How to hire an internal audit director

How to hire an internal audit director, step by step

Here's a step-by-step internal audit director hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an internal audit director job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new internal audit director
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an internal audit director do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your internal audit director job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an internal audit director for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an internal audit director to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an internal audit director that fits the bill.

   This list presents internal audit director salaries for various positions.

   Type of Internal Audit Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Internal Audit Director	Accountants and auditors prepare and examine financial records. They ensure that financial records are accurate and that taxes are paid properly and on time... Show more	$39-96
   Auditor Supervisor	An auditor supervisor is a financial professional who manages a staff of audit professionals and controls consulting engagements that evaluate the management and operating practices of a corporate. This supervisor is required to supervise audit planning and fieldwork as well as communicates findings and recommendations to senior management... Show more	$28-55
   Audit Internship	An audit intern is responsible for assisting the finance department in processing financial reports, analyzing account statements, releasing invoices, and conducting tax audits. Audit interns shadow tenured staff on the operation procedures to familiarize themselves with work processes... Show more	$15-34

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CPA
   • Internal Controls
   • Risk Management
   • Audit Reports
   • SOX
   • Audit Committee
   • External Auditors
   • Sarbanes-Oxley
   • Financial Statements
   • Ethics
   • Audit Findings
   • GAAP
   • Control Environment
   • Internal Audit

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Implement COSO framework to achieve objectives relate to financial reporting, regulatory compliance, and operational effectiveness and efficiency.
   • Manage Sarbanes-Oxley implementation and internal audit outsourcing and co-sourcing activities for clients in multiple industries including financial services and manufacturing companies.
   • Develop internal audit risk assessments base on COSO internal control framework.
   • Establish internal quality control standards which enable maximum SOX reliance strategy by external auditors resulting in reduce external audit fees.
   • Review detailed work papers and reports in accordance with the department and IIA standards.
   • Establish compliance program which include all internal company investigations and ethics training for all employees.

   More internal audit director duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your internal audit director job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An internal audit director can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, internal audit directors' average salary in hawaii is 50% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level internal audit directors 59% less than senior-level internal audit directors.
   • Certifications. An internal audit director with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an internal audit director's salary.

   Average internal audit director salary

   $129,717yearly

   $62.36 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level internal audit director salary

   $83,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average internal audit director salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$164,677	$79
   2	California	$163,585	$79
   3	Washington	$154,320	$74
   4	District of Columbia	$148,260	$71
   5	New Jersey	$145,605	$70
   6	Massachusetts	$138,074	$66
   7	Virginia	$137,870	$66
   8	Michigan	$137,707	$66
   9	Georgia	$122,106	$59
   10	Colorado	$121,190	$58
   11	Arizona	$115,678	$56
   12	Texas	$115,303	$55
   13	Illinois	$114,387	$55
   14	Connecticut	$114,365	$55
   15	North Carolina	$113,660	$55
   16	Ohio	$105,858	$51
   17	Nevada	$104,830	$50
   18	Utah	$100,305	$48
   19	Florida	$99,093	$48

   Average internal audit director salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Citi	$193,067	$92.82	1
   2	Meta	$186,237	$89.54	7
   3	Pure Storage	$184,104	$88.51
   4	Victory Capital	$177,915	$85.54
   5	Revlon	$177,549	$85.36
   6	Walmart	$176,453	$84.83	4
   7	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$175,842	$84.54	40
   8	Cambridge Associates	$173,303	$83.32
   9	BNY Mellon	$172,147	$82.76	6
   10	Evercore	$170,939	$82.18
   11	Barclays	$164,915	$79.29	2
   12	Children's Minnesota	$164,005	$78.85
   13	First Republic Bank	$163,495	$78.60
   14	Starbucks	$157,695	$75.81
   15	Morgan Stanley	$156,257	$75.12	9
   16	CPI Card Group	$156,008	$75.00	1
   17	Carle Foundation	$155,534	$74.78	7
   18	Silicon Valley Bank	$154,038	$74.06
   19	James River Ins	$154,025	$74.05	1
   20	Intuit	$150,743	$72.47	3

4. Writing an internal audit director job description

   A good internal audit director job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an internal audit director job description:

   Internal audit director job description example

   Who we are:
   Want to make an impact? Join our pack and come work (and play!) with us.
   
   We believe everyone deserves the unconditional love of a pet-and at Rover, our mission is to make it easier to experience that love. Founded in 2011, the Rover app and website connect dog and cat parents with loving pet sitters and dog walkers in neighborhoods across the US, Canada, and Europe. We empower our community of trusted pet sitters and dog walkers to run their own pet care businesses on Rover with the tools and security of a global company to back them.
   
   Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, we work closely with our teams in Barcelona, London, San Antonio, Spokane and remote locations. We've got a reputation for being a great place to work, having been named among the 100 Best Companies to Work For in Seattle Business Magazine and Washington's Best Workplaces in the Puget Sound Business Journal. We're an agile, fast-growing company, and our leadership comes from some of the world's most respected tech companies.
   
   At Rover, our furry coworkers are just as important as our human ones-and we wouldn't have it any other way. Along with making the joys of pet parenthood more accessible, we're committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming community of pet people-and that starts with our employees.
   
   This position is approved for remote work in the following states only: WA, WI, TX, MT, and FL.
   
   Who we're looking for:
   
   Rover has seen tremendous growth and success over its ten-year history, including our entry into the public markets in the summer of 2021. We are seeking an experienced leader, reporting to both the CFO and the Audit Committee, to direct our internal audit function and build out a high-performing team of auditors. The primary responsibility of this role would be to lead our SOX compliance program, initially directing a team of outsourced internal auditors and then managing the transition to an in-house testing team, and to coordinate the company's response to external audit requirements under SOX s404(b). Over time, we expect the internal audit function to take on additional responsibilities including, but not limited to, business and IT risk assessments, business process reviews and other compliance audits. The role will require deep expertise in SOX compliance and auditing, the ability to understand and assess risk within a complex IT environment, and sophisticated project management skills. The ideal candidate is a self-starter and effective communicator, has strong organizational and analytical skills, thrives on the opportunity to work with a large and diverse set of stakeholders, and is able to balance objective assessment with constructive feedback for stakeholders.
   Your Qualifications:10+ years experience in internal audit and risk management, with recent experience in a senior level audit leadership role within a publicly traded company or Big 4 accounting firm Bachelors degree or equivalent in accounting or business-related field; CIA, CPA , CISA or other relevant professional certification expected Practical knowledge of and experience with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the COSO (Committee of Sponsoring Organizations) control framework Ability to establish strategies, build plans and develop/manage a team of auditors Excellent communication skills to build strong relationships with a broad range of stakeholders across the business and to present findings effectively to senior leadership and directors Demonstrated ability to interact effectively with various levels of the organization (up to and including executives and directors), service providers, and vendors Problem solver who loves to continuously learn and who isn't afraid to take on new challenges, while knowing when to ask for help Results-oriented, with a track record of scaling, leading, and driving improvements
   Your Responsibilities:Oversee the development and execution of the company's SOX compliance program, including the identification of in-scope processes/systems and the design of the annual testing cycle Manage our existing outsourced internal auditors while building out a team of in-house auditors, then coordinate the transition from the outsourced to the in-house model Act as the key point of contact for the company's external auditors and process owners on all matters related to SOX compliance, including evaluation and resolution of identified control deficiencies Coordinate with IT leadership & GRC on the design, implementation and evaluation of IT general and automated system controls, configurations and key reports Report on the status of our SOX compliance program to senior leadership and the Audit Committee, including evaluation of identified control deficiencies Prepare periodic risk assessments, identify areas of opportunity for improvements in processes and controls, and provide appropriate training to internal stakeholders As necessary, plan and execute audit procedures to assess compliance with PCI-DSS, GDPR, and other regulations (aside from SOX) that might be applicable to the company
   Benefits of working at Rover: Competitive compensation 401k Match Equity Flexible PTO Competitive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision insurance Commuter benefits Bring your dog to work (and unlimited puppy time) Pet benefits, including $1,000 toward adopting your first dog or cat Stocked fridges, coffee, soda, and lots of treats (for humans and dogs) and free catered lunches semi-monthly (currently on hold due to COVID-19) Regular team activities, including happy hours, snow tubing, game nights, and more (currently performed virtually due to COVID-19)
   Rover is an equal opportunity employer committed to promoting a diverse, inclusive and inventive environment with the best employees. We're driven by seeing our people succeed and grow, and we work to ensure everyone contributes to their fullest potential. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, disability, protected veteran status, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable laws, regulations and ordinances.
   
   We are committed to work with you to look for reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right internal audit director for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your internal audit director job on Zippia to find and recruit internal audit director candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as efinancialcareers, financialjobsweb.com, careerbank, financial job bank.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with internal audit director candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new internal audit director

   Once you've decided on a perfect internal audit director candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new internal audit director. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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