Internal Audit Director

The Internal Audit Director is responsible for leading and managing the internal audit function across the organization, ensuring effective governance, risk management, internal controls, and compliance with company policies and applicable regulations.

The role provides independent and objective assurance on the effectiveness of business processes and controls across retail stores, warehouses, supply chain, procurement, finance, HR, and corporate functions. The Internal Audit Director will identify operational, financial, and compliance risks, recommend improvements, and support management in strengthening business performance and protecting company assets.

Internal Audit Strategy & Planning:

- Develop and implement the annual internal audit strategy and risk-based audit plan in alignment with the company's business objectives.

- Conduct regular risk assessments to identify key operational, financial, compliance, and fraud risks.

- Define audit priorities based on business impact, risk exposure, and organizational changes.

- Present the annual audit plan and major findings to senior management and the Audit Committee/Board, as applicable.

Audit Operations:

• Lead and oversee internal audits across all business functions, including:

  • Retail stores and store operations.

  • Warehouses and inventory management.

  • Supply chain and logistics.

  • Procurement and vendor management.

  • Finance and accounting.

  • Human Resources and payroll.

  • IT and systems.

  • Marketing and corporate functions.

• Review business processes, policies, procedures, and internal controls to assess their effectiveness and adequacy.

• Ensure audits are conducted in accordance with professional internal audit standards and company policies.

• Review audit reports and ensure findings are supported by appropriate evidence and root-cause analysis.

• Monitor the implementation of agreed corrective actions and follow up on outstanding audit findings.

Retail & Store Audit:

- Establish effective audit controls for retail operations, including cash management, sales transactions, discounts, refunds, stock movements, and store expenses.

- Conduct regular audits and surprise checks across stores.

- Identify operational inefficiencies, control weaknesses, inventory discrepancies, and potential fraud risks.

- Review compliance with company policies and operational procedures across the retail network.

- Work closely with Retail and Operations teams to improve controls and minimize financial and operational losses.

Risk Management & Compliance:

- Identify and assess key business risks and recommend appropriate mitigation plans.

- Evaluate compliance with internal policies, procedures, legal requirements, and regulatory standards.

- Support the development and enhancement of the company's risk management and internal control framework.

- Investigate suspected fraud, misconduct, policy violations, and significant control breaches when required.

- Maintain appropriate documentation and confidentiality throughout investigations and audit activities.

Inventory, Procurement & Supply Chain Controls:

- Review inventory controls, stock counts, transfers, receiving, dispatching, returns, and write-offs.

- Assess controls around procurement, purchasing approvals, vendor selection, contracts, and supplier payments.

- Identify risks related to inventory shrinkage, unauthorized transactions, supplier conflicts, and process inefficiencies.

- Recommend improvements to strengthen inventory accuracy and supply chain controls.

Financial & Operational Controls:

- Review financial and operational processes to ensure appropriate segregation of duties, approvals, reconciliations, and authorization controls.

- Assess the effectiveness of controls over company assets, expenses, revenue, and cash.

- Partner with Finance and other functions to strengthen financial controls and reduce potential losses.

Reporting & Stakeholder Management:

- Prepare clear and concise audit reports highlighting key findings, risks, root causes, and recommended corrective actions.

- Present significant audit findings and risk areas to senior management and the Audit Committee/Board.

- Provide regular reports on audit progress, key risks, findings, and remediation status.

- Build strong relationships with senior management and business leaders while maintaining audit independence and objectivity.

Team Leadership:

- Lead, develop, and manage the Internal Audit team.

- Set performance objectives and ensure effective allocation of audit resources.

- Coach and develop team members to strengthen their technical and analytical capabilities.

- Ensure the team maintains high professional and ethical standards.

Job Requirements:

- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.

- Professional certification such as CIA, CPA, ACCA, CISA, or equivalent is highly preferred.

- Minimum 10–15 years of relevant experience in internal audit, risk management, financial audit, or a related field.

- Proven experience in a senior internal audit leadership role , preferably within retail, FMCG, distribution, or a multi-site organization.

-Strong experience in retail/store audits, inventory controls, cash management, procurement, and operational audits.

-Experience managing audit teams and leading complex, cross-functional audit assignments.

- Strong knowledge of internal control frameworks, risk management, corporate governance, and audit methodologies.

- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, investigation, and decision-making skills.

- Strong communication, presentation, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.

- Excellent command of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint.

- Experience with ERP systems and audit/data analytics tools is an advantage.