Internal Audit PMO & Change Management Lead

Job Title: Internal Audit PMO & Change Management Lead

Location: New York, NY 10010 (HYBRID - Tuesday through Thursday in office)

Duration: 12 months

Description:

Orchestrate Operational Evolution & Drive Strategic Execution Across Internal Audit

Client Corporate Audit Department (CAD) is seeking a highly organized, strategic, and execution-oriented PMO & Change Management Lead to partner with the Head of Innovation and Professional Practices (IPP) in standing up and leading the program management and change enablement infrastructure that will power the Corporate Audit Department's (CAD) continued evolution. This individual will provide the structural discipline needed to plan, govern, track, and deliver a portfolio of 40+ strategic initiatives across CAD strategic goals, while ensuring the people side of change is managed with the same rigor as the project side.

This is a high-visibility role sits at the intersection of strategy execution, portfolio governance, and organizational change management. You will not be managing a single project. You will be building the execution engine that makes CAD's continued evolution possible.

Engagement Details:

This engagement is structured as a staff augmentation arrangement to support a defined period of accelerated capability building within our CAD Innovation and Professional Practices function (IPP). The anticipated duration is 12 months, reflecting the build phase of our strategic roadmap. The engagement may be adjusted based on evolving program needs and organizational priorities.

The PMO & Change Management Lead will be embedded within the IPP team and will work in close partnership with the Head of IPP, the Digital Solutions Lead, the Quality & Talent Development team, co-sourcing partners, and project-based consultants. This role carries significant influence over the pace, quality, and coherence of CAD's continued operational evolution and offers the opportunity to shape foundational operating disciplines with lasting organizational impact.

The Opportunity:

CAD's operational evolution encompasses 40+ initiatives across several pillars, requiring formal program management infrastructure, disciplined governance, and deliberate change management to land successfully.

The PMO & Change Management Lead will partner with the Head of IPP to build and operate this infrastructure from the ground up.

What You Will Do:

Stand Up & Lead the CAD Program Management Office

* Design and implement a formal PMO structure for CAD, including initiative intake, prioritization frameworks, project planning templates, and execution tracking mechanisms

* Serve as the program manager for CAD's strategic initiative portfolio and evolution program

* Establish program portfolio governance, workstreams, milestone plans, and cross-functional coordination mechanisms

* Establish portfolio governance cadences: weekly initiative RAG status reporting, bi-weekly program risk reviews, monthly strategic scorecards, and quarterly portfolio reviews with CAD senior leadership

* Develop and manage a RACI-based decision rights framework that clarifies accountability between the Chief Auditor, Head of IPP, and initiative owners

* Build and maintain integrated program plans, dependency maps, and milestone trackers across 40+ initiatives

* Create executive-ready dashboards and reporting packages that provide clear line-of-sight into program health, risk, and progress

* Manage program-level risks, dependencies, and escalation paths, ensuring senior leadership has the visibility needed to make informed decisions

Drive Organizational Change Management

* Develop and execute comprehensive change management strategies for each major initiative, ensuring successful adoption of new audit methodologies, technologies, governance frameworks, and operating model changes

* Conduct stakeholder impact assessments to identify adoption risks, resistance patterns, and readiness gaps-then build targeted mitigation plans

* Design and deliver communication plans that build awareness, understanding, and buy-in for the evolution agenda across CAD and with key enterprise partners

* Partner with IPP's and CAD leadership to align training, onboarding, and competency development programs with change milestones

* Build feedback loops and adoption metrics to monitor how effectively changes are landing and course-correct in real time

What Makes You a Strong Candidate:

You combine deep program management expertise with strong change management instincts and the ability to operate as a trusted partner to senior leadership in complex, matrixed environments.

Experience:

* 10+ years of progressive experience in program/portfolio management and/or organizational change management, with at least 5 years in a leadership or senior advisory capacity

* Demonstrated experience standing up or significantly scaling a PMO function within internal audit, risk, compliance, or a similarly governed environment in financial services

* Proven track record managing complex, multi-workstream programs with 20+ concurrent initiatives and cross-functional dependencies

* Experience developing and executing change management strategies for technology-driven transformations, including platform implementations, operating model redesigns, and methodology rollouts

* Proven ability to operate as a strategic thought partner to senior leaders-comfortable navigating ambiguity, influencing without authority, and driving execution in matrixed environments

Skills & Capabilities:

* Expertise in project and portfolio management methodologies (e.g., Agile, Waterfall, hybrid) and tools (e.g., Smartsheet, MS Project, Jira)

* Deep fluency in change management frameworks and best practices (e.g., Prosci ADKAR, Kotter, or similar)

* Expertise in using Coda for managing projects and portfolios

* Ability to design governance structures, reporting cadences, and decision rights frameworks that create clarity without bureaucracy

* Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to craft executive-ready narratives and translate program complexity into clear, actionable insights

* Executive presence and the ability to influence senior stakeholders and build trust across diverse teams

* Data-driven mindset-comfortable building KPI frameworks, tracking adoption metrics, and using data to inform program decisions

* Systems thinker who designs scalable, sustainable solutions

* Familiarity with internal audit operations, methodology, and regulatory expectations (e.g., IIA Standards, QAIP), is a plus

Education & Certifications (Preferred):

* Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Organizational Development, Project Management, or a related discipline

* PMP, PgMP, or similar project/program management certification strongly preferred

* Prosci Change Management Certification or equivalent is a plus

* CIA, CISA, or other internal audit certifications are a plus

* Master's degree in a relevant field is a plus