Internal Control Specialist

Richemont, one of the world leaders in the luxury sector, has various Houses specializing in jewelry, watches and high-end accessories. Each Maison proudly embodies a tradition of style, quality and craftsmanship and Richemont strives to preserve the heritage and identity specific to each of them. At the same time, we are committed to innovating and designing new products in line with the values ​​of our Houses, through a process of permanent creativity.

Position Summary

The Internal Control Specialist is a strategic business partner to the ICS Manager, CFO and boutique/Maison leadership, responsible for elevating Richemont México's internal control environment from a compliance-reporting function into a proactive risk-advisory capability. This role owns the end-to-end control lifecycle — risk identification, control design, data-driven testing, remediation, and executive reporting — and acts as the local reference point for regulatory frameworks and for HQ methodology deployed through Riskonnect. The role is expected to bring digital fluency and analytical rigor to control work, using data analytics and visualization tools to move from sample-based testing toward continuous monitoring, and to advise business stakeholders — not simply flag issues after the fact.

Key Responsibilities

1. Risk Assessment & Control Framework Design
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Lead the identification, evaluation, and documentation of key business processes and associated risks across Finance, Operations, Retail, and IT domains.
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Design and continuously enhance internal controls to mitigate identified risks, applying a risk-based prioritization rather than a checklist approach.
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Own and keep current the risk and control matrices, process narratives, and control documentation, ensuring alignment with Richemont Group methodology.
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Proactively identify emerging risks tied to new systems, new payment flows, or organizational changes before they are formally escalated.
2. Control Testing & Data-Driven Assurance
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Execute periodic testing of the design and operating effectiveness of key controls across financial, operational, and commercial areas, in full compliance with HQ Internal Control methodology and Riskonnect documentation standards.
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Apply data analytics (e.g., Celonis, Looker) to test full populations where feasible, rather than relying solely on sample-based testing, and to build recurring control dashboards for management.
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Identify control deficiencies and weaknesses, root-cause them (not just describe symptoms), and document findings with clear, actionable remediation recommendations.
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Support integration of automated and continuous controls monitoring as part of the broader digital transformation of the Controlling and Internal Control function.
3. Regulatory Compliance & Advisory
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Ensure compliance with internal policies and applicable regulatory requirements.
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Act as a subject-matter advisor to business teams on control best practices, providing practical, business-friendly guidance rather than purely technical audit language.
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Support the design and rollout of new policies and procedures, including AML control frameworks at boutique level and controls tied to new payment platforms (e.g., Adyen/DARE).
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Maintain working knowledge of evolving regulatory expectations relevant to a multinational luxury retail environment.
4. Remediation Monitoring & Continuous Improvement
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Own the tracking and follow-through of corrective action plans and remediation timelines, escalating stalled items to the ICS Manager.
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Participate in the evaluation of new systems, processes, or organizational changes to ensure adequate controls are embedded by design, not retrofitted.
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Build and deliver internal control training and awareness sessions to strengthen a culture of accountability and control ownership across boutiques and functions.
5. Stakeholder Management & Executive Reporting
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Partner closely with Internal Audit, Finance, Operations, IT, and Maison teams (Cartier, Montblanc, and others), as well as Richemont North America (RNA), to align on control priorities and remediation status.
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Prepare clear, concise, and decision-ready reports on the status of internal controls and identified deficiencies for management and regional stakeholders.
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Support external and internal audits end-to-end, ensuring timely, well-organized provision of requested information and documentation.
Qualifications & Skills
Education
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Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field.
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Professional certification required or in active progress: CIA (Certified Internal Auditor), or CPA desirable.
Experience
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5+ years of progressive experience in internal control, internal audit, external audit, or risk consultancy.
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Proven track record testing and evaluating internal controls in a multinational or large enterprise environment; luxury, retail, or consumer goods experience strongly preferred.
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Demonstrated experience translating control findings into business-relevant recommendations that were adopted by stakeholders, not just filed.
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Working knowledge of internal control frameworks such as COSO, and exposure to AML/CFT control frameworks is a differentiator.
Technical Skills
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Strong command of accounting principles (IFRS/US GAAP) and auditing standards.
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Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; working knowledge of Visio for process mapping.
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Hands-on experience with ERP systems (SAP) and, ideally, SAP Analytics Cloud or similar reporting tools.
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Proficiency with Power BI and/or other data analytics/visualization tools to build recurring, self-serve control dashboards.
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Direct experience with GRC/control platforms such as Riskonnect is highly valued.
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Bilingual Spanish/English (business fluent); French is a plus given interaction with global Maison teams.
Soft Skills & Mindset
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Operates as a strategic business partner, not a policing function — able to influence without formal authority across boutique, Maison, and regional stakeholders.
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Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with genuine attention to detail and precision.
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Strong written and verbal communication, with the ability to tailor messaging from boutique staff to executive leadership.
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Change-management orientation: comfortable driving adoption of new controls, tools, and ways of working.
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High integrity, objectivity, and professional ethics; comfortable raising difficult findings constructively.
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Able to manage multiple priorities independently in a fast-paced, matrixed multinational environment.

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