What is an audit manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Expert

Janet Tarase

An audit manager oversees the auditing process of an organization. They ensure that financial records appear accurate and comply with legal and regulatory requirements. An audit manager also supervises a team of auditors, assigns tasks, and develops audit plans. They work with senior management to identify financial risks and recommend improvements to internal controls. Additionally, they prepare audit reports and present them to stakeholders. An audit manager possesses analytical, communication, and leadership skills.

What general advice would you give to an Audit Manager?

Janet Tarase

Lead Accounting Faculty / Accounting Department Chair, Red Rocks Community College

Create a vision board to set your yearly objectives and a long-term strategic plan that includes your professional and personal goal aspirations; be prepared to modify both of these guides as things change in your life. Join LinkedIn, if you haven't already, update it and make sure it is current. Make connections with a local professionals' group and create a network of like-minded, goal-oriented individuals. Also find a mentor or ask senior employees for their advice and counseling. Clean up your social media accounts or at the very least mark your questionable content as private so you are not sharing it publicly; become the professional you want to be. Continue your professional development, either through your employer, free online programs, or by furthering your education. Keep track of your accomplishments and continue to update your biography and resume. Finally, be appreciative and modest - thank those that help you and make sure to acknowledge those who participated in your successes.

ScoreAudit ManagerUS Average

Salary

8.2

Avg. Salary $121,419

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

9.5

Growth Rate 17%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.34%

Asian 10.18%

Black or African American 7.59%

Hispanic or Latino 14.54%

Unknown 4.11%

White 63.24%

Gender

female 34.03%

male 65.97%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress Level

9.5

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

9.1

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

4.9

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an Audit Manager?

Pros

High salary potential
Exposure to a variety of industries and companies
Challenging and intellectually stimulating work
Ability to make a significant impact on organizations
Job security and stability

Cons

Potential for conflict with clients or colleagues
Can be repetitive and monotonous work at times
Requires a significant amount of documentation and reporting
Potential for legal liability if mistakes are made
Limited opportunities for creative thinking or innovation

Key steps to become an audit manager

Explore audit manager education requirements

Most common audit manager degrees

Bachelor's

75.4 %

Master's

16.0 %

Associate

4.6 %

Start to develop specific audit manager skills

Skills	Percentages
CPA	14.10%
Internal Audit	6.46%
Audit Reports	5.97%
Audit Engagements	5.49%
Financial Services	5.48%

Complete relevant audit manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New audit managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an audit manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real audit manager resumes.

Research audit manager duties and responsibilities

Manage a review for a large insurance company to ensure compliance with HIPAA law.
Manage audits in all divisions and ensure all accounting transactions are perform in accordance with GAAP.
Lead ERM development, implementation, risk assessment reviews, reporting, improvement/remediation, & continuous monitoring.
Manage quarterly reviews (10-Q) and annual audit (10-K) of two public companies as per PCAOB standards.

Prepare your audit manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your audit manager resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an audit manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Audit Manager Resume templates

Build a professional Audit Manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Audit Manager resume.

Apply for audit manager jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an audit manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do audit managers rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Audit Manager reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019

Cons

nothing really i like all things about being a Senior Auditor.

Pros

The pay check