The Role and Educational Requirements of a City Auditor

Brenda D. Roberts is a resident of Oakland, CA, and has extensive experience working in local government, including as City Auditor for the City of Oakland. Her training and education prepared her for the challenges of the role of City Auditor.

The primary responsibilities of a City Auditor include the management and direction of financial and performance audits of programs sponsored by the city. The City Auditor has a team of professionals trained in auditing, accounting, fraud investigations and IT systems to conduct these audits, reviews and investigations.

To take on the job of City Auditor a person should first acquire the technical knowledge in accounting, information systems or other related area. Each city or region has identified specific job requirements for the auditor role. But most insist on several years of experience as an accountant or auditor, a credential, such as the CPA license or the Certified Internal Auditor certificate, and several years of management experience.

As the City Auditor has the responsibility for ensuring accuracy and transparency of program spending, he/she must have above average skills in accounting, attention to detail, and organization. And City Auditors must also be well-versed in local, state, and federal laws regarding a municipal government’s financial activities.

Oakland’s Zero Waste Environmental Plan

Flat lay arrangement of zero waste lettering Free Photo

Brenda D. Roberts holds an MBA in Finance from Golden Gate University and is a Project Manager with RGP, a financial and compliance services provider. During her career, Brenda Roberts served as the City Auditor for the City of Oakland. During her tenure, she audited the ‘Zero Waste’ program, a multi-million-dollar activity within the Public Works Department, to evaluate the effectiveness of the contracting process.

In 2006, the City of Oakland decided to adopt a strategy to achieve a ‘Zero Waste’ goal by 2020. This plan was developed with a focus on five strategies that would work together to reach its goal.

The plan started with developing and expanding the current recycling, waste, and composting facilities in both local and regional locations. The main focus of this strategy was to maximize programs for recycling that were already in place, as fully recyclable materials were still routed to local landfills.

The City then developed new incentives and rules to encourage residents to recycle whenever possible to reduce the burden on the diminishing landfill sites. The main goal of this strategy was to adopt a new waste management system focused on the reduction of waste.

Sustainability and green construction were also included in the plan, which focused on the preservation of land with an increase in the volume of materials recovered. In turn, this strategy would also create more jobs and bolster the economy.

Advocating for more responsible manufacturing and production was crucial for the success of this plan. The City leaders wanted manufacturers of building materials and developers to assume more responsibility for their product waste.

The final strategy focused on education and awareness, which was a multi-faceted approach: to gain acceptance from residents and change their behavior, by offering more recycling options, and then to encourage better building and development practices through progressive laws and regulations. In the end, the objective was to make the conversation around ‘Zero Waste’, less political and more casual so that ‘Zero Waste’ would emerge as common and accepted daily practice.

Internal Auditors Can Now Access Three New Internal Auditor Blogs

A compliance project manager at RGP, Brenda D. Roberts provides financial compliance solutions for clients in the bio-tech and high-tech sectors. Brenda Roberts also served several terms as a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors International Committee, where she promoted student programs focusing on the career of internal auditors.

The Institute of Internal Auditors (The IIA) recently announced the launch of three new blogs on its InternalAuditor.org website. In coordination with Internal Auditor Magazine, the new online channels will provide content seeking to entertain, educate, and engage, including the blog post “Reflections on the Path to CAE.” Other posts focus on career building and an intimate glimpse into the lives of internal auditors at and away from work.

The new lineup on The IIA’s new Your Voices platform shares ideas and opinions from internal audit professionals worldwide. Each blog regularly publishes new content, with On the Frontlines and Building a Better Auditor publishing every other week, while ‘IAm’ features new posts on Thursdays.

Examining the Future of Enterprise Risk Management Strategies

Brenda D. Roberts is from Oakland, California, and has been working in the Finance sector for more than two decades. Throughout her career, Brenda Roberts has gained experience in many areas of business, including Enterprise Risk Management, which is a critical function towards the success of any organization.

Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) refers to the regular in-depth review of risks that could potentially impact a company. Identifying these risks and then setting up plans to address them is a best practice for strong business management. ERM refers to the process of risk review and the corresponding plans so that management is best prepared for future disasters by assessing the risks and formulating a plan to manage and mitigate.

To prepare for the future companies must ensure that their technological capabilities are adequate. With remote working exploding and cloud technology advancing, it is essential that companies focus on preparing themselves for the future. The right infrastructure and software applications will be a major part of future success.

Along with this technology and shift to online work comes the extra need for security from cyber threats. Companies must ensure that they have adequate internet security in place and that employees are trained and familiar with security protocols. As the trend to store data and information in the cloud increases, additional consideration should be given to the security measures for the storage and retention of this data.