Head of Internal Audit: skills & capabilities the market requires
Based on 251 real Head of Internal Audit job postings, here is what companies actually require for this role today: the capabilities that define it, the hard skills named most often, the scope expected, typical experience and pay. The market leans hardest on Risk, Security & Compliance (82%) and Executive Communication (62%).
Open the interactive Skill Check to filter by country, industry and company size.
Core capabilities for a Head of Internal Audit
- Risk, Security & Compliance — required in 82% of postings
- Executive Communication — required in 62% of postings
- Stakeholder Management — required in 47% of postings
- Strategic Leadership — required in 47% of postings
- Data & Analytics — required in 38% of postings
- People Leadership — required in 19% of postings
- Operational Excellence — required in 18% of postings
Most-required hard skills
- Risk Assessment
- Internal Audit
- Risk Management
- Audit Planning
- Regulatory Compliance
- Financial Controls
- Internal Controls Evaluation
Leadership & soft skills
- Leadership
- Communication
- Stakeholder Management
- Strategic Thinking
Scope, experience & pay
Head of Internal Audit roles expect deal / M&A experience in 0% of postings, IPO or capital markets in 6%, and transformation in 10%. Typical stated experience: 10 years. Pay signal from postings (base): $195K–$235K.
Want to know where you stand against this? Join TOPHEADS for your personal Skill Check.