Internal auditor: rôle and value

Updated April 2026 - The internal auditor does not certify accounts in the same way a statutory auditor (commissaire aux comptes) does. The mission is fundamentally différent: the internal auditor helps the organisation better manage its risks, strengthen its internal controls and improve its governance processes — with a continuous improvement logic rather than a periodic certification mandate. Since the entry into force of the new IIA Global Internal Audit Standards in January 2025, the scope of internal audit has expanded further, incorporating strengthened requirements around governance, risk management and organisational performance.

Internal audit is defined by IFACI (the French Institute of Internal Audit and Control) as an independent, objective activity that gives an organisation assurance on the degree of control over its operations, provides advice to improve them, and contributes to creating added value.

In practical terms, internal audit contributes to the organisation in several complementary ways:

• evaluating internal controls: assessing whether the systems and processes designed to prevent errors, fraud and regulatory breaches are well-designed and actually functioning as intended;
• assessing risk management: reviewing whether the organisation's key operational, financial, compliance and strategic risks are identified, monitored and managed with appropriate rigor;
• analysing critical processes: examining high-risk or high-volume processes in depth — purchase-to-pay, order-to-cash, payroll, IT access management, GDPR compliance — to identify structural weaknesses and improvement opportunities;
• formulating actionable recommendations: producing findings that can realistically be implemented by the teams responsible, with clear benefit, priority and timeline.

Unlike the statutory auditor, whose mission is governed by NEP standards and results in a certification opinion, the internal auditor works continuously on behalf of management and the audit committee. Their horizon is not the annual closing: it is permanent improvement.

A major change took effect in 2025 with the entry into force of the Global Internal Audit Standards published by the IIA (Institute of Internal Auditors) in January 2024. These standards replace the previous framework (IPPF) and introduce several structural changes:

• a revised Three Lines Model: the distinction between management (1st line), risk and compliance oversight functions (2nd line) and internal audit (3rd line) is clarified, with greater emphasis on collaboration between the three lines rather than rigid séparation;
• a dedicated governance domain: the new standards require internal audit to evaluate the organisation's governance, including ethical culture, decision-making transparency and the accountability of governing bodies;
• a measurable performance requirement: the internal audit function must now demonstrate its added value through concrete performance indicators and systematic follow-up of recommendations.

In France, IFACI supports the profession through this transition and offers training adapted to these new requirements.

An effective internal auditor must maintain a balance that is harder to strike than it appears:

• independent in judgement: free to report findings honestly, including uncomfortable ones, without being influenced by the seniority of the people involved. Functional reporting to the audit committee — rather than to the finance director — is an essential safeguard;
• close to operations without merging with them: engaged enough to understand how processes actually work in practice, not just in theory — but without becoming so embedded that objectivity is compromised;
• able to prioritise real risks: focusing on the areas where the organisation is genuinely exposed, rather than where documentation is easiest to produce.

The primary quality of an internal auditor is not accounting technique: it is the ability to ask the right questions, listen actively and deliver findings in a clear, constructive manner.

See also what is an audit?, audit assertions explained and DataSnipper audit tool review.

Hayot Expertise advice: the value of internal audit increases significantly when recommendations are connected to specific action plans, named responsible owners and a real follow-up process. An audit report that sits on a shelf has produced no value. The follow-up mechanism is what turns findings into concrete improvement.

The internal auditor's work is organised around several types of engagement:

Assurance missions: these are the classic audits covering processes, subsidiaries or specific themes. The auditor examines existing controls, tests their effectiveness, identifies gaps and formulates recommendations. These engagements represent the core of the activity and follow a planned cycle — preparation, fieldwork, reporting, follow-up of corrective actions.

Advisory missions: increasingly common, these involve supporting management in transformation projects, the implementation of new processes or the deployment of information systems. The auditor brings their expertise in risk and control upstream of decisions, positioning them as a strategic partner.

Internal investigations: in cases of suspected fraud, serious non-compliance or major dysfunction, the internal auditor may be commissioned to conduct a thorough investigation. These engagements require particular rigour and perfect documentation of findings, as the results can have legal and disciplinary consequences.

Continuous risk assessment: in the most mature organisations, internal audit no longer relies solely on periodic engagements. It establishes continuous monitoring arrangements, leveraging data analytics and automated anomaly detection tools.

In practice, we consistently observe the most impactful results in:

1. purchase and sales cycles: approval workflows, duplicate payment detection, contract-to-invoice consistency, price variance analysis;
2. delegations and authorisations: ensuring that signing authorities, spending limits and system access rights are up to date and appropriately segregated;
3. fraud prevention and segregation of duties: identifying situations where one person controls multiple steps in a sensitive process without adequate oversight — a classic enabler of fraudulent schemes;

data reliability and reporting integrity: verifying that the figures used for management decisions are sourced correctly and have not been altered at intermediary stages; 5. regulatory compliance: GDPR, Sapin II law, anti-money laundering obligations, environmental standards — the internal auditor maps obligations and tests their effective application.

The confusion is common. Here are the essential distinctions:

The internal auditor is the organisation's general practitioner: examining it from every angle, continuously, to anticipate problems before they become critical. The external auditor is the specialist who certifies, at a point in time, that the accounts are regular and fair.

Access to the internal audit profession generally requires a Master's degree level (bac+5): a Master's in audit, accounting, finance, management or a business school diploma with a finance spécialisation. Engineering degrees with a management option are also a recognised pathway.

Professional certifications are a genuine differentiator:

• IAP (Internal Audit Practitioner): an entry-level certification offered by IFACI, ideal for starting in the profession;
• CIA (Certified Internal Auditor): the international référence delivered by the IIA, recognised in over 170 countries;
• CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor): particularly valued for IT audit and cybersecurity.

In 2026, the most sought-after competencies in an internal auditor go beyond accounting technique: mastery of data analytics tools, knowledge of cybersecurity issues, sensitivity to ESG matters and the ability to communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders have become decisive assets.

The rémunération of an internal auditor in France varies significantly depending on experience, sector and organisation size:

• Entry-level: EUR 32,000 to 40,000 gross per annum;
• Experienced professional (3-7 years): EUR 45,000 to 60,000 gross per annum;
• Head of Internal Audit / Director: EUR 60,000 to 80,000 and above, depending on organisation size.

Career progression opportunities are numerous: head of internal audit, finance director, chief risk officer, compliance director or even deputy general manager. The cross-functional view of the business that the internal auditor develops makes them particularly well-positioned to assume broader responsibilities.

We can help you define the scope, the priorities and the right articulation between internal audit, finance and senior management.

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In 2026, the internal auditor is an accelerator for risk management quality — when the work remains independent, targeted and followed through over time. The new IIA standards that came into force in 2025 have strengthened their rôle in governance and organisational performance. For SMEs and large groups alike, investing in a well-structured internal audit function is no longer optional: it is a lever for resilience and sustainable growth.