Internal Audit Sr. Specialist

Zad; Kuwait City; On-site; KWD 9,000 - 12,000; Full time

Job summary

ZAD in Kuwait is seeking a Senior Internal Audit Specialist to provide independent assurance and advisory services that strengthen governance, risk management, and internal controls. The role plans and executes risk-based audits, assesses control adequacy, and supports management with recommendations to improve efficiency and compliance.

You will liaise with management, external auditors, and regulators, prepare audit reports, and monitor remediation actions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Management and Organizational Behaviour, or related discipline.
• CIA/CRMA certification is highly preferred.
• Knowledge of CMA/CBK regulations in Kuwait.
• 3–6 years of internal audit/management consulting experience.
• Experience planning and executing risk-based internal audits.
• Experience preparing organizational policies and procedures manuals.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute risk-based internal audit engagements per the Internal Audit Plan and IIA standards.
• Evaluate governance, risk management, and internal control processes across functions.
• Assess compliance with internal policies, regulatory requirements, and laws.
• Conduct audits to identify control weaknesses, inefficiencies, and risks.
• Prepare audit reports with findings, root cause analysis, and recommendations.
• Monitor implementation of management action plans and follow-up reviews.
• Provide advisory support by clarifying findings and reviewing policies and procedures.
• Participate in enterprise risk assessments and annual Internal Audit Plan development.
• Maintain audit working papers per professional standards.
• Liaise with management, external auditors, and regulators during audits.

Skills

Audit planning

Risk assessment

Stakeholder management

Analytical thinking

Report writing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance/Management

CIA/CRMA certification preferred

Tools

Audit software (ACL/IDEA)

Job description

About Zad:

ZAD is the brainchild of a group of young, passionate Kuwaiti financial professionals driven by a vision of fostering a culture of investment in Kuwait. And for this team, Zad began as a means to answer a need in the market: the need to make investment an accessible concept and viable choice for a broader audience

A. Role Overview

The Senior Internal Audit Specialist is responsible for providing independent and objective assurance and advisory services to support the effectiveness of ZAD’s governance, risk management, and internal control framework. The role plans and executes risk-based internal audit engagements, evaluates the adequacy of internal controls, assesses compliance with regulatory requirements and internal policies, and provides recommendations to enhance governance, operational efficiency, and organizational performance. The role also provides advisory support by clarifying audit findings, supporting follow-up activities, and reviewing / preparing key documents.

B. Key Responsibilities

• Plan and execute risk-based internal audit engagements in accordance with the approved Internal Audit Plan and the IIA Global Internal Audit Standards.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of governance, risk management, and internal control processes across all business functions.
• Assess compliance with internal policies, regulatory requirements, and applicable laws.
• Conduct operational, financial, compliance, and information systems audits to identify control weaknesses, process inefficiencies, and business risks.
• Prepare clear and comprehensive audit reports, including findings, root cause analysis, risk assessments, and recommendations.
• Monitor the implementation of agreed management action plans and perform follow-up reviews.
• Provide ongoing advisory support to auditable units by clarifying audit findings and recommendations, conducting follow-up, reviewing management-prepared policies and procedures, and preparing draft organizational policies and procedures manuals.
• Participate in enterprise risk assessments and support the development of the annual Internal Audit Plan.
• Maintain audit working papers in accordance with professional standards.
• Liaise with management, external auditors, and regulators during audits.

C. Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Management and Organizational Behaviour, or a related discipline.
• Professional certification such as CIA / CRMA is highly preferred.
• Sound understanding of regulatory requirements issued by Kuwait Capital Markets Authority (CMA) and Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK).
• 3-6 years of experience in internal audit / management consulting preferably within reputable consulting firms, financial institutions, fintech organizations, or investment companies.
• Demonstrated experience in planning and executing risk-based internal audit engagements.
• Demonstrated experience in preparing organizational policies and procedures manuals, and process flowcharts.
• Experience evaluating governance, risk management, internal controls, and regulatory compliance.
• Strong knowledge of internal auditing methodologies, risk assessment techniques, and internal control principles.
• Strong analytical, report writing, stakeholder management, and presentation skills.

D. Competencies

• High ethical standards, integrity, independence, and professional objectivity.
• Excellent analytical thinking, critical reasoning, and attention to detail.
• Strong planning, organizational, and time management skills.
• Ability to identify root causes, assess risks, and develop practical, value-added recommendations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including audit report writing and presentation skills.
• Ownership, accountability, and commitment to continuous improvement.
• Proactive problem-solving and ability to work under pressure.
• Clear and structured communication across internal and external stakeholders.