Associate Director, Sustainability Reporting Risk & Controls

at  Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan HOOPP

Why you’ll love working here:

• high-performance, people-focused culture
• our commitment that equity, diversity, and inclusion are fundamental to our work environment and business success, which helps employees feel valued and empowered to be their authentic selves
• learning and development initiatives, including workshops, Speaker Series events and access to LinkedIn Learning, that support employees’ career growth
• membership in HOOPP’s world class defined benefit pension plan, which can serve as an important part of your retirement security
• competitive, 100% company-paid extended health and dental benefits for permanent employees, including coverage supporting our team’s diversity and mental health (e.g., gender affirmation, fertility and drug treatment, psychological support benefits of $2,500 per year, and newly extended maternity/parental leave top of 26 weeks)
• optional post-retirement health and dental benefits subsidized at 50%
• yoga classes, meditation workshops, nutritional consultations, and wellness seminars
• access to an annual wellness reimbursement program for health and wellness-related expenses for permanent and temporary employees
• the opportunity to make a difference and help take care of those who care for us, by providing a financially secure retirement for Ontario healthcare workers

Job Summary
In 2023, HOOPP published its climate change strategy, which includes a commitment to achieving net-zero portfolio emissions by 2050, net-zero operational footprint by 2050 and various interim targets towards that commitment. As part of its journey to net-zero, HOOPP will design and implement an Internal Control over Sustainability Reporting (ICSR) program that supports the implementation, monitoring and reporting of its sustainability related information including progress towards its climate related targets.
Reporting to the Director, Sustainability and Financial Reporting Policy, the Associate Director, Sustainability Reporting Risk and Controls is a new role and is responsible for leading the development of HOOPP’s ICSR program. The role will also support HOOPP’s sustainability reporting policy development as it relates to internal controls, including the implementation of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and the Canadian Sustainability Standards Board (CSSB) sustainability disclosure standards and ongoing compliance with these standards. The role will require collaboration with many Divisions within HOOPP to gain an understanding of key processes impacting sustainability reporting and, to identify key sustainability reporting risks and design and implement controls to mitigate those risks.
The Associate Director will provide direct support to the Director , and will be a key member of the central and specialized Finance, Governance and Tax Department within the Finance Division.

What you will do:

• Lead the design, implementation, and maintenance of the Internal Control over Sustainability Reporting (ICSR) program across HOOPP.
• Ensure that the ICSR program is consistent with the COSO framework’s ICSR recommendations.
• Ensure the ICSR program is consistent with HOOPP’s Internal Controls over Financial Reporting (ICFR) program, through close collaboration with the ICFR team and by leveraging existing guidelines and tools, as applicable.
• Conduct research and share ‘best practice’ principles to ensure consistent standards and practices are applied across HOOPP with respect to ICSR.
• Foster a culture of control by acting as an ambassador for the ICSR program.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholders across the organization and act as an expert on sustainability reporting controls.
• Identify areas of dependencies and risks amongst the various Divisions (Finance, Risk, Investment Management/Sustainable Investing, and IT) related to sustainability reporting and provide advice and develop plans to mitigate the risk to HOOPP.
• Collaborate with all HOOPP Divisions to develop and maintain an in-depth understanding of key business and IT processes to identify key sustainability reporting risks and mitigating controls.
• Leverage controls and risk expertise, along with business knowledge, to provide support to the Finance Division for sustainability reporting by identifying potential areas of vulnerability and risk and work with the process owners to develop corrective action plans.
• Participate in Finance initiatives as the lead in the design of internal controls over sustainability reporting to mitigate risks.
• Lead the review and evaluation of controls for system implementations related to sustainability reporting.
• Lead the oversight and evaluation of SOC reports related to sustainability reporting.
• Establish documentation standards and provide leadership to the creation and maintenance of detailed internal controls documentation.
• Lead the development of practices, strategy, and methodologies from a compliance testing and validation perspective.

What you bring:

• 7+ years of progressive experience in the Finance and / or Investment industries with experience designing and / or leading an internal controls program like ICFR, including SOX or NI 52-109 compliance. Experience within the financial institutions industry or a public accounting firm would be an asset.
• Chartered Accountant Designation along with a post-secondary degree.
• Certification in sustainability reporting such as the Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting (FSA) Credential considered an asset.
• Knowledge of sustainability related financial reporting standard setting bodies and relevant frameworks like the ISSB, the CSSB, and the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).
• Knowledge of sustainability reporting metrics, methodology like GHG Protocol and PCAF considered an asset.
• Strong knowledge of the COSO framework, ICFR, ICSR and best practices for internal controls with a strong understanding of IT and end user computing (EUC) controls.
• Ability to identify, understand, document, and monitor internal controls, critically assess the effectiveness of internal controls, and make recommendations to improve internal controls, supporting sustainable investing, risk, and finance functions.
• In depth knowledge and experience in evaluating SOC reports.
• Experience in the review and evaluation of controls for system implementations.
• Proven ability to interact with all levels of the organization and external auditors confidently and effectively and to build strong working relationships in a team-oriented, collaborate environment.
• Previous experience managing projects with proven success.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to think critically, innovate and drive change.
• Ability to learn new concepts and drive strategic direction.
• Knowledge of the pension industry and associated processes and controls is an asset.

• Lead the design, implementation, and maintenance of the Internal Control over Sustainability Reporting (ICSR) program across HOOPP.
• Ensure that the ICSR program is consistent with the COSO framework’s ICSR recommendations.
• Ensure the ICSR program is consistent with HOOPP’s Internal Controls over Financial Reporting (ICFR) program, through close collaboration with the ICFR team and by leveraging existing guidelines and tools, as applicable.
• Conduct research and share ‘best practice’ principles to ensure consistent standards and practices are applied across HOOPP with respect to ICSR.
• Foster a culture of control by acting as an ambassador for the ICSR program.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholders across the organization and act as an expert on sustainability reporting controls.
• Identify areas of dependencies and risks amongst the various Divisions (Finance, Risk, Investment Management/Sustainable Investing, and IT) related to sustainability reporting and provide advice and develop plans to mitigate the risk to HOOPP.
• Collaborate with all HOOPP Divisions to develop and maintain an in-depth understanding of key business and IT processes to identify key sustainability reporting risks and mitigating controls.
• Leverage controls and risk expertise, along with business knowledge, to provide support to the Finance Division for sustainability reporting by identifying potential areas of vulnerability and risk and work with the process owners to develop corrective action plans.
• Participate in Finance initiatives as the lead in the design of internal controls over sustainability reporting to mitigate risks.
• Lead the review and evaluation of controls for system implementations related to sustainability reporting.
• Lead the oversight and evaluation of SOC reports related to sustainability reporting.
• Establish documentation standards and provide leadership to the creation and maintenance of detailed internal controls documentation.
• Lead the development of practices, strategy, and methodologies from a compliance testing and validation perspective