| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Finance and Accounts |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | Internal Audit Manager |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | 2 to 5 years in internal or statutory audit |
Internal Auditor job description template
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Job title: Internal Auditor
Department: Finance and Accounts
Reports to: Internal Audit Manager
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
An Internal Auditor reviews how well a company's controls and processes work and reports what needs fixing. They run risk based audits across functions, test controls, form conclusions and write findings that drive improvement. The role reports to the Internal Audit Manager. A good Internal Auditor understands the process, tests the real risks, stays objective under pressure and writes findings that managers accept and act on rather than argue with.
Key responsibilities
- Plan and conduct risk based audits of assigned functions and processes.
- Understand and document the process, controls and key risks.
- Test whether controls are designed well and working in practice.
- Use sampling and data analysis to reach sound conclusions.
- Identify control gaps, non compliance and process weaknesses in scope.
- Discuss findings with process owners and agree corrective actions.
- Write clear audit findings with root cause and recommendation.
- Verify closure of past audit actions in the assigned area.
- Support fraud reviews and special assignments when asked by the manager.
- Maintain complete working papers to support and back every conclusion.
Requirements
- CA Inter, CMA Inter or B.Com
- Knowledge of controls and audit method
- CIA or CISA is an advantage
- 2 to 5 years in internal or statutory audit
KRAs and KPIs for a Internal Auditor
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Audit completion | Assigned audits completed within the plan schedule every quarter |
| Finding acceptance | Findings accepted with actions agreed at the closing meeting |
| Risk coverage | Key risks in the assigned process covered in every audit |
| Working papers | Working papers complete and reviewable for all conclusions |
| Action verification | Past actions in scope rechecked and status confirmed each audit |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Audit management software, IDEA or ACL, Advanced Excel, SAP, Flowcharting tools.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Internal Audit Manager, Risk Analyst, Financial Controller
Interview questions for a Internal Auditor
- How do you plan an audit of a purchase to pay process?
- How do you test that a control is actually working?
- How do you reach a conclusion from a sample?
- How do you write a finding that a manager will accept?
- How do you stay objective when the auditee pushes back?
- How do you spot a sign of possible fraud during an audit?
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What does an Internal Auditor do?
An Internal Auditor reviews how well controls and processes work and reports what needs fixing. They run risk based audits across functions, test controls, use data analysis, identify gaps and write findings with root causes. They agree corrective actions with process owners and report to the Internal Audit Manager.
What is a risk based audit?
A risk based audit focuses effort where the risk is highest rather than checking everything equally. The auditor understands the process, identifies the key risks and the controls that manage them, then tests those controls in depth. It gives more assurance on what matters and wastes less time on low risk areas.
What qualifications does an Internal Auditor need?
Most Internal Auditor roles ask for CA Inter, CMA Inter or a B.Com with knowledge of controls and audit method. Two to five years in internal or statutory audit is usual. A CIA or CISA certification is an advantage, along with comfort with data analysis tools and clear writing.