Internal Auditor

Job Description: Internal Audit, Process Review and Controller (Audit, Process Review and Transformation)

Harshad Group | Reports to: CFO Location: UAE

Job Summary

The Internal Auditor provides independent assurance and practical improvement across Harshad Group's operations. The role goes beyond checking documents and vouchers. It reviews the processes in detail, finds control gaps and inefficiencies, and works with process owners to redesign them so the business runs faster, safer, and with less rework.

The Internal Auditor’s scope includes process review of all aspects / departments of the group and its subsidiaries and reports findings with clear, costed recommendations that management can act on.

Key Responsibilities

1. Risk-Based Audit Planning

• Build and maintain an annual risk-based audit plan covering all business units, with a rolling quarterly schedule.
• Perform risk assessments on key processes and update the plan as the business changes.
• Agree audit scope, timing, and objectives with management before each review.

2. Financial and Compliance Audits

• Review and ensure the accuracy and completeness of month end MIS, transactions, journals, reconciliations, and month-end closing.
• Review compliance with company policies, approval limits, and delegation of authority.
• Review UAE regulatory compliance, including VAT, corporate tax, record retention, and any sector-specific obligations such as AML where they apply.
• Verify compliance with accounting standards (IFRS), including inventory valuation, provisions, fixed assets, and foreign currency.
• Support external audits by coordinating schedules and following up on management letter points.

3. Operational and Process Review

• Map processes end to end (procure to pay, order to cash, inventory and warehouse, payroll, expense claims, fixed assets, record to report) as they actually run, not only as written.
• Identify delays, duplicate steps, manual workarounds, rework, and unclear ownership.
• Test controls in practice: segregation of duties, approvals, system access, exceptions, and overrides.
• Compare actual performance with policy and with targets, using data rather than samples alone.

4. Process Transformation and Improvement

• Turn audit findings into redesigned processes, with a clear before-and-after view, owners, and timelines.
• Recommend and help implement automation and better use of Zoho Books, such as approval workflows, user roles, standard templates, and automated reconciliations.
• Write or update SOPs, checklists, and control matrices with process owners.
• Run workshops with departments to design simple, practical controls that do not slow the business.
• Quantify benefits of each recommendation in time saved, cost reduced, error rates, or risk lowered.
• Track adoption and measure results after changes go live.

5. Inventory, Procurement and Cash Controls

• Observe and test physical stock counts, cycle counts, and reconciliations to the system.
• Review purchase approvals, supplier selection, price benchmarking, goods receipt matching, and landed cost capture.
• Review stock adjustments, write-offs, aged stock, and provisioning for approval and proper support.
• Review cash, bank, petty cash, and customer credit controls.

6. Fraud Risk and Data Analytics

• Use data analysis in Excel, Zoho Books reports, or BI tools to test full populations, for example duplicate payments, split invoices, unusual journals, and dormant vendors.
• Assess fraud risks and review whistleblowing and escalation channels.
• Investigate suspected irregularities when assigned and report confidentially.

7. Reporting and Follow-Up

• Issue clear audit reports with scope, findings, root cause, risk rating, recommendation, owner, and due date.
• Present results to the CFO, management, and the Audit Committee or owners.
• Maintain an issue tracker and verify that agreed actions are closed on time.
• Report on audit coverage, open issues, and improvement results every quarter.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or a related field.
• Professional certification such as CIA, ACCA, CA, CMA, or CISA preferred.
• 4 to 8 years in internal audit, external audit, or finance with a control or process review focus. Trading, distribution, or retail experience is preferred.
• Experience with ERP systems. Zoho Books, SAP, Oracle, or similar is preferred.
• Experience designing or improving processes or controls, with examples of results delivered.
• Knowledge of IFRS and UAE VAT and corporate tax.
• Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups, and data analysis. Experience with BI or audit analytics tools is a plus.

Key Skills and Competencies

• Independent, objective, and willing to challenge senior people respectfully.
• Process thinking: spots root causes, not just symptoms.
• Commercial mindset: balances control with speed and cost.
• Clear writing and presentation for both finance and non-finance audiences.
• Influencing and change management: gets process owners to adopt changes.
• High integrity and confidentiality, given access to sensitive financial data.
• Organised, able to manage multiple reviews and deadlines.

Work Location: In person