Public Sector Certified Auditor

2017-09-20 - 01:27

The Public Sector Certified Auditor is that person whose experience and professional qualification has qualified the holder of the designation to be appointed for performing audits of the financial statements of public institutions in order to ensure the correct management of public finances. The Public Sector Certified Auditors perform checks on the accounts of all public institutions. They ensure that their finances are healthy and that all legal and financial reporting standards were met.

To be eligible for Public Sector Certified Auditor level, candidates must have completed the Certified Accounting Technician level.

Certified Accounting Technician level is a common path for both certifications in the private and public sector. Candidates can choose if they want to be certified for the public sector.

Certified Auditors benefit from the following skills and you are able to:

  • Perform the operational financial management tasks internally within a public sector organization
  • Perform the planning and budgeting process by which is identified the total amount of resources to be mobilized
  • Set priorities and decisions on resource utilization as well as decisions on budget allocations for central and local level operating units
  • Prepare financial statements for external use for public sector organizations as an entity or as a group combination by applying IPSAS
  • Analyze and interpret the financial statements of public sector organizations using coefficients
  • Understand public revenue and expenditure as well as identify key tax systems and assess their impact on the public financial sector
  • Use the Financial Management Information System in Kosovo (KFMIS)
  • Evaluate data, weigh the strategic consequences of decisions, and advise on alternative directions of actions
  • Understand and carry out the process of corporate, systems, structures, networks, and policies governance, and procedures to achieve it
  • Describe the framework for internal public finance control in public sector organizations, its contribution to good governance, and its relations with the internal audit function
  • Describe how the risks to achieving good governance are managed
  • Perform the audit of state and public institutions in compliance with the International Standards on Supreme Audit Institutions (ISSAI's)

Qualification

There are two options to qualify as a 'Certified Public Sector Auditor' under the joint SCAAK-CIPFA scheme:

1) SCAAK members who have the designation 'Certified Auditor' and have 5 or more years of work experience in the public sector can gain the highest designation in SCAAK and CIPFA for the public sector, namely Public Sector Certified Auditor without undergoing to additional exams.

2) Can be qualified as Certified Accounting Technician at SCAAK and then have the opportunity to attend the professional training of this program which consists of six subjects.

  • University education: candidates must have at least a bachelor university degree.
  • Professional education: candidates must have attended the professional training of this program and must have completed all the examinations.
  • Practical experience: candidates must have at least 3 years of public sector experience in finance, auditing or equivalent positions. Practical experience can be gained before or after enrollment in the certification program but the designation can be gained only after all the certification program requirements have been met.
  • Code of Ethics: candidates must comply with the IFAC / IFAC Code of Ethics requirements.

Entry Requirements

  • Qualification as a Certified Accounting Technician
  • Three (3) years of work experience in the public sector

Syllabus for Certified Public Sector Auditor

The Certified Public Sector Auditor Training Qualification will cover the following subjects and topics:

Subject 1: Financial Management and Budgeting

Brief description of content

 
  • Financial management and treasury role in the public sector
  • Treasury Management
  • Investment Evaluation
  • Pricing
  • Risk
  • Management of working capital
  • Strategic Planning
  • Basic concepts of budget
  • Information System of Public Finance Management in Republic of Kosovo (ISPMFK)
  • National Budget
  • Budget preparation
  • Key aspects of the financing system in the municipal level

Subject 2: Public Sector Financial Reporting

Brief description of content

 
  • The nature of public sector organizations and their objectives
  • External financial reporting objectives within the public sector
  • The role and importance of IPSAS in public sector accounting and financial reporting
  • Presentation and explanation of IPSAS requirements
  • Applying accounting principles and techniques for the preparation of accrual financial statements
  • Combinations of groups with public services and preparation of accounting adjustments
  • Implementing standard financial coefficients

Subject 3: Public Finance and Information System

Brief description of content

 
  • Nature and characteristics of public expenditure
  • Sources of funding in public services, forms of revenue and capital funding
  • The origin and implications of public borrowing and debt in financial markets
  • The nature and impact of public borrowing and debt in financial markets
  • The tax theory and the nature of tax systems in different jurisdictions
  • ISPFMK Modules and Accounting Plan
  • Offset codes and Bank Account
  • Costs and Revenues
  • Internal Control of Public Finance in Republic of Kosovo

Subject 4: Strategic planning and policy development

Brief description of content

 
  • Business Strategy and Environmental Issues
  • Competitors, Customers and Stakeholders
  • Skills and strategic choices
  • Business Processes
  • Improving processes
  • Business and Electronic Marketing
  • Project Management
  • Leadership, performance and rewards
  • Managing strategic change and strategic development

Subject 5: Governance, Risk and Control

Brief description of content

 
  • Introduction to Governance and Control
  • Policy Structures in Public Sector
  • Legal and Administrative Structures
  • Strategy and Planning
  • Security
  • Governance and Accountability
  • Standards Principles in Public Life
  • Professional Standards
  • Risk Concepts
  • Risk Management Concepts
  • Strengthening Risk Management
  • Control Concepts
  • Control in Practice
  • Control of Transactions
  • Control of Assets
  • Control and Risks of Information Technology
  • Internal Control in Public Finance

Subject 6: Audit Methodology

Brief description of content

 
  • Quality Assurance
  • Risk Assessment
  • Planning and risk assessment
  • Audit planning and documentation
  • Introduction to audit evidence
  • Evidence
  • Internal Control
  • Test of controls
  • Internal Audit
  • Internal audit and outsourcing
  • Audit procedures and sampling
  • Non-current Assets
  • Inventory
  • Account Receivables
  • Cash and Bank
  • Liabilities, equity and directors compensation
  • Non-profit Organizations

Recognition with CIPFA

The program above has been developed in cooperation with CIPFA and the members of the Society are enabled to receive international designations through two ways. Thus during 2016, SCAAK has executed the MoU with CIPFA, whereby its members of the public sector have been enabled full membership in CIPFA. Already, 5 Certified Public Sector Auditors, members of the Society, will also be members of CIPFA, thereby gaining the right to work in other countries too, since with this double certification they have managed to meet all the requirements that emerge from international institutions for the public sector.