Torchora
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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Field Auditor

💰 $55,000 - $85,000

AuditComplianceFinanceOperationsField Services

🎯 Role Definition

As a Field Auditor, you are the frontline of our corporate governance and operational excellence initiatives. You will be a key player in ensuring consistency, compliance, and integrity across our network of locations. This dynamic role requires a blend of analytical rigor, investigative curiosity, and strong interpersonal skills. You will travel to various sites to perform comprehensive audits, identify risks, and collaborate with local management to implement effective solutions. The ideal candidate is an autonomous, highly organized professional who thrives on making a tangible impact and safeguarding the company's assets and reputation.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Staff Accountant / Junior Accountant
  • Inventory Control Specialist
  • Retail Store Manager / Assistant Manager

Advancement To:

  • Senior Field Auditor
  • Internal Audit Manager
  • Compliance Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Loss Prevention Manager
  • Operations Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Execute comprehensive on-site operational, financial, and compliance audits at designated company locations, including retail stores, service centers, or distribution hubs, according to a planned schedule.
  • Perform detailed physical inventory counts and reconcile them with system records to identify discrepancies, investigate root causes of shrinkage, and ensure inventory accuracy.
  • Thoroughly examine and verify financial transactions, cash handling procedures, bank deposits, and petty cash reconciliations to ensure adherence to corporate financial policies.
  • Evaluate operational processes and employee practices against established company policies, procedures, and external regulatory requirements to identify areas of non-compliance and operational inefficiency.
  • Prepare and present detailed, clear, and concise audit reports that summarize findings, identify risks, and provide actionable, value-added recommendations for improvement to location and regional management.
  • Proactively track and follow up on the implementation of corrective action plans resulting from previous audits to ensure identified issues are resolved effectively and in a timely manner.
  • Manage extensive travel schedules, often requiring overnight stays, to conduct audits across a designated geographic territory in a cost-effective and efficient manner.
  • Provide on-site coaching and training to location staff regarding company policies, best practices for cash management, inventory control, and loss prevention to foster a culture of compliance.
  • Conduct special investigations and targeted reviews into potential fraudulent activities, policy violations, or significant operational breakdowns as directed by management.
  • Build and maintain strong, professional relationships with field management and staff, fostering a collaborative and constructive environment for continuous improvement.
  • Assist in the annual audit planning process by providing input on risk assessment based on field-level insights, helping to define audit scope and scheduling for assigned locations.
  • Perform detailed testing of key internal controls over financial reporting (in line with SOX compliance where applicable) and operational processes to assess their design and operating effectiveness.
  • Utilize data analytics tools and techniques to analyze large datasets from Point of Sale (POS), inventory, and financial systems to identify trends, anomalies, and potential risk areas proactively.
  • Create and maintain comprehensive, well-organized, and professional audit work papers that sufficiently document the audit procedures performed, evidence gathered, and support for all conclusions.
  • Effectively communicate audit findings, observations, and recommendations to local management during audit closing meetings, ensuring clear understanding and securing buy-in for corrective actions.
  • Identify and document operational best practices observed in high-performing locations to share across the organization for broader implementation and knowledge sharing.
  • Assess physical security measures at each location, including alarm systems, CCTV, safe controls, and access protocols, to ensure company assets and employees are adequately protected.
  • Review and evaluate processes related to customer transactions, returns, and discounts to ensure compliance with company standards and protect against potential revenue leakage.
  • Act as a subject matter expert and trusted advisor to field personnel on matters of policy, procedure, and internal controls.
  • Responsibly manage all travel and business-related expenses in accordance with company policy, submitting timely and accurate expense reports.

Secondary Functions

  • Support internal teams with ad-hoc audit-related inquiries and special investigation requests.
  • Contribute to the continuous improvement of audit programs, checklists, and methodologies by providing feedback from the field.
  • Collaborate with regional and corporate management to communicate systemic audit findings and develop broad corrective action plans.
  • Participate in team meetings and training sessions to stay current on company policies, industry regulations, and evolving risk landscapes.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Audit Methodologies: Strong understanding of internal audit standards, procedures, and techniques, including risk assessment and control testing.
  • Data Analysis: Proficiency in analyzing and interpreting data to identify anomalies and trends; experience with data analytics tools is a plus.
  • Advanced Microsoft Excel: Demonstrated ability to use advanced functions like PivotTables, VLOOKUP, SUMIF, and other data-shaping formulas.
  • Financial Acumen: Solid knowledge of basic accounting principles (GAAP) and financial statement analysis.
  • Technical Report Writing: Ability to write clear, concise, and professional audit reports that are easily understood by non-financial staff.
  • Inventory Management Systems: Familiarity with inventory control systems, Point of Sale (POS) software, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle).

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional Attention to Detail: Meticulous and thorough in reviewing information, identifying discrepancies, and documenting findings.
  • Integrity and Objectivity: Unquestionable professional ethics and the ability to remain independent and objective in all situations.
  • Analytical & Critical Thinking: Superior ability to analyze situations, solve complex problems, and assess root causes.
  • Autonomy & Self-Discipline: Proven ability to work independently with minimal supervision, managing time and workload effectively while on the road.
  • Interpersonal & Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to interact constructively with personnel at all levels and deliver difficult messages professionally.
  • Time Management & Organization: Strong organizational skills to manage a demanding travel schedule, multiple audit projects, and reporting deadlines simultaneously.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.

Preferred Education:

  • Advanced degree (MBA) or professional certification (CPA, CIA, CFE).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Accounting
  • Finance
  • Business Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 2-5 years of relevant experience in internal/external audit, public accounting, loss prevention, or multi-unit operational management.

Preferred:

  • Prior experience in a field-based role requiring significant travel.
  • Experience auditing in a multi-location retail, hospitality, or service-oriented environment.
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