Karen Bvunzawabaya
London,United Kingdom
Summary
Experienced professional specializing in external audit management and financial analysis, with a solid understanding of IFRS and GAAP standards. Proficient in tax compliance and audit reporting, employing advanced software to improve financial insights. Proven ability in risk assessment and project management, effectively leading teams while maintaining high customer service standards. Aiming to utilize leadership capabilities to contribute to organizational growth.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
13
13
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification
Work history
Assistant Audit Manager
Forvis Mazars in the UK
London Area
2024.03 - 2026.02
- Assisted audit team in developing strategies and plans for assignments.
- Managed audit tasks from initial planning to report finalisation within set deadlines.
- Monitored time usage to ensure adherence to budget constraints.
- Served as main contact for engagement leads.
- Enhanced internal processes to improve audit efficiency.
- Ensured compliance with standards and maintained complete audit files.
- Supported junior auditors to elevate overall team performance.
- Coordinated projects across departments to foster better collaboration.
- Drafted detailed audit reports offering essential insights into operations.
- Conducted thorough audits to guarantee compliance with industry regulations.
Audit Senior
Mazars in Botswana
Gaborone
2023.09 - 2024.03
- Secondment
Assistant Audit Manager
Mazars in Zimbabwe
2022.01 - 2024.03
- External audit, internal audit, compliance audit, sustainability audit, limited assurance, accounting, tax, , business advisory, corporate finance, corporate law, data entry, supervisor, planning and management;
- Planning, developing strategies and supervision of fieldwork team in all phases of an audit engagement
- Preparing financial statements and require disclosures in compliance with policy and regulations
- Performing planning, creating, and developing assignments
- Identifying and resolving assurance engagement
- Working closely with staff and partners on practice development and client management
- Performing reviews of audit working papers.
- Monitor engagement status and budget requirements for profitable and timely completion
- Research technical issues that arise during an engagement
- Develop and interact relationships with accounting staff, owners and directors
- Train and manage teams with or without any experience
- Carry out private and public audits of financial statements in accordance with IFRS standards
- Help clients implement and test ZIMCODe and best practices
- Listen to subordinates needs
- Report issues immediately to the engagement team and collaborate to resolve them
Audit Senior
Mazars in the UK
2023.01 - 2023.08
- Secondment
- Demonstrate the ability to lead and manage fieldwork on clients’ sites or remotely including liaising with other departments to ensure the smooth delivery of the Audit process and reporting directly to senior manager and/ or partner.
- Demonstrate Business Development skills and identify additional growth opportunities.
- Demonstrate an application and solution-based approach to problem solving.
- Demonstrate expertise in accounting frameworks e.g. UK GAAP and IFRS and in related financial reporting matters.
- Preparing pre-engagement documentations and risk assessment procedures in compliance with auditing standards and firm’s policies.
- Staffing & budgeting and monitoring the financial performance of projects, focusing on optimising profitability.
- Preparing detailed audit workplans based on the understanding of the clients’ processes, business and industry in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (“ISA”).
- Obtaining an understanding of companies’ policies and business processes and evaluating their control environments in order to assess their risk profiles.
- Develop, coach, mentor and share expertise with team members, providing stretch assignments to advance their capability.
- Provide technical knowledge, direction and training to engagement team members and help on complex issues.
Senior Audit Associate
Mazars in the UK
2022.01 - 2022.07
- Secondment
- Provision of external audit work from acceptance and scoping to completion using +Vantage, Caseware and Atlas audit software
- Zero accounting software
- Financial reports disclosure checks using Pentana by Ideagen
- Coaching junior members of staff;
- Preparing an audit file in accordance with the International Standards on Auditing (“ISA”) and Mazars standards.
- Preparing reports outlining the findings from audit work.
- Preparation of AQR questionnaires and reports
- Consolidation work and reporting on group audits
- Review of working papers of audit staff;
- Keeping partners up to date with progress of the audit;
- Coordinating audit work managing budget costs and timelines
- Communicating with client and monitoring requests using Huddle
- Client portfolio of over 10 clients during the period consisting of;
- Construction 19%
- Public limited entities 5%
- Financial services 25%
- Housing associations 9%
- Telecommunications 15%
- Energy 13%
- Charity 3%
Senior Associate Auditor
Nexia International
Harare
2020.12 - 2021.12
- Audit and assurance, Financial services compliance, Anti-money laundering & KYC due diligence, Accounting, Financial Statements, Judicial management, Corporate Law
- Client portfolio of over 10 clients;
- Financial services 42%
- Healthcare 24%
- State owned entities 9%
- Real estate 15%
- Law firms trust funds 10%
Audit Senior
Mazars in Zimbabwe
2019.02 - 2020.11
- Planning, developing strategies and supervision of fieldwork team in all phases of an audit engagement
- Preparing financial statements and require disclosures in compliance with policy and regulations
- Performing planning, creating, and developing assignments
- Identifying and resolving assurance engagement
- Working closely with staff and partners on practice development and client management
- Performing reviews of audit working papers.
- Monitor engagement status and budget requirements for profitable and timely completion
- Research technical issues that arise during an engagement
- Develop and interact relationships with accounting staff, CFOs, and Controllers
- Train and manage teams with or without any experience
- Carry out private and public audits of financial statements in accordance with IFRS standards
- Report issues immediately to the engagement team and collaborate to resolve them
Audit Assistant
Mazars
2018.02 - 2019.02
- Supporting the accounting and auditing team in their daily functions.
- Preparing and managing audit budgets.
- Verifying company financial information.
- Creating and managing internal auditing systems.
- Preparing audit reports and statements for company managers.
- Resolving client audit queries efficiently.
- Ensuring compliance with state and company best practices.
- Training and mentoring Audit Interns.
Retail Till Operator
OK Zimbabwe Limited
Harare
2017.02 - 2018.01
Education
Master of Business Administration - MBA - Business Administration, Finance and Managing Operations
University of East London
London, United Kingdom 2024.04 - 2025.08
ACCA - Accounting and Finance
ACCA
United Kingdom 2024.04 - 2025.12
Bachelor of Accountancy Honors - Accountancy
University of Zimbabwe
Harare, Zimbabwe 2018.09 - 2022.12
A level - Mathematics, Accounting & Business Studies
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Girls High School
Harare, Zimbabwe 2015.02 - 2016.11
O level - Sciences and commercials double merger
Fort Victoria High School
Masvingo, Zimbabwe 2011.01 - 2014.11
Skills
- External audit management
- IFRS proficiency
- IFRS proficiency
- GAAP proficiency
- VAT preparation
- Financial Analysis
- Audit reporting
- Audit and accounting software
- Financial acumen
- Risk Assessment
- Financial acumen
- Project Management
- Team Leadership
- Effective leadership
- Resilience under pressure
- Customer Service
Certification
- LEO Membership
- Draftworx
- Customer care
- Leadership
- Sustainability
Languages
Shona (Native or Bilingual)
English (Native or Bilingual)
References
Mustafa O. Sharara - Audit Manager
Forvis Mazars in the UK, London,
Mustafa.Sharara@mazars.co.uk
Munyaradzi Kambati - Audit Manager
Forvis Mazars Zimbabwe, Harare
Munyaradzi.Kambati@mazars.co.zw
Timeline
Master of Business Administration - MBA - Business Administration, Finance and Managing Operations
University of East London
2024.04 - 2025.08
ACCA - Accounting and Finance
ACCA
2024.04 - 2025.12
Assistant Audit Manager
Forvis Mazars in the UK
2024.03 - 2026.02
Audit Senior
Mazars in Botswana
2023.09 - 2024.03
Audit Senior
Mazars in the UK
2023.01 - 2023.08
Assistant Audit Manager
Mazars in Zimbabwe
2022.01 - 2024.03
Senior Audit Associate
Mazars in the UK
2022.01 - 2022.07
Senior Associate Auditor
Nexia International
2020.12 - 2021.12
Audit Senior
Mazars in Zimbabwe
2019.02 - 2020.11
Bachelor of Accountancy Honors - Accountancy
University of Zimbabwe
2018.09 - 2022.12
Audit Assistant
Mazars
2018.02 - 2019.02
Retail Till Operator
OK Zimbabwe Limited
2017.02 - 2018.01
A level - Mathematics, Accounting & Business Studies
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Girls High School
2015.02 - 2016.11
O level - Sciences and commercials double merger
Fort Victoria High School
2011.01 - 2014.11