Internal Controls / Audit SME
Job description
About the role
This role translates federal frameworks into auditable records for federal clients. The position leads control assessments and advises federal stakeholders.
Finance teams manage money, forecasts, and reporting. Analysts build models and explain variance. Controllers run accounting and compliance. FP&A professionals support decisions with budgets and forecasts. The work is precise, deadline driven, and tied to business results. Finance teams follow tight calendars, with monthly closes and annual planning cycles. Accuracy and auditability are expected on every deliverable.
Key facts
What you'll do
OMB A-123 assessments evaluate federal program control performance through led analyses.
Risk Control Matrices and process narratives map and clarify internal controls for federal stakeholders.
Internal control testing and walkthroughs verify design and operating effectiveness for federal stakeholders.
Audit workpapers document evidence and support financial statement audits in line with GAGAS principles.
Audit findings are validated so that corrective actions address identified issues completely.
Control design and operating effectiveness assessments strengthen federal financial reporting outcomes.
Financial statement audit readiness is supported through coordinated remediation activities.
Executive-level briefings communicate risks and ensure documentation meets federal accuracy and completeness standards.
Junior staff development advances through deliverable reviews that uphold quality for federal engagements.
Requirements
Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, Public Administration, or a related field is required.
Ten or more years of federal internal controls, audit, assessment, or financial management experience is required.
Demonstrated experience supporting OMB A-123 programs is required for engagements involving federal reporting.
Experience developing and reviewing Risk Control Matrices, process narratives, testing documentation, and workpapers is required.
Experience performing findings validation and remediation tracking is required for federal compliance.
Knowledge of GAGAS and the GAO Green Book standard guides workpaper and testing methods.
Strong written and verbal communication skills convey technical details to federal clients.
Certification as a CPA, CIA, or CGFM is required to practice on federal engagements.
Preferred certifications include CISA, CFE, and PMP for specialized federal work.
Experience in Federal CFO Act agencies supports financial statement audit readiness for public clients.
Background in internal controls over financial reporting aligns with large federal consulting engagements.
Prior service with major public accounting or federal consulting firms shapes approaches to federal risk assessments.
Practical notes
This role may require U.S.
Onsite days, travel, and EEO compliance details are confirmed Typical interview steps
Finance interviews usually include technical questions on accounting or modeling, a case study, and behavioral rounds. Candidates may be asked to build a forecast or explain a variance. Spreadsheet skills are tested in most loops. Accuracy and clear explanations matter. Interviewers may give a real dataset and ask for a quick analysis. Showing your work and explaining assumptions matters as much as the final number.
Career growth
Finance careers move from analyst to senior analyst, manager, and controller or FP&A director levels. Some people earn certifications such as CPA or CFA. Cross-functional work with operations and leadership grows with seniority. Finance careers reward precision early and business partnership later. Learning the operations of the company beyond the numbers accelerates growth.
Questions to ask
Useful questions for the interview: what a typical week looks like, how work is assigned, what tools the team uses, and how feedback works. Asking how the role has changed recently and what the team wishes it had known when joining is also reasonable. Questions about the manager's priorities are especially valued.
About the company
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