Everything you need to know about hiring and managing offshore Internal Auditor professionals for your team.
Looking to hire a Internal Auditor? Let's talk!
The Internal Audit Challenge Every Growing Business Faces
You know that feeling when your finance team is stretched thin between daily operations and trying to keep up with compliance requirements? Internal auditing often becomes that critical task that keeps getting pushed to next quarter. Here’s the reality though.According to the 2025 North American “Pulse of Internal Audit” Survey by The IIA’s Internal Audit Foundation, the use of Generative AI in internal audit activities more than doubled in a year—from 15% to 40% of chief audit executives reporting GenAI use—highlighting a significant surge in technology-driven efficiency.1. The problem isn’t recognizing the importance of internal auditing. It’s finding qualified professionals who can handle the complexity without breaking your budget.
This is where outsourcing your internal audit function to the Philippines makes perfect business sense. Filipino internal auditors bring something special to the table. They’re trained in both US GAAP and IFRS standards, fluent in professional English, and already aligned with Western business practices. Many have their CIA (Certified Internal Auditor) certifications or are working toward them. Plus, with the time zone overlap, your Philippines-based internal auditor can review yesterday’s transactions while you sleep and have findings ready when you start your day. It’s like having a night shift that actually produces meaningful insights instead of just keeping the lights on.
Looking to hire a Internal Auditor? Let's talk!
What Makes a Great Outsourced Internal Auditor
Finding the right internal auditor isn’t just about checking boxes for certifications, though those matter too. You need someone who understands risk assessment frameworks, knows their way around data analytics tools like ACL or IDEA, and can actually communicate findings in a way that drives action. The best internal auditors we’ve seen combine technical expertise with genuine curiosity. They dig into your processes not just to find problems but to understand why things work the way they do.
Your dedicated internal auditor from the Philippines will typically handle:
- Risk assessment and audit planning aligned with your business objectives
- Financial and operational audits including SOX compliance testing
- Process documentation and control testing across all departments
- Fraud detection and investigation using data analytics
- Audit report preparation with actionable recommendations
What really sets Philippines-based internal auditors apart is their experience working with international clients. They understand the nuances of auditing for US, UK, Australian, and Canadian companies. They know what regulators in these markets expect and can help you stay ahead of compliance requirements. Many have worked with Big Four accounting firms or multinational corporations before joining the BPO industry, bringing that enterprise-level expertise to your growing business.
The Real ROI of Dedicated Internal Audit Support
Let’s talk numbers because that’s what matters in finance and accounting. Organizations with mature internal audit functions save an average of 7.5% on operational costs through improved efficiency and reduced errors. But the real value goes beyond cost savings. Your dedicated internal auditor becomes your early warning system, catching issues before they become expensive problems. They’re reviewing vendor contracts for overcharges, identifying duplicate payments, and spotting process inefficiencies that drain resources.
Think about what having a full-time internal auditor actually means for your business. No more scrambling before external audits or year-end reviews. Your processes stay documented and updated. Control weaknesses get identified and fixed proactively. And perhaps most importantly, your finance team can focus on strategic initiatives instead of constantly putting out compliance fires. One of our clients recently told us their outsourced internal auditor identified $150,000 in recoverable vendor overpayments in just the first three months. That’s the kind of ROI that makes CFOs very happy.
Making Internal Audit Outsourcing Work for You
Success with an outsourced internal auditor comes down to integration and communication. Your Philippines-based auditor needs access to your systems, understanding of your business model, and clear reporting lines. The good news is that Filipino professionals are incredibly adaptable. They’re used to working with cloud-based audit management systems, collaborating through Teams or Slack, and adjusting to different corporate cultures. Set up regular check-ins, provide context about your industry and business goals, and watch them become a seamless extension of your team.
The beauty of having a dedicated internal auditor is consistency. Unlike project-based consultants who parachute in and out, your full-time auditor learns your business inside and out. They understand your risk tolerance, know your key stakeholders, and can spot anomalies because they know what normal looks like for your organization. And because they’re based in the Philippines, you’re getting this expertise at about 60% less than hiring locally, without any compromise on quality or professionalism.
Ready to strengthen your internal audit function without the traditional costs? Your dedicated internal auditor is waiting to help you build a more resilient, compliant, and efficient organization. The combination of Philippines-based talent, international standards expertise, and cost-effectiveness makes this one of the smartest moves growing businesses can make for their finance and accounting operations.
