SOX IT Specialist @ING Hubs Romania

Discover ING Hubs Romania 

ING Hubs Romania offers 130 services in software development, data management, non-financial risk & compliance, audit, and retail operations to 24 ING units worldwide, with the help of over 2000 high-performing engineers, risk, and operations professionals.

We started out in 2015 as ING’s software development hub, then steadily expanded our range to include more services and competencies. Now we provide borderless services with bank-wide capabilities and operate from two locations: Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca. 

Our tech capabilities remain the core of our business, with more than 1800 colleagues active in Data and Analytics Tech, Tech Foundation and Channels, Retail Core Banking and Architecture, and Global Products and Technology Services. 

We enjoy a flexible way of working and a highly collaborative environment, where fair and constructive feedback is encouraged.  

For us, impact isn't a perk. It's the driver of our work. We are guided and rewarded by a shared desire to make the world a better place, one innovative solution at a time. Our colleagues make it their job to do impactful things and they love doing it in good company. Do you?  

The Mission

The Reporting Control Management (RCM) Romania team is an integral part of Group Finance/Reporting Control Management in the Netherlands, the corporate staff department responsible for Internal Control over Financial Reporting.

In this capacity the team is the linking pin between Group Finance and the other corporate departments, local ING entities, shared service centers, and first line testers. This includes maintaining the day-to-day relationship with the local finance control officers and taking the ownership for implementing the requirements leading to a sound internal control over global reporting processes.

This is a dynamic environment as requirements in financial and regulatory environment are continuously increasing. The department supports Group Finance stakeholders by ensuring that processes, controls, and testing activities comply with internal and external reporting requirements. Other key stakeholders include enterprise risk management, and internal and external auditors.

The RCM team has a dynamic culture, characterized by open, direct and informal communication, with a focus on teamwork.

Your day to day

As a SOX IT Specialist, you support the maintenance of an effective framework for identifying and reducing reporting risks and strengthening control awareness across relevant processes. You are a result-oriented professional who actively seeks opportunities to improve ways of working and contribute to high‑quality outcomes.

You bring solid knowledge and experience in your area and confidently share your perspective to support sound decision‑making. You can translate guidance into clear actions, view issues from a broader process perspective, and work through detailed topics when required.

You work independently on assigned responsibilities while collaborating effectively in small teams. At times, you may provide guidance to junior colleagues and contribute to larger (multi‑disciplinary) projects and initiatives. This role may also support QA activities for first‑line testers, including helping with testing standards, training materials, review steps, and contributing to the preparation of QA result summaries.

You contribute significantly to the team’s responsibilities and support the effective execution of the ICFR/SOX framework across ING. You play an important role in the following activities:

• Develop, update and maintain the ING guidance on Internal Control over Financial Reporting (ICFR)

• Coordinate and actively participate in the ICFR/SOX404 sign-off process:

  • Involvement in the local sign off from entities, (IT) service organizations, Business Lines, and Corporate Departments

  • Coordination and evaluation of an ING wide focus area (e.g. IT controls, Loan Loss Provisioning, or Disclosures)

  • Communicate QA observations and suggest improvements to strengthen testing quality and entity‑level controls.

  • Communication with internal stakeholders and the external auditor of the design, implementation and operating effectiveness of the ING ICFR control framework, with a focus on IT general controls and application controls.

• Support entities with the implementation of internal controls in line with the guidance to ensure a sound control environment, resulting from:

  • New accounting standards under IFRS

  • Change management or changes within the IT environment

  • Increase of Sox scope, new locations added that need to apply the Sox controls for the first time

  • Identified deficiencies throughout the organization, indication for attention areas where guidance needs to be improved or training should be given

• Lead/contribute to deep dives into finance control and accounting matters:

  • Virtual and/or ‘on location’ site visits

  • Ad hoc requests for deep dives, coming from senior management

  • ICFR assessment of errors found in financial reporting and/or controls

• Identify opportunities for control optimization and testing optimization

  • Suggest improvements that maintain SOX compliance while increasing effectiveness and efficiency

  • Support alignment with other control frameworks as a contributor/advisor

  • For QA activities: help optimize testing procedures while keeping a strong focus on quality

• Responsible for the quality of documents for the ICFR governance meetings:

  • Global Calls (e.g. Open Hours) with all FCOs worldwide, where all areas of attention raised by internal stakeholders or external auditors are shared. This is based on the involvement in a specific focus area.

  • Materials for the evaluation meeting at Group level

  • Materials for the decision making by the SOX Governance Board

• Support entities with the implementation of Control Standards regarding internal controls to ensure a sound reporting environment specifically for regulatory reporting.

  • Enhanced guidance for first line testing and QA procedures

• Develop training materials and provide trainings and workshops to SOX testers and the SOx community, bringing bank-wide control knowledge up to a required level with a focus on IT and automated controls. This is done via:

  • Webcasts/calls

  • Classroom training

  • Upskilling testers

• Perform Quality Assurance procedures for first line testing

What you’ll bring to the team

We hire smart people like you for your potential. Our biggest expectation is that you’ll stay curious. Keep learning. Take on responsibility. In return, we’ll back you to develop into an even more awesome version of yourself.

You have a proactive and hands‑on approach, demonstrate strong ownership, and are able to work independently while remaining aware of your environment and stakeholders. You are constructive, open to feedback, and reflective on the quality of your own work. You learn quickly, are analytically strong, collaborate well with others, and maintain a clear focus on delivering high‑quality outcomes for stakeholders.

In addition, you have:

• A university degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, or a related field; professional certifications (RE, CISA, CISSP, RA, ACCA, CPA, CIA) or progress toward certification are considered a strong advantage.

• 5+ years of work experience in external or internal audit, financial control, or a relevant risk and control function.

• A solid understanding of the Sarbanes‑Oxley Act and the COSO 2013 internal controls framework.

• Demonstrated experience contributing to business process improvements, including supporting the design, implementation, or execution of control processes and oversight activities.

• A good understanding of IT, IT related controls (including IT general controls and application controls)

• An understanding of change management and the impact of controls on the implementation of new software or IT tools, as well as their accounting implications.

• Good understanding of banking business processes, relevant regulations, and internal control requirements.

• Experience working with financial reporting processes, such as closing activities, loan loss provisioning, or financial markets.

• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, enabling you to explain control requirements and collaborate effectively with business partners.

• A professional and ethical working style, sound judgment, and the confidence to represent your area in discussions with stakeholders.

• The ability to act as a reliable business partner, building trust with senior colleagues and internal clients.

• Effective influencing skills, enabling you to express viewpoints constructively without creating friction.

• Bring global perspective and cultural sensitivity

If you want to deep dive into the processing of personal data conducted by ING Hubs Romania during the recruitment process and your rights related to it, read the privacy notices on ourwebsite (make sure to scroll until you reach the Data Protection section/Candidates tab).