Job #1785: Senior Director – Inner Audit

Senior Director, Internal Audit

STEEL PARTNERS HOLDINGS L.P. (“SPH” – NYSE:SPLP)

• A diversified global holding company with operations in diversified industrial products, energy,

defense, supply chain management and logistics, banking and youth sports.

• We work with our companies to increase long term corporate value for all of our stakeholders and

shareholders utilizing Steel Partners Operational Excellence Programs, the Steel Partners Purchasing

Council, balance sheet improvements, capital allocation policies and growth initiatives.

• All our programs are focused on helping SPH companies strengthen their competitive advantage and

increase their profitability, while enabling them to achieve operational excellence and enhanced

customer satisfaction.

• Our aim is to increase company profitability and shareholder value through both strategic acquisitions

and investments, as well as steadfast adherence to ethical principles and compliance standards.

STEEL CONNECT INC. (“STCN”- Nasdaq:STCN)

STCN operates through its wholly owned subsidiary, ModusLink Corporation (“ModusLink”). ModusLink

provides digital and physical supply chain solutions to many of the world’s leading brands across a diverse

range of industries, including consumer electronics, telecommunications, computing and storage, software

and content, consumer packaged goods, medical devices, and retail and luxury and connected devices. As of

January 31, 2022, SPH and its affiliates own 53.4% of STCN.

STEEL SERVICES LTD.

Steel Services Ltd. (“SSL”) is an indirect subsidiary of SPH and provides corporate services to SPH and STCN

to improve controls, increase efficiencies and enable SPH and STCN to focus on operations and growth SSL’s

strengths include strong management, depth of experience and breadth of services. SSL has a staff of over

50 professionals across a variety of disciplines to support the corporate and operational business offices of

SPH and STCN. Those disciplines include:

• Finance & Accounting • Human Resources

• SEC Reporting; SOX compliance • Pension administration

• Legal • Payroll/Benefits

• Tax • Risk Management

• Treasury • Compliance / Internal Audit

• Lean / Corporate Operational Excellence

• Misc. functions including CEO Svcs.

The Senior Director of Internal Audit will be employed by SSL in service of its affiliates, including STCN.

As a long-term investor, Steel Partners Is focused on enhancing value through the implementation of

operational excellence and corporate strategic restructuring programs, including the Steel Partners

Operational Excellence Programs, the Steel Purchasing Council, the Steel IT Council, the Steel Environmental

Health & Safety Council, the Steel Grow Talent Management system, Steel Corporate Services and the other

components of the Steel Partners culture – what we call “The Steel Way.”

Please check out Steel Partners Holdings L.P. | A Global Diversified Holding Company

and Steel Connect, Inc (steelconnectinc.com) to learn more about us!

The Role

The Senior Director, Internal Audit (“Senior Director”) position reports to the CFO of SPH and STCN and

indirectly to the Audit Committees of SPH and STCN. The Senior Director will work with the Finance and

Accounting teams (and others) on SOX compliance related processes and testing. This role is also an integral

component of the Governance, Risk and Compliance Committee guiding the development of a robust ERM

platform for mitigating risk exposures to the companies, their businesses and personnel.

The Internal Audit Department coordinates reviews of business processes and systems to ensure excellence

in operational execution and financial reporting. This Senior Director, Internal Auditleads and directs a group

of six global internal auditors. The Internal Audit Department has the principal charge of ensuring that sound

internal controls of compliance and business ethics have been designed, implemented and maintained. As

an independent, objective source of assurance and consultation, the Senior Director adds value by

developing the strategy for bringing a systematic, disciplined and balanced approach to evaluating and

improving the effectiveness of internal controls, risk management, control and governance processes. The

Senior Directorcommunicates analytical recommendations and reports findings to senior management and

the Audit Committees.

The Senior Director also drives a “business value” approach to compliance by influencing and collaborating

with process owners to identify best practices and process improvement opportunities. This role has key

responsibilities including:

• Leading formal risk assessment processes;

• Creating detailed project plans;

• Managing a team of auditors for effective performance;

• Driving timelines and internal/external resources to achieve program objectives; and

• Developing strategic direction for risk mitigation and managing financial compliance

programs (i.e., PCAOB, Dodd-Frank Act, COSO, Conflict Minerals, US Patriot Act Compliance

– OFAC & Anti-money laundering, etc.)

The Senior Director leads ongoing monitoring of internal control activities in the organization, including

evaluation of control self-assessment responses and directly reporting results to senior management and

process owners. The Senior Director also oversees the Internal Audit Department with the principal charge

of ensuring that sound internal controls of compliance and business ethics have been designed and

implemented. This role manages outside consultants for assignments related to financial reviews, manages

and helps direct logistics with the external auditors and provides audit support and SOX compliance

resources to the operating subsidiaries accounting teams.

Requirements

The ideal candidate is a proven and dynamic business leader with at least 10 years’ experience of applicable

experience. The candidate should have the professional experience and personal characteristics to establish

and maintain credibility and competence that contribute to the sustained profitable management and

growth of the SPH and STCN. Specific core competencies for the successful candidate include:

• Unquestioned Integrity – The Senior Director must represent and exhibit a high level of our core

values of: TEAMWORK; RESPECT; INTEGRITY; and COMMITMENT. Aligned within these core values

are honesty, transparency, and accountability, with which the candidate is expected to motivate the

entire organization to the highest levels of personal effort to ensure our company’s strong

reputation. An established professional reputation for excellence in services rendered and absolute

personal integrity must attend any candidacy for this position.

• Value-Based Decision Making: The successful candidate effectively examines events, issues and

problems and determines implications, isolating root causes and ensuring they are solving whole

problems rather than simply addressing symptoms.

• Driving Results – The successful candidate must exhibit tenacity and grit, along with professional

and managerial skills, in a complex and dynamic organization along with the leadership traits and

personal characteristics that are necessary for success in senior management. An ability to inspire

trust and confidence in subordinates to achieve the highest standards of performance in a dynamic

environment of business integration is required.

• Communication – The Senior Director must be highly articulate and be able to convey points in a

clear and highly compelling manner to senior management, audit committees and boards, as well as

to colleagues within the corporate office and operating subsidiaries. The Senior Director should also

be a very strong listener.

• Judgment – The Senior Director must make decisions that balance a variety of factors (e.g., cost, risk,

short term vs. long term impact) to achieve optimal outcome. An ability to base decisions on core

values and principles to achieve an optimal outcome is essential.

• Developing and Leveraging Relationships – Given the visibility of the role, excellent communication

skills and strong interpersonal skills are required of the Senior Director. This includes a proven ability

to simultaneously manage high level relationships within a company as well as demanding client

relationships.

• Thrives on Challenge – The successful candidate must be willing to put in best efforts over sustained

periods of time to accomplish professional and personal goals. The successful candidate must also

possess the personal ambition to play a major role in the growth and success of a dynamic company

that has a strong heritage for high quality and responsive service to its clients.

• Process Improvement – Strong and effective analytical skills focused on problem solving and process

improvement. Innovative and creative thinking in developing organizational processes and

procedures is important.

• Prioritization and Planning – The successful candidate effectively manages multiple tasks to

complete complex projects. The Senior Director is very organized and efficient, as well as able to

define objectives, sequence, timeline, interdependencies and contingencies for projects or

initiatives, maximizing time and resources and overcoming obstacles.

• Ability to Travel and Teach – Some travel will be required. We will work with the candidate to

mutually accommodate business needs and personal schedules. In addition, they must have the

aptitude to teach our teams to follow best business practices and to be comfortable bringing

questions forward before they become problems.

Educational Background and Qualifications

Candidates should possess a Bachelor’s degree in accounting or related field. (Master’s degree preferred).

Candidates should also have prior experience interacting with Boards of Directors along with experience

working with Manufacturing/Industrial businesses and within a global organization. A minimum of three

years of supervisory experience is also required. It is anticipated that any candidate that will have the

necessary level of competence to perform all the functions listed above to the satisfactory level that is

required for this position Professional certification in one or more of the following is desirable: CPA, CIA,

or CFE.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for

employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity, national

origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to

successfully perform the essential function of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable

individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee

is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls;

reach with hands and arms.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities require by this

job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

 

Interested members should e-mail resume to Jason Wong at [email protected]. Please mention that you are a member of EisnerAmper’s Friends of the Firm program. Make sure to include Job #1785 in the subject line and to copy [email protected] on your email.