Senior internal auditors head up a company’s auditing team, keeping a close eye on the company’s finances. Internal auditors examine a company’s books for inefficient practices and help come up with solutions that make the company more effective. They also handle the company’s taxes and make sure it is in compliance with all relevant legislation.
Make sure that your company’s senior internal auditor job description addresses the most important skills necessary for the position. These include a sharp analytical mind and communication proficiency. Since you trust your auditor to recommend courses of action that will benefit the company, the right person for the position has the ability to make tough decisions.
To find someone with the right experience and skills, your senior internal auditor job description has to be specific and also appealing for applicants. Use the example below to get started and to discover additional information.
Senior Internal Auditor Job Summary
Do you love puzzles, problem-solving and research? Does math flow through your veins? A position in internal auditing is your opportunity to keep a company running at peak efficiency as you anticipate future circumstances. If you’re a person who doesn’t shy away from responsibility, this is the perfect career for you to use your judgement in company policies. As the senior internal auditor, you work under the internal auditing manager and have the opportunity to supervise and lead multiple teams within the department. There’s nothing more exciting than learning how a company works, sifting through its data, finding potential pitfalls and correcting them, and that’s what you get to do every day with us.
Job Responsibilities
- Lead planned audits into the company, including organizing teams, inspecting accounts, checking compliance with applicable laws, detecting ineffective or inefficient practices and verifying financial records
- Organize and present meaningfully detailed reports to communicate the results of an audit to company management
- Supplement written reports with suggestions for changes in policy
- Communicate with other departments to verify records and confirm company policies
- Evaluate company inventory, records, worker statements, assets, payrolls, cash on hand, insurance, tax statements and annuities, and use the information to guide financial policy
- Decide whether the company’s financial actions and policies reflect its intentions, and make judgment calls to improve the company’s trajectory if need be
- Research federal and state financial laws and examine the company’s books to ensure compliance, and inform management immediately if there is a discrepancy
- Review past data, stay informed about new developments and be prepared to integrate changing books into a current policy
Job Skills & Qualifications
Reqiured:
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance or another related field
- CIA certification
- At least 5 years of experience in private or public accounting or auditing
- Mathematical, analytical, communication (written and oral), time management, decision making and leadership skills
Preferred:
- Proficiency with auditing software
Senior Internal Auditor Job Responsibilities
One of the most important sections of your senior internal auditor job description is the job responsibilities portion. Just as the work experience section of a resume is essential for applicants to show what value they are bringing to the table, listing required and expected responsibilities lets jobseekers know what is involved with the position. Each duty should explicitly convey details so the applicant can picture him or herself in the job.
Use bullet points to improve the readability of this section, and the number of included tasks should be between six and eight. This gives a good idea of what the job entails without overloading the candidate with information. Include specific responsibilities and leave out general things in order to keep your senior internal auditor job description focused on the role.
Some common duties you may want to include in your senior internal auditor job responsibilities section are:
- Perform data analytics to identify unusual patterns or trends and investigate remarkable findings
- Develop audit programs to assess internal risks and controls; review and perform tests to ensure comprehensible documentation of audit findings
- Work with management and other members of the auditing team to recommend ways to drive efficiencies and reduce risk in order to made a positive impact on the company’s bottom line
- Supervise junior auditors to ensure professional standards and success of internal projects
Senior Internal Auditor Job Specifications
While the responsibilities section of your senior internal auditor job description is an essential part of finding the right employee, the qualifications and skills section is just as important. It is a shorter part, but if you write it correctly you can save yourself a lot of time by narrowing down the applicant pool. Ideally, it should include both required skills and preferred aptitudes so you find applicants who are fully qualified and know what is needed to be successful in the position.
It may seem overwhelming to narrow down the skills necessary for the job, and it often helps to discuss the role with others who have worked in the same position before. Meet with the management team as well and come up with a list of 6-8 qualifications that are imperative to the job. A senior internal auditor job description that is this detailed will attract the perfect jobseekers.
Common senior internal auditor job specifications may include:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Minimum of three years’ experience in audit or consulting preferred
- CPA, CISA or CIA preferred
- Strong negotiation and problem-solving skills
- Excellent active listening, written communication and verbal communication skills
- Great team player with ability to work independently when necessary
- Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills