Management Skills for Internal Auditors

Auditors are usually promoted for technical skill. As managers they must then set priorities under limited resources, supervise engagements, develop staff, handle resistance from auditees, and report to senior management and the audit committee. Audit plans are often built from last year's plan, engagements overrun, findings are disputed, and recommendations stay open for months. The function risks being seen as a compliance checker rather than a trusted adviser.

This programme looks at internal audit as a function that must be managed like any other. It covers the function's strategy and mandate, the risk-based audit plan and resourcing, managing engagements as projects, leading and developing auditors, and communicating with stakeholders, including how to handle conflict and lead change in the organisation.

Built on recognised practice. The programme references the IIA Global Internal Audit Standards, in particular the principles for governing and managing the internal audit function, the IIA Three Lines Model, the COSO internal control and enterprise risk management frameworks and ISO 31000 risk management guidelines. They are used as reference points for management decisions, not as a technical audit manual.

Decisions this programme improves. Which areas to include in the audit plan and which to defer; how to match auditors and skills to engagements; when to use co-sourcing or specialists; how to handle a disputed finding; how to escalate unaddressed risks; which performance measures the chief audit executive and audit committee should review; and how internal audit can support organisational change without losing independence.

How it is delivered. Twenty hours across five sessions, built around one running case: an internal audit function in a public or semi-government organisation facing a new strategy, limited staff and demanding stakeholders. Participants build a risk-based plan, schedule resources, handle an engagement that is overrunning, run a difficult closing meeting and prepare an audit committee report.

In-house option. For organisations, the programme can be tailored to your own audit charter, methodology, audit management system and reporting lines, and used to review the function's plan and performance measures.

Who Should Attend

Internal audit managers and senior auditors leading engagements or teams

Chief audit executives and heads of internal audit in smaller functions

Risk management, compliance and governance staff who coordinate with internal audit

Quality and institutional excellence officers working with audit and assurance

Liaison officers responsible for communication between departments and internal audit

Objectives

Explain the strategic role and mandate of internal audit within governance and the three lines

Build a risk-based internal audit plan linked to organisational objectives and key risks

Estimate resource needs and decide between in-house, co-sourced and specialist support

Plan and control audit engagements as projects with scope, time and budget

Supervise and review audit work to maintain quality and consistency

Lead, coach and develop auditors with different levels of experience

Manage relationships and conflict with auditees and senior management

Communicate findings and recommendations persuasively and follow up on actions

Support organisational change and risk management while preserving independence

Define performance measures and a quality programme for the internal audit function

Course Outline

Internal Audit Strategy, Mandate and Governance

Purpose of internal audit and its role in governance
The three lines and coordination with risk, compliance and quality functions
Audit charter, mandate, independence and objectivity
Internal audit strategy, vision and stakeholder expectations
Relationship with the board, audit committee and senior management

Risk-Based Audit Planning and Resourcing

Building the audit universe and assessing risk
Linking the plan to strategy, objectives and emerging risks
Prioritising engagements and agreeing the plan
Resource and skills planning, co-sourcing and specialists
Budgeting and flexing the plan during the year
Use of data analytics and continuous monitoring in planning

Managing Audit Engagements as Projects

Engagement planning, scoping and work programmes
Scheduling, milestones and tracking time and budget
Supervision, review of working papers and quality control
Managing scope changes and delays
Audit management software and digital working papers
Closing engagements and lessons learned

Leading and Developing the Audit Team

From auditor to audit manager: changing role and expectations
Delegation, coaching and feedback
Competency frameworks and development plans for auditors
Motivation, workload and retention
Ethics, professional scepticism and team culture

Influence, Conflict and Demonstrating Value

Stakeholder mapping and building trust with auditees
Handling resistance, disputed findings and difficult meetings
Writing and presenting findings that lead to action
Follow-up, escalation and tracking of recommendations
Supporting change programmes and advisory work
Performance measures, quality assurance and improvement programme; action plan for your function

Competencies

Internal audit strategy and mandate

Risk-based audit planning

Audit resource and skills planning

Audit engagement management

Supervision and quality review of audit work

Audit team leadership and development

Stakeholder and conflict management

Persuasive audit reporting and follow-up

Internal audit performance measurement

Kuala Lumpur

Explore professional training in Kuala Lumpur across Elite Academy’s full range of disciplines. The city’s position as a well-established Southeast Asian business hub with strong international connectivity makes it an attractive international setting for scheduled courses and programs arranged to your preferred topic and dates. Elite Academy can deliver its full range of professional training programs in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Because the city is a well-established Southeast Asian business hub with strong international connectivity, it provides a strong international environment for participants from organizations as well as individual professionals. The courses shown on this page represent the programs currently scheduled in Kuala Lumpur; they do not limit what can be delivered there. If your preferred course or date is not listed, you can request any program from our portfolio to be arranged in Kuala Lumpur, subject to scheduling and delivery requirements.