future—and the future of generations to come—depends on it. If you're ready to make an impact where it matters most, join us at Cleco—

where we're Energizing Your Tomorrow.

The Manager – Internal Audit

is a strategic partner who delivers assurance, advice, and insights to management, EMT, and the Audit Committee regarding governance, risk management, and controls to mitigate risks to Cleco’s strategic, operational, reporting, and compliance objectives. Reporting to the Director – Internal Audit, this role leads department staff in planning and performing assurance and advisory engagements, developing, and executing the Internal Audit Plan, and evaluating the effectiveness of internal controls in conformance with Global Internal Audit Standards.

The manager acts as a trusted partner with business unit and executive management to:

• Deepen Cleco’s audit capabilities, focusing on assurance, and improvements to, Cleco’s governance, risk management, and controls, and incorporating leading practices.

• Position Internal Audit as a strategic business partner by maintaining effective relationships with stakeholders and leveraging work from external auditors.

• Provide leadership and champion change in a dynamic business environment.

• Oversee audit engagements and staff development within the Internal Audit Department

The incumbent is key in supporting Cleco’s vision to becoming one of the Louisiana’s leading energy companies, informing senior management as to the effectiveness of governance, risk management, and controls. The incumbent develops and drives the performance of employees with Internal Audit responsibilities.

Key Responsibilities

- Develop and implement strategic, operational, and financial enterprise-wide plans related to the Internal Audit function and ensure initiatives are aligned with broader Cleco business objectives

- Analyze risk trends to the business to build the Internal Audit annual plan which reflects the priorities of the organization and includes financial, compliance, operational audit and consulting engagements, SOX control testing, continuous monitoring, and ad hoc projects including – direct input, insights, and perspective on current business, industry, and regulatory risk factors

- Lead the execution of high-quality audits by engaging and collaborating with Cleco’s business leaders and teams across the enterprise, including developing a risk-based audit plan, and steering overall business expectations and perceptions

- Maintain a strong accounting, operational, and IT control environment to safeguard Cleco; and ensure clear and concise audit reporting of risks and controls tested during audits, as well as recommended improvements identified

- Partner with functional leaders to clarify risks to their business and potential blind spots; analyze and advise management on whether planned actions can mitigate identified risks

- Lead ongoing two-way communication of Internal Audit strategies, priorities and governance focused on achieving operational agility

- Act as an internal control resource for management (business process and IT) and determine whether internal controls are appropriate and effective by analyzing specific processes as requested; review and approve changes to the internal controls

- Develop and maintain strong working relationships with external auditors to ensure effectiveness of service delivery and appropriate resolution of findings/issues identified; interface with Cleco’s leadership and Audit Committee of the Board of Directors

- Identify and integrate innovative technologies with current systems and analytical techniques to enhance/streamline current audit processes and reporting; lead process automation and design by identifying areas to reduce routine manual tasks

- Strengthen capabilities within Internal Audit team through coaching and mentoring; motivate employees to deliver excellent operational performance with a customer-centric approach

- Leads staff members in engagement planning & performance; conducts work paper and reporting quality assurance reviews, providing feedback and coaching throughout engagements to ensure quality

- Oversee and ensure business expectations, goals, and objectives are understood and met across Internal Audit team

- Lead Internal Audit function to set and achieve targets through complex objectives, milestones, obstacles, and priorities while delivering 3-5-year plans aligned with Cleco’s vision

- Champions a corporate culture that emphasizes transparency, integrity, safety, environmental responsibility, employee development, diversity and inclusion, customer service, and operational excellence

Required Skills

- Strong knowledge and experience with Sarbanes-Oxley compliance and ICFR frameworks

- Strong knowledge of risks, trends, and regulatory requirements relevant to the utility industry

- Functional knowledge with core subject matter expertise in one or several domains including Electric Utility Industry, IT & Cybersecurity, Business Strategy, Regulatory Compliance, Finance/Accounting, Internal Audit, and Risk Management principles, theories and concepts and strong knowledge of related laws and regulations

- Ability to negotiate and influence with a consultative approach

- Excellent planning, project management, communications, negotiation, and problem-solving skills

- Strong analytical and critical thinking skills to interpret business and Finance KRAs/KPIs/metrics into actionable insights and decision making

- Ability to exercise sound judgment with little direction/guidance and knows when to escalate issues to the Director – Internal Audit

- Ability to function effectively within a team environment, present ideas and opinions in a respective

- and collegial manner

- Knowledge of the Institute of Internal Audit’s International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing, Information Systems and Control Association standards, COSO Internal Control and Enterprise Risk Management Frameworks, GAAP

- Strong internal/external customer focus with employee experience mindset

- Key Result Areas (KRAs)

- Strong leadership and staff development capabilities

- Enhance Internal Audit processes through automation and technology

- Increase quality of audits within Internal Audit

Key Result Areas (KRAs)

- Enhance Internal Audit processes through automation and technology

- Increase quality of audits within Internal Audit that provide demonstrated value to the business

Qualifications

Required Education, Skills & Experience

- Master’s / Bachelor’s degree in Business, Information Systems, Finance, Accounting, Engineering, or related fields

- 5-7 years of related experience in Internal Audit

- 2-5+ years People Management experience

- Experience and ability to lead Internal Audit staff towards a common vision

- Experience with Microsoft tools and applications required

- Experience with financial systems (e.g., SAP) preferred

- Strong analytics capabilities

- Strong appreciation of IT systems and controls and cybersecurity frameworks

- Understanding of Enterprise Risk Management frameworks and concepts

Licenses and Certifications

- CIA, CISA, and/or CPA preferred

Key Competencies

BEHAVIORAL

- Building Organizational Talent*

- Building Partnerships

- Leading Teams

- Business Acumen

- Communication

- Courage

- Building Self-Insight

- Building Talent*

- Driving for Results

- Energizing the Organization

- Driving Execution

- Building Trusting Relationships

- Driving Innovation

- Planning and Organizing

- Safety

- Establishing Strategic Direction

May perform other duties as assigned.

Salary dependent on experience, skills, education, and training.