Senior Lead Auditor Industrial Construction

Job Purpose

Audit Planning And Execution

• Lead construction, project, operational, construction, compliance, and risk-based audit engagements in accordance with the approved annual audit plan and internal audit methodology.
• Develop audit programs, risk-control matrices, testing procedures, work plans, and audit scopes aligned with business risk, project complexity, and technology dependencies.
• Conduct walkthroughs, interviews, process reviews, data analysis, sampling, testing, and evidence validation to assess the design and operating effectiveness of controls.
• Ensure audit workpapers are complete, accurate, properly referenced, and supported by sufficient and appropriate audit evidence.
• Coordinate with process owners and project stakeholders to obtain required documentation, clarify audit observations, and validate facts prior to report finalization.

Construction, Engineering, and Project Audit

• Review the effectiveness of controls across construction project lifecycle activities, including tendering, estimation, budgeting, contract administration, procurement, subcontractor management, project execution, cost control, billing, claims, variations, and project close-out.
• Assess compliance with approved project budgets, contracts, delegation of authority, procurement procedures, site instructions, change management procedures, and project governance requirements.
• Evaluate project controls relating to cost, schedule, quality, scope, risk, progress measurement, earned value, material management, manpower utilization, and equipment deployment.
• Review contractor and subcontractor payments, progress certifications, variation orders, claims, back charges, retention, advance payments, and supporting documentation.
• Identify risks relating to cost overruns, delays, weak documentation, contract leakage, non-compliance, duplicate payments, unauthorized commitments, and ineffective project monitoring.

Risk, Governance, and Compliance

• Identify key operational, financial, contractual, compliance, fraud, cybersecurity, and technology risks and assess whether controls are appropriately designed and operating effectively.
• Evaluate compliance with government regulations (engineering, construction, HSE), company policies, delegation of authority, approval matrices, project governance requirements, contractual obligations, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Support fraud risk assessments, special reviews, and investigations relating to construction projects, procurement activities, contractor claims, system access, or technology misuse, where required and authorized.
• Provide practical and value-adding recommendations to address control deficiencies, reduce risk exposure, improve project governance, and strengthen technology control environments.
• Monitor agreed management action plans and follow up with responsible owners to ensure audit findings are addressed within agreed timelines.

Reporting And Stakeholder Management

• Prepare clear, concise, and well-supported audit reports highlighting observations, risk ratings, root causes, business impact, recommendations, agreed management actions, owners, and target completion dates.
• Discuss audit findings with project teams, business process owners, and senior management in a professional and constructive manner to ensure factual accuracy and practical resolution.
• Escalate significant project risks, control breakdowns, suspected fraud indicators, and high-risk findings to the Head of Internal Audit / Audit Director, as required.

Team Leadership And Quality Assurance

• Lead, guide, and review the work of assigned auditors to ensure audit objectives are achieved and deliverables meet internal audit quality standards.
• Coach junior auditors on construction audit techniques, technology audit testing, audit documentation, stakeholder communication, and report writing.
• Ensure audit engagements are completed within agreed timelines, budgeted hours, and required quality standards.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of audit tools, templates, risk assessment processes, data analytics, project audit procedures, and technology audit methodologies.
• Maintain current knowledge of construction industry practices, project controls, contract management, IT governance, cybersecurity, data analytics, and regulatory developments relevant to the organization.

4. Decision-Making Authority

• Recommend audit scope, testing approach, risk ratings, and control improvement actions for review and approval by the Head of Internal Audit / Audit Director.
• Escalate significant construction, project, contract, technology, cybersecurity, compliance, and fraud-related risks in accordance with internal audit protocols.
• Prioritize audit fieldwork activities and allocate tasks to assigned auditors within approved engagement plans.
• Provide professional audit conclusions based on audit evidence gathered, while final audit report issuance remains subject to internal audit leadership approval.

5. Key Internal and External Interfaces

• Internal: Construction, Engineering, Project Controls, Contracts, Procurement, Finance, Legal, Governance, Risk and Compliance, HR, and Business Unit Management.
• External: External auditors, consultants, contractors, subcontractors, technology vendors, regulatory advisors, and relevant authorities, where applicable and as authorized.

6. Qualifications, Experience, and Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field within Industrial Construction. A master’s degree is an advantage, as is a specialization in main pipelines and energy infrastructure.
• Professional certification such as CIA, PMP, RICS or equivalent is preferred.
• Prior hands-on experience operating within the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) market is essential.
• Minimum of 8–10 years of relevant experience in internal audit, project audit, construction audit with at least 3 years in a lead audit or supervisory capacity.
• Strong experience auditing construction and project processes, including contract administration, procurement, subcontractor management, project cost control, claims, variations, progress certification, and project governance.
• Experience in large, diversified, project-based, construction, engineering, infrastructure, energy or multinational organizations is an advantage.
• Hands-on experience with ERP systems, project management systems, document management platforms, and data analysis tools. Experience with SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, Primavera, Power BI, or similar systems is preferred.

7. Required Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies

• Strong understanding of construction operations, project controls, contracts, procurement, commercial management, internal controls, and risk-based auditing.
• Strong ability to read and analyze project documentation. Proven track record of verifying construction compliance with project designs and engineering standards. Deep understanding of and strict adherence to industrial HSE policies.
• Excellent command of both Russian and English (written and spoken) is strictly required.
• Ability to interpret project budgets, contracts, variation orders, claims, payment certificates, system logs, workflow approvals, access rights, policies, procedures, and technical documentation.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, investigation, root-cause analysis, and data interpretation skills.
• Strong report writing skills with the ability to present complex construction and technology issues clearly, accurately, and professionally.
• High level of integrity, independence, confidentiality, professional skepticism, and attention to detail.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to challenge constructively and influence corrective actions.
• Ability to manage multiple audits, deadlines, and priorities in a fast-paced, project-driven environment.
• Leadership capability to guide audit teams, review workpapers, and ensure high-quality audit deliverables.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, especially Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. Data analytics capability is an advantage.

8. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Quality, accuracy, and completeness of audit workpapers, testing results, and audit reports.
• Number and significance of construction, project, contract, technology, cybersecurity, and compliance risks identified and resolved.
• Timely closure of agreed management action plans and follow-up audit findings.
• Practicality and effectiveness of audit recommendations in improving project governance, cost control, compliance, and technology control environments.
• Stakeholder satisfaction with the clarity, relevance, and value of audit outputs.
• Effectiveness in leading assigned audit teams and maintaining internal audit quality standards.
• Compliance with internal audit methodology, professional standards, and ethical requirements.

9. Working Conditions

• Office-based role with regular visits to project sites, construction locations, branches, subsidiaries or business units as required by the audit plan.
• May require extended working hours during critical audit periods, project reviews, system reviews, investigations, reporting deadlines, or special assignments.