Field Auditor: What Is It, Job Description, Responsibilities

Field Auditor

What is a Field Auditor?

A Field Auditor travels to various business locations, assesses adherence to organizational policy, and suggests risk management strategies.

“To promote compliance with regulations & policies.”^[1] -U.S. Department of Labor

Field Auditor Job Description

The Field Auditor position requires extensive travel and addresses a wide range of business matters. An individual in this role therefore spends much of their time inspecting business processes, studying employee adherence to company guidelines, and vouching internal data. Upon discovering errors, field auditors record them and submit findings to management for review.

Individuals in the role may be proficient in a specific area of auditing in which they primarily focus such as inventory control. Or, they may focus on other areas such as ensuring organizational accounting principles are being followed. Furthermore, the role commonly requires a minimal amount of supervision and is best for self-motivated individuals that enjoy working independently.

Responsibilities

Common tasks of field auditors include:

Identify and suggest capital preservation actions.
Routinely revisit sites to measure improvements.
Coach personnel to overcome shortcomings.
Review accounting and procedural reports.
Design auditing procedures.
Outline audit findings.
Assess risk.

Qualification Requirements

The Field Auditor position commonly requires a bachelor’s degree in business. There is a high degree of communication in this line of work, therefore it is necessary to possess excellent interpersonal skills as well as great writing skills. Strong attention to detail is also necessary which includes investigating issues, documenting compliance or regulatory violations, and presenting findings to the appropriate personnel.

Having a Certified Internal Auditor certificate would be beneficial along with having previous experience in an industry in which audits are regularly performed. In addition, having the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation would be beneficial, but not required. It may also be necessary to possess a valid driver’s license due to extensive travel. Lastly, possessing exceptional organization and presentation skills are ideal qualities as well.

Travel Conditions

A field auditor is typically responsible for measuring and overseeing ongoing results at various locations in the enterprise. Therefore, recurring visits to the same locations may be necessary outside the Field Auditors’ home city over an extended period of time. In addition, Field Auditors must be able and agreeable to a demanding travel schedule.