| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Security |
| Level | Manager |
| Reports to | Head of Security |
| Direct reports | Vigilance Officer |
| Experience | 8 to 12 years in vigilance, fraud investigation or internal audit |
Vigilance Manager job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Vigilance Manager
Department: Security
Reports to: Head of Security
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Vigilance Manager protects the company from fraud, theft and internal misconduct. Unlike physical security, this role investigates integrity breaches: procurement fraud, billing manipulation, collusion and policy violations. The person runs preventive vigilance checks, handles whistleblower complaints, gathers evidence, and supports disciplinary and recovery action. In an Indian corporate, bank or manufacturing setting the vigilance manager keeps processes honest. A good one closes cases fairly with solid evidence, recovers losses, and fixes the process gaps that let fraud happen in the first place.
Key responsibilities
- Investigate fraud, theft, kickbacks and policy violations with a fair, evidence-based method.
- Run preventive vigilance checks on high-risk processes such as procurement, billing and stores.
- Handle whistleblower and complaint intake, assess merit and decide which cases to pursue.
- Gather documents, system logs and statements, and build case files that stand up to scrutiny.
- Recommend disciplinary action, recovery and process fixes based on investigation findings.
- Conduct surprise audits and vendor and site checks to deter collusion and leakage.
- Coordinate with HR, legal, audit and finance on disciplinary and recovery cases.
- Track case status, closure and recovery, and report vigilance trends to leadership.
- Identify control gaps from closed cases and drive changes to plug repeat fraud.
- Maintain strict confidentiality and protect complainant identity throughout every investigation.
Requirements
- Graduate degree, in law, commerce or management preferred
- Training in fraud examination or audit an advantage
- Background in vigilance, audit or investigation
- 8 to 12 years in vigilance, fraud investigation or internal audit
KRAs and KPIs for a Vigilance Manager
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 |
|---|---|
| Case closure | Vigilance cases investigated and closed within the agreed timeline each quarter |
| Recovery | Recoverable amounts recovered or referred for action within the policy window |
| Preventive checks | Planned preventive vigilance audits on high-risk processes completed each quarter |
| Evidence quality | Case files complete enough to sustain disciplinary or legal action without rework |
| Process fixes | Control gaps from closed cases fixed within the agreed timeline |
| Complaint handling | Whistleblower complaints assessed and acknowledged within the defined period |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: ERP and audit trail reports, MS Excel, Case management tools, CCTV and access logs, Forensic document tools.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Chief Vigilance Officer, Head of Security, Head of Internal Audit
Interview questions for a Vigilance Manager
- How do you investigate a procurement fraud without alerting the suspects early?
- What makes an investigation report strong enough to support disciplinary action?
- How do you handle a whistleblower complaint that names a senior manager?
- Walk me through a preventive vigilance check on the purchase process.
- How do you protect a complainant's identity during an investigation?
- Tell me about a fraud you uncovered and the control gap behind it.
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What does a vigilance manager do?
A vigilance manager protects a company from fraud, theft and internal misconduct. They investigate integrity breaches such as procurement fraud and billing manipulation, run preventive checks on high-risk processes, handle whistleblower complaints and build evidence-based case files. They recommend disciplinary and recovery action and fix the control gaps that allowed the fraud to happen.
What is the difference between a vigilance manager and a security manager?
A security manager handles physical security: guards, access control, patrols and premises protection. A vigilance manager handles integrity risk: fraud, collusion, policy violations and internal misconduct, through investigation and preventive checks. One protects the site and people, while the other protects the company's processes and money from dishonesty inside the organization.
What qualifications does a vigilance manager need?
A graduate degree, often in law, commerce or management, is the base, and a fraud examination or audit qualification helps. Most vigilance managers come from vigilance, internal audit or investigation backgrounds. The role needs sharp analytical skills, sound judgement, strict confidentiality and the objectivity to follow evidence wherever it leads, including to senior people.