Audit Manager (Plant Operations)

Position Overview

The Audit Manager – Plant Operations is responsible for leading, planning, and executing operational, financial, and compliance audits across Mega Prime Foods’ manufacturing plants, processing facilities, and supply chain hubs in Zamboanga City.

This role ensures that internal controls, manufacturing processes, inventory management, food safety standards, and financial reporting comply with company policies, industry regulations, and statutory requirements. The Audit Manager plays a critical role in identifying operational inefficiencies, preventing loss/fraud, and driving continuous process improvements within high-volume food production environments.

Key Responsibilities

1. Plant & Operational Auditing

• Develop and execute annual risk-based audit plans targeting plant operations, raw material procurement, fish processing/canning lines, cold storage, and distribution.
• Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of manufacturing workflows, yield rates, waste management, and scrap controls.
• Conduct regular and unannounced physical stock counts, inventory reconciliations, and fixed asset verifications across warehouses and production floors.

2. Internal Controls & Risk Management

• Assess the adequacy and design of internal controls over plant-level financial transactions, procurement cycles, payroll, and maintenance expenditures.
• Identify operational risks, control deficiencies, and potential avenues for fraud, theft, or material shrinkage.
• Recommend practical, cost-effective control improvements to plant managers and executive leadership.

3. Compliance & Quality Assurance Audits

• Audit plant compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), environmental regulations, and local labor laws.
• Ensure adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs) regarding raw material receiving, quality control inspections, and batch traceability.
• Collaborate with Quality Assurance (QA) and Safety teams during joint operational reviews.

4. Reporting & Stakeholder Management

• Draft detailed, objective audit reports detailing findings, root causes, business risks, and actionable remediation plans.
• Present audit results and metrics to Plant Management, the Audit Committee, and Executive Leadership.
• Track and perform follow-up audits to verify that management action plans are implemented effectively and on schedule.

5. Team Leadership & Governance

• Lead, mentor, and supervise plant audit staff and field auditors in Zamboanga City.
• Foster high ethical standards, objectivity, and professional skepticism within the audit team.
• Assist in updating audit manuals, toolkits, and computer-assisted audit techniques (CAATs) tailored to food manufacturing.

Key Qualifications & Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Accountancy, Finance, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.

• Certifications: Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) is strongly preferred.

• Experience:

  • Minimum of 6–8 years of internal/external audit experience, with at least 3 years in a managerial or supervisory role.
  • Direct experience in food processing, FMCG, manufacturing, or heavy industrial plant auditing is required.
  • Familiarity with Zamboanga processing operations, seafood canning, or agricultural supply chains is a distinct advantage.

• Technical Skills:

  • Deep understanding of internal control frameworks (COSO), risk assessment methodologies, and plant accounting principles.
  • Proficiency with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, or Microsoft Dynamics) and audit data analytics software.
  • Sound knowledge of manufacturing metrics (OEE, yield ratios, BOM variances, standard costing).

• Languages: Fluency in English and Tagalog; proficiency in Chavacano or local dialects is beneficial for floor-level interactions.

Key Competencies

• Analytical Rigor: Ability to analyze complex production data, identify anomalies, and trace root causes quickly.
• Integrity & Independence: Maintains absolute objectivity and firm adherence to corporate ethics under operational pressure.
• Communication & Negotiation: Skilled at communicating complex findings constructively to both factory operators and executive leaders.
• Problem-Solving: Focused on practical solutions that balance strict control requirements with operational agility.