Elmad Okoth

Strategic Internal Audit Executive with over 15 years of progressive experience in public and private sector auditing, governance, financial reporting, budgeting, risk management and compliance. Currently serving as Head of Internal Audit at The Kisumu National Polytechnic, providing independent assurance to the Audit, Risk & Compliance Committee and Governing Council. Proven expertise in developing and implementing audit strategies, enterprise risk management, compliance frameworks, and investigative audits.

Certified Public

Accountant (CPA-K) with a Master of Science in Finance. Demonstrated ability to lead diverse teams, manage institutional budgets, and drive operational improvements while upholding the highest standards of integrity and accountability. Eager to leverage executive leadership experience to strengthen governance and public trust as Director, Internal Audit & Compliance at IEBC.

Senior Internal Auditor - The Kisumu National Polytechnic - Kenya

(2025-12)

Acting as the In-charge, leading the internal audit function of a major public tertiary institution with strategic financial and budgetary advisory responsibilities.

• Successfully leading the internal audit function, providing strategic direction and governance oversight to the institution.
• Reduced financial and procurement discrepancies by 25% through robust audit strategies and control recommendations.
• Increased audit recommendation closure rate by 40% through structured follow-up and reporting to the Audit Committee.
• Protected institutional assets worth over KES 3B+ through independent assurance on controls and verification procedures.
• Strengthened Audit Committee reporting and governance oversight through timely and comprehensive audit reports.
• Effectively managed audit budget and resources to achieve approved work plans.
• Mentored and developed junior audit staff, enhancing team capacity and professional competence.

Internal Auditor - Sabatia Technical and Vocational College - Kenya

(2024-11 - 2025-11)

Strengthened financial governance, internal controls, and compliance through risk-based auditing while providing strategic leadership to the internal Audit function.

• Achieved zero major findings through rigorous financial controls and comprehensive documentation.
• Reduced payment discrepancies by 25% through enhanced audit mechanisms and control recommendations.
• Protected institutional assets worth KES 150M+ through enhanced verification and control procedures.
• Improved internal financial reporting timelines by 20% through advisory on process bottlenecks.
• Enhanced Board Audit Committee reporting quality, leading to improved oversight and faster issue resolution.
• Implemented a digital payment tracker, improving reconciliation accuracy and reducing manual effort.

Assistant Accountant-Accounts Receivable - Maseno University - Kisumu

(2019-11 - 2024-10)

Managed full-cycle accounts receivable operations, reconciliations, and revenue reporting for a large public university.

• Automated Accounts Receivable reporting, saving 15+ hours monthly and providing auditors with clean, reliable data.
• Reduced aged receivables by 18% through structured follow-up systems, mitigating financial risk.
• Cleared a backlog of 150+ invoice disputes, enhancing stakeholder confidence and data accuracy.
• Contributed to consecutive unqualified audit opinions through accurate financial schedules.
• Implemented new reconciliation procedures that minimized reconciling items at year-end.
• Enhanced the allowance for doubtful accounts review process, improving financial reporting accuracy.

Assistant Accountant-Payroll - Maseno University - Kisumu

(2016-10 - 2019-10)

Managed payroll accounting, reconciliations, and statutory compliance for a large public institution.

• Reduced payroll reconciliation errors by 20% through secondary review checklists and improved procedures.
• Maintained 100% statutory compliance record across all payroll cycles.
• Standardized payroll audit evidence packages, reducing external auditor data gathering time.
• Contributed to multiple unqualified external audit reports.
• Improved accuracy of employee benefit accruals and provisions.
• Developed payroll processing checklists that enhanced consistency and reduced errors.

Audit Associate (Part-time) - Nyada Co. & Associates

(2015-07 - 2017-06)

Executed financial statement audits and internal control evaluations for diverse private sector clients.

• Identified KES 2.5M in unrecorded liabilities for a client, leading to a corrected financial position.
• Improved audit efficiency and coverage using data-driven sampling techniques.
• Provided actionable recommendations that strengthened internal control environments for key clients.
• Successfully delivered over 15 audit assignments within strict deadlines.
• Built trusted relationships through practical guidance on control improvements and risk mitigation.
• Recommendations led to improved segregation of duties and authorization protocols for key clients.

Project Internal Auditor - Unbound Kenya Project

(2014-08 - 2016-10)

Conducted internal audits for donor-funded projects, ensuring compliance with grant agreements and accuracy of financial reporting.

• Achieved zero major findings in external donor reviews, reflecting robust internal controls and strict compliance.
• Reduced operational discrepancies by 30% through rigorous testing and targeted recommendations.
• Improved audit issue closure rate by 40% through structured tracking and follow-up.
• Facilitated identification and recovery of duplicate payments made to vendors.
• Enhanced due diligence processes for new partners, mitigating potential risks before engagement.
• Strengthened cash disbursement controls, significantly reducing fraud risk.

Financial Administrator - Kenya Medical Research Institute (RCTP/FACES Program)

(2013-08 - 2014-08)

Managed full accounting cycle for a multi-donor health program with focus on internal controls, compliance, and audit preparedness.

• Achieved zero major audit findings on a program managing over $2M annually in donor and GoK funds.
• Reduced payment cycle time by 20% by streamlining processes while maintaining strong internal controls.
• Implemented a robust asset register and tagging system, significantly improving accountability over program assets.
• Strengthened financial documentation accuracy by training field staff on compliance requirements.
• Successfully navigated complex donor and government reporting requirements, ensuring continuous funding.
• Streamlined invoice approval workflows, reducing manual effort and improving accuracy.

Lead Generator - Barclays Bank of Kenya

(2010-09 - 2011-12)

Gained foundational experience in financial analysis, credit assessment, and regulatory compliance within a commercial banking environment.

• Generated a robust pipeline of 150+ prospective SME clients for the bank.
• Referred clients with over KES 60M in initial deposits, contributing to the bank's deposit growth targets.
• Enhanced the client risk profiling template, improving credit assessment quality and reducing default risk.
• Maintained 100% compliance with KYC and AML requirements across all client onboarding processes.
• Built strong client relationships, resulting in repeat business and positive referrals.

Master of Science - Finance

Certified Public Accountant - Accounting