Senior Audit Analytics & Automation Leader

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: Competitive executive-level package expected to include low-to-mid $200Ks base compensation plus annual and long-term incentive opportunity. 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