Charlene Cao

A Certified Public Accountant with nearly 2 years of experience in IT Audit at SGV (EY Philippines). Experienced in IT General Controls (ITGC), SOX Compliance, and SOC engagements, with strong exposure to risk assessment, controls testing, and audit documentation, across industries such as telecommunications, wealth and asset management, technology, and engineering, construction and homebuilding. Proven ability to work with cross-functional teams and able to work well under pressure and with minimal supervision.

Experienced senior-role responsibilities, including leading and mentoring staff. Seeking a fully remote or hybrid role in IT audit, risk or compliance.

Assurance Associate at SyCip Gorres Velayo & Co. (EY Philippines) (2024-09 – 2026-07)

• Performed IT General Controls (ITGC) testing across key areas including user access management, change management and IT Operations
• Leadership role as a senior in an ITGC engagement
• Supported SOX 404 compliance engagement by evaluating design and operating effectiveness of internal controls
• Assisted in SOC 1 and SOC 2 engagements, including leading walkthroughs, testing and documentation of control activities
• Coordinate with client communications including addressing audit clarifications
• With experience as a preparer and a reviewer of audit workpapers in accordance with firm and regulatory standards
• With experience in preparing Management Letter of Comments (ML) and IT Summary Review Memorandum (SRM)
• Utilized audit tools and data analysis techniques to enhance efficiency of audit procedures

Freelance at Self-Employed (2023-11 – 2024-08)

• Conducting tutoring sessions with senior high school and college students for basic accounting, financial accounting and financial planning and analysis
• Assisted in bookkeeping of a small business

Financial Analyst III (Contract of Service) at Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office V (2023-08 – 2023-11)

• Reviewing and verifying disbursement vouchers
• Encoding of journal entries in eNGAS
• Preparing transmittal of liquidation reports and documents to COA
• Preparing weekly monitoring report of funds
• Preparing month-end and quarterly-end reports for submission to NPMO
• Ensuring accuracy, correctness, consistency and completeness of financial reports
• Reconciliation of Statement of Sources and Uses of Funds and variance analysis of use of funds
• Preparing monthly bank reconciliations and PPE reconciliation
• Ensuring that Request for Fund Release (RFRs) are promptly processed for timely release of funds to beneficiaries

Accounting Intern at Asian + Council of Leaders, Administrators, Deans and Educators in Business (ACLADEB) (2021-10 – 2021-12)

• Served as the Team Leader directing and reviewing the output of our group attaining a grade of 1.0
• Performed bookkeeping of business transactions using Wave Accounting and Microsoft Excel
• Engaged in accomplishing source documents
• Overseeing all data entries, ensuring accuracy and compliance
• Generating and analyzing the reports in the Wave accounting and accomplishing the Financial Statements as well as the related Notes to Financial Statements

Bachelor of Science in Accountancy in Accountancy – Bicol University – College of Business, Economics and Management (2018-06 – 2022-07)