Assistant Internal Audit Risk Management Jobs in California

We are seeking a highly experienced and motivated Director of Internal Audit to lead our internal audit function. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and implementing a risk-based internal audit plan focused on financial integrity, business process and IT controls, and financial governance, provide independent, objective assurance and consulting services designed to add value and strengthen the organization's control environment.

Reporting directly to the Audit Committee, you will work closely with the Board of Directors and senior management to ensure the effectiveness of financial risk management, business process and IT controls, and governance processes.

You will bring deep financial and operational audit expertise, exceptional leadership skills, and a disciplined approach to building a high-quality audit function that scales with the business. This role demands someone who can balance strategy with execution — a leader who can anticipate emerging risks, foster strong cross-functional partnerships, translate complex concepts into meaningful business insights, and be ready to operate at the lowest level of detail. You will collaborate across audit, compliance, legal/risk, and assurance functions to ensure coordination and coverage of the organization's risk landscape.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership:
• Design, build, and execute a risk-based annual internal audit plan focused on financial reporting risk, and business process risk, aligned to the organization's strategic goals and objectives and the Audit Committee's objectives.
• Provide leadership and direction to the co-sourced IA team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, professional development, and ethical conduct.
• Serve as a key advisor to the Audit Committee and executive leadership.
• Report to the Audit Chair on the internal audit function's activities, findings, and recommendations, with internal reporting to the CFO.
• Maintain clear scope boundaries with adjacent functions, including Technology Compliance, Information Security, and Legal/Enterprise Risk – to ensure coordinated coverage without duplication or gaps.
• Stay ahead of evolving regulatory and industry standards impacting cloud software providers.

• Enterprise Risk Management Partner:
• Partner with Enterprise Risk Management manager and leadership to enhance the company's risk assessment framework.
• Collaborate to identify emerging risks related to regulatory, cybersecurity, international operations, etc.
• Integrate risk insights into audit planning and business decision making.
  
• SOX, Internal Controls and Risk Management Support:
• Oversee the company's SOX 404 compliance program collaborating with co-sourced partners for scoping, testing and deficiency evaluation.
• Evaluate the design and operational effectiveness of the company's financial reporting controls business processes, process risk and governance processes.
• Identify control weaknesses and opportunities in financial and operational processes, and provide actionable recommendations to management.
• Work closely with the company's external auditors to coordinate on the SOX testing program and auditor reliance on Internal Audit.
• Contribute to the organization's broader risk awareness by sharing audit findings relevant to business and financial risk with the Enterprise Risk function, in support of the organization's evolving risk management maturity.
  
• Auditing:
• Plan, execute, and oversee financial and operational audits to ensure adherence to company policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements, and applicable auditing standards.
• Establish the scope, objectives, and approach to audits, applying a risk-based methodology that delivers timely results and high-quality audit deliverables. Review key audit workpapers, including planning documents, control testing, and audit reports, to ensure clear identification of financial risks, control deficiencies and root causes.
• Critically evaluate audit findings including root cause analysis and assessments of financial statement impact and exposure.
• Collaborate with the Chief Administrative and Legal Officer on investigations in the event of any instances of fraud, financial misstatement, waste, and abuse, and provide findings to the appropriate stakeholders.
• Ensure the reliability and integrity of financial and operational information across all in-scope business processes.

• Reporting and Communication:
  • Serve as a trusted advisor to the CFO, CAO, and business leaders on matters of financial internal control and business process governance.
  • Prepare and present clear, concise, and objective audit reports to senior management and the Audit Committee, detailing findings, recommendations, and management's action plans.
  • Communicate audit results across all organizational levels and follow up on the implementation of corrective actions.

Qualifications and Skills

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Certifications: Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) or Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation is strongly preferred.
• Experience:
• Minimum of 8-10 years of progressive experience in internal audit, with at least 3-5 years in a leadership role.
• Public company experience and understanding of compliance requirements.
• Experience in designing, building and executing risk-based audit plans.
• In-depth knowledge of internal control frameworks (e.g., COSO), internal audit standards, US GAAP, SOX, and PCAOB standards/external audit requirements.
• Experience working in a SaaS, subscription-based or consumption-based businesses is a plus.
• Skills:
• Strong technical expertise in both operational and financial and business process controls, including order-to-cash, procure-to-pay, record-to-report, and treasury cycles.
• Working familiarity with IT general controls and automated business process controls as they intersect with financial audit scope — sufficient to engage productively with the Technology Compliance and Information Security functions.
• Excellent project management and organization skills, including the ability to lead external financial internal audit team members, multi-task, and prioritize various workstreams simultaneously.
• Ability to manage differing perspectives, influencing positive outcomes, and build trusted relationships across finance, legal, operations and executive leadership.
• Strong leadership and team management abilities.
• Excellent analytical, critical thinking, and risk assessment skills.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to interact effectively with all levels of the organization, including the Board of Directors and Audit Committee with clarity and credibility.
• High level of integrity, professional ethics, objectivity, and professional skepticism. Proficiency in audit management software, GRC platforms and data analytics tools.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally if required.