Internal Audit is a highly regarded discipline that adds huge value to a company by improving business and financial controls. By gaining exposure and reviewing a wide range of operational controls, an Internal Auditor will be providing recommendations that drive change in the business.

Working in Internal Audit can offer the opportunity to travel, learn about a business and increase your profile. You will work closely with senior management across a variety of operating units very early on in your career. You will generally be at the heart of the business and facilitate improvements in conjunction with the senior management team.

Internal Audit is often overlooked as a specialist career path or as a way of fast tracking your way into the commercial side of a business at a more senior level.

Need to know more? Please see our 5 reasons to consider an internal audit opportunity.

A GATEWAY TO TOP EMPLOYERS

Many leading PLC’s will use the Internal Audit team as a way of compiling a ‘talent pool' of candidates in their business. Internal Audit is seen as a gateway into these top businesses. In most cases the Internal Audit team has a flat structure and the goal is not to forge a long term Internal Audit career path – it is simply a way of learning the business before moving into other areas of finance at a more senior level. When speaking with Financial Controllers or Financial Directors – many had completed a spell as an Internal Auditor to fast track their career.

INCREASING YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE BUSINESS

If you want to really get to know a business inside out, a period in the Internal Audit function provides you with ample opportunity to achieve this. Talented audit professionals cultivate a strong, thorough understanding and broad perspective of all the functional areas of a company’s operations. Essentially you get a 'birds eye' view of the company and when it comes to job opportunities in other finance areas within the organisation, this understanding of the business will ensure you stand out against your peers when moving from Internal Audit.

AN OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE YOUR PROFILE

Internal Audit provides the candidate with the opportunity to raise their profile within the organisation. In this position you deal directly with senior management within the business, and in many cases you gain exposure to the board. What other finance role gives you that visibility so early in your career? You will cultivate strong working relationships with senior management that in time may present you with opportunities that are hugely desirable for your career. 

AN UNDERSTANDING OF RELEVANT CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

As internal opportunities arise, you are much more informed. You have gained unprecedented exposure to all levels of the business, both domestically and internationally, so you learned what is involved across the various teams, departments and business units. This provides you with the opportunity to make an informed decision on career steps as they arise in the business, as opposed to assuming a specific role is right for you now.

BETTER WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Internal Audit in a business differs significantly in comparison to an External Audit role in professional services firm, as you are not being charged out per hour to a client! There is a lot more down time, controlled project work and no month end process – it is quite common to work a more traditional '9am-5pm'. Simply put, the hours in Internal Audit are often more preferable to External Audit!  

To speak with a specialist consultant, contact Armont Recruitment on +353 1 556 3399 or hello@armont.ie