Internal Controls Manager

A great UHY client is seeking an Internal Controls Manager . The ideal candidate will have 7+ years of progressive SOX and internal controls experience, a strong background in public accounting or external audit, and experience managing the full SOX lifecycle, ideally in a pre-IPO or public company environment.

The Internal Controls Manager role is a direct hire position. This is hybrid 2 days a week in Southfield, MI or remote.

Internal Controls Manager Responsibilities

• Own the administration and ongoing development of the organization's governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) platform, including Workiva.
• Configure and maintain control owner workflows, evidence requests, testing assignments, remediation tracking, and SOX status dashboards.
• Maintain risk and control matrices (RCMs), process narratives, control documentation, and evidence libraries as business processes, systems, and risks evolve.
• Lead control walkthroughs across key business cycles, including revenue, payroll, procurement, fixed assets, financial close, entity-level controls, and IT general controls.
• Interview process owners across Finance, Accounting, IT, Legal, and Operations to document control activities and assess control design.
• Manage the annual SOX testing program, including scoping, design effectiveness testing, operating effectiveness testing, remediation, and retesting.
• Coordinate with external auditors and SOX advisors, including walkthrough scheduling, evidence requests, PBC lists, and issue resolution.
• Evaluate control deficiencies, coordinate remediation plans, and monitor corrective actions through completion.
• Support management's annual internal control assessment and quarterly executive certifications, including coordination of management sub-certifications.
• Coordinate co-sourced internal audit activities, including testing scope, reliance strategies, and review of work products.
• Monitor emerging risks related to acquisitions, system implementations, personnel changes, and new accounting standards, updating controls and testing procedures as needed.
• Develop and deliver SOX awareness and training for control owners, including documentation, evidence retention, and deficiency escalation.
• Establish documentation standards for control narratives, RCMs, workpapers, and testing evidence, ensuring appropriate review and quality.
• Partner with accounting and finance transformation teams on policy documentation, process redesign, system implementations, and IPO readiness.
• Prepare quarterly SOX status reporting for senior leadership and governance committees, including testing progress, deficiencies, and remediation timelines.
• Identify opportunities to improve internal controls, standardize processes, and leverage technology and AI-assisted tools while maintaining appropriate quality reviews.

Internal Controls Manager Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required; master's degree or MBA preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in internal controls, SOX compliance, or external audit.
• CPA required; CIA preferred. Candidates without a certification may be considered with 10+ years of directly relevant experience.
• Experience at a Big 4 or large regional accounting firm strongly preferred, particularly in assurance or advisory with substantial SOX exposure.
• Demonstrated experience managing the full SOX lifecycle, from scoping and walkthroughs through design and operating effectiveness testing, deficiency evaluation, remediation, and management reporting.
• Pre-IPO SOX implementation or year-one SOX program experience highly preferred.
• Experience working with external auditors on public company SOX programs or IPO readiness initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of PCAOB auditing standards, the COSO 2013 Internal Control framework, and SEC reporting requirements.
• Hands-on Workiva GRC experience strongly preferred, including platform configuration, administration, and control documentation.
• Workday Financials experience is a strong plus, particularly familiarity with IT general controls, user access, change management, and segregation of duties.
• BlackLine experience is a plus.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Microsoft 365; experience with AI-assisted documentation and productivity tools is beneficial.
• Experience in a high-growth, multi-site, distributed, or private equity-backed organization preferred.
• Excellent written communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear control narratives, RCMs, workpapers, and executive-level reporting.
• Strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to influence process owners across Finance, Accounting, IT, Legal, and Operations.
• Ability to communicate SOX requirements and control expectations to non-technical audiences.
• Highly organized, analytical, and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and remediation initiatives.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-moving environment with evolving processes, ambiguity, and changing business needs.

UHY Advisors' Resource Solutions Group provides clients with accomplished professionals to support finance, accounting, internal audit and tax teams. Whether it is permanent placement, project work, loaned staff support or business process outsourcing–we are ready to meet your needs.

Our team has extensive experience with a wide range of clients from middle market, closely held organizations to large Fortune 500 companies. We focus on finance and accounting, internal audit, IT audit and tax. We offer direct, personal involvement from senior practitioners and strive to meet clients' needs rapidly.