Internal audit lead

About the role

Raizcorp is seeking an experienced internal audit lead to strengthen governance, risk management, and internal controls across Raizcorp and its subsidiary companies. This role provides independent assurance and advisory insight that supports operational efficiency, compliance, and strategic decision-making.

The internal audit lead will oversee internal audit engagements, conduct risk-based assessments, evaluate potential subsidiary companies for investment suitability, and help drive a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

Key responsibilities

A. Internal audit – Raizcorp

Audit planning and strategy

• Develop and maintain a risk-based annual audit plan aligned to organisational priorities
• Define scopes, objectives, and resource requirements for all audit engagements
• Adjust audit focus in response to emerging risks

Audit delivery

• Lead end-to-end audits, including walkthroughs, control testing, data analytics, and risk evaluation
• Assess the adequacy and effectiveness of internal controls across all business functions
• Identify weaknesses, irregularities, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement

Reporting and engagement

• Prepare clear, high-quality audit reports with actionable recommendations
• Present audit results to management and support remediation planning
• Build effective working relationships with business units to ensure audit readiness

Remediation and follow-up

• Monitor implementation of corrective actions
• Evaluate the sustainability and effectiveness of remediation efforts
• Prepare follow-up reports for senior leadership

Governance, risk, and compliance

• Ensure adherence to audit standards, internal policies, legislation, and ethical guidelines
• Support initiatives to strengthen governance and compliance culture
• Provide advisory input on risk mitigation, fraud prevention, and process improvement

b. Subsidiary companies – due diligence and risk management

Due diligence and partner evaluation

• Lead comprehensive due-diligence assessments of prospective partner companies, including financial health, governance, controls, and operational capacity
• Evaluate alignment with Raizcorp's standards and investment criteria

Risk management framework

• Develop and implement frameworks for assessing and managing partner-company risks
• Identify strategic, operational, financial, and compliance risks and recommend mitigation measures

Control and policy assessment

• Review partner controls, it/security practices, financial processes, and operational policies
• recommend enhancements to safeguard assets, ensure data integrity, and reduce compliance risk

Ongoing monitoring

• Establish mechanisms for continuous monitoring of partner performance and risk exposure
• Provide assurance that partners maintain required standards post-onboarding

Contract compliance and governance

• Review contracts to ensure appropriate risk, compliance, and governance clauses
• Assess governance structures and recommend improvements where needed

Reporting and strategic insights

• Provide objective insights to support investment, integration, and disengagement decisions
• Highlight emerging risks and trends impacting partner operations

The role's key performance indicators include:

• Completion of the annual audit plan within agreed timelines
• Quality, clarity, and impact of audit reports
• Percentage of audit findings resolved within target timeframes
• Compliance levels across Raizcorp and partner companies
• Stakeholder satisfaction and engagement effectiveness
• Timeliness and quality of fraud-related investigations

Qualifications and experience

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, auditing, or a related field
• Professional certifications advantageous:

– certified internal auditor (cia)

– chartered accountant ca(sa)

• 4–6+ years' experience in internal or external audit
• Experience in due diligence or third-party risk assessments advantageous
• Strong understanding of risk, control frameworks, and audit methodologies
• Strong experience and command of systems (MS Office suite, accounting systems etc. essential)

Skills and competencies

• Strong analytical and critical-thinking ability
• Excellent communication and audit report-writing skills
• High ethical standards and integrity
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities
• Sound judgment and evidence-based decision-making
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to engage senior stakeholders
• Proficiency in audit software and Microsoft office