Senior Audit Analytics & Automation Leader

Blue Signal Search · Chicago, United States

Senior Audit Analytics & Automation Leader

Location: Chicago, IL; Greater Cincinnati Area; or Cental IL

Work Model: Onsite four days per week, with one remote day per week

Compensation: Approximately $230K–$240K base salary, plus an incentive opportunity expected to include cash and long-term compensation.

We are seeking a senior audit leader to help modernize a large, complex Internal Audit function through advanced analytics, automation, continuous monitoring, and practical AI adoption.

This is not a traditional audit-maintenance role. It is a high-visibility opportunity to shape how a global organization’s Internal Audit team uses data, technology, automation, and AI to improve risk coverage, audit effectiveness, and decision-making.

The position will lead a team of approximately 10 professionals and partner closely with Internal Audit, Finance, Technology, Data, and enterprise AI stakeholders.

What You’ll Lead

• Build and execute the Internal Audit analytics, automation, and AI roadmap.
• Identify opportunities to automate audit planning, testing, reporting, issue follow-up, and risk monitoring.
• Develop dashboards, reusable analytics, automated testing, and continuous-monitoring approaches.
• Help Internal Audit use data and technology to improve audit coverage, efficiency, and insight.
• Establish practical and responsible approaches to applying AI within Internal Audit.
• Partner with Finance, Technology, Data, and enterprise AI teams to advance audit capabilities.
• Translate complex technical and analytical concepts into clear recommendations for audit and business leaders.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of approximately 10 professionals.
• Upskill the broader Internal Audit organization in analytics, automation, and AI-enabled audit practices.
• Help adapt Internal Audit processes, workflows, and skill sets as technology continues to evolve.
• Serve as a trusted internal resource for audit analytics, automation, and artificial intelligence.

What We’re Looking For

• 12 or more years of progressive experience across Internal Audit, external audit, audit analytics, risk, finance transformation, data analytics, controls, or related disciplines.
• Strong credibility in audit, risk, controls, SOX, compliance, finance processes, or a closely related discipline.
• Big Four or national public accounting experience strongly preferred.
• Meaningful experience using analytics, automation, AI, or emerging technology to improve audit, risk, finance, compliance, or control processes.
• Experience leading audit transformation, continuous monitoring, automated testing, data-driven risk assessment, or similar initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop professionals.
• Experience influencing senior stakeholders across multiple business and technical functions.
• Ability to connect technical capabilities to practical audit and business outcomes.
• Strong written, verbal, and executive communication skills.

Technical Experience

Experience with some combination of the following is valuable:

• SQL
• Python
• Power BI
• Tableau
• Alteryx
• Power Automate
• Microsoft Copilot
• Snowflake
• Databricks
• Azure
• AWS
• Generative AI
• Large language models
• Machine learning
• Intelligent automation
• Continuous monitoring
• Automated controls testing
• Data visualization and dashboarding

Candidates do not need experience with every tool listed. The most important requirement is the ability to apply analytics, automation, and AI in a meaningful audit, risk, controls, finance, or compliance environment.

Education and Credentials

A bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, data science, computer science, information systems, or a related discipline is expected.

Professional credentials such as CPA, CIA, CISA, CRISC, PMP, or relevant data and technology certifications are highly valued.

Who This Is Not For

• Candidates seeking a fully remote or lightly hybrid leadership role.
• Candidates unable to work onsite four days per week.
• Candidates unwilling to live in or relocate to Chicago, Greater Cincinnati, or Central Illinois.
• Candidates whose background is purely traditional audit with limited analytics, automation, or technology exposure.
• Candidates whose background is purely technical or data science without audit, risk, controls, finance, or compliance credibility.
• Candidates who have primarily managed technology projects without owning meaningful audit, risk, control, or finance-process outcomes.

Why This Role

• Shape a major enterprise Internal Audit transformation.
• Build practical AI, automation, analytics, and continuous-monitoring capabilities.
• Lead a team of approximately 10 professionals.
• Help upskill a broader Internal Audit organization.
• Partner with senior leaders across audit, finance, technology, data, and enterprise AI.
• Influence how Internal Audit adapts to a rapidly changing technology environment.
• Join a complex global organization with meaningful scale and visibility.
• Competitive executive-level compensation and long-term career opportunity.

About Blue Signal:

Blue Signal is an award-winning, executive search firm specializing in various specialties. Our recruiters have a proven track record of placing top-tier talent across industry verticals, with deep expertise in numerous professional services. Learn more at bit.ly/46Gs4yS