Senior Audit Manager – Audit & Assurance

Position Overview

The Senior Audit Manager is responsible for leading assurance engagements, managing client relationships, developing audit professionals, and maintaining high standards of technical quality and regulatory compliance. This role oversees engagements from planning and initiation through review, reporting, and completion, ensuring that deliverables meet applicable professional standards, client expectations, and established quality management requirements.

The Senior Audit Manager works closely with firm leadership, partners, managers, staff, and clients to deliver high-quality assurance services while identifying opportunities to provide additional advisory support and expand client relationships. The ideal candidate combines strong technical accounting and auditing expertise with an advisory mindset, exceptional communication skills, and a commitment to developing the next generation of audit professionals.

This position offers a collaborative work environment and a hybrid work arrangement, with remote flexibility available when needed. Travel to client locations may be required based on engagement needs.

Key Responsibilities

Audit & Assurance Engagement Management

• Manage assurance engagements from initial planning and engagement setup through fieldwork, review, reporting, and final completion.
• Develop engagement timelines, allocate resources, establish priorities, and monitor progress to ensure projects are delivered on schedule and within budget.
• Coordinate with partners, managers, staff, and other engagement team members to resolve issues, address delays, and maintain project momentum.
• Oversee a range of assurance services, including financial statement audits, reviews, compilations, internal audit engagements, SOC examinations, fraud examinations, and related services.
• Evaluate engagement risks, identify areas requiring additional procedures, and ensure audit approaches are appropriate to the client's circumstances and applicable professional standards.
• Apply professional judgment to challenge routine audit approaches and identify more effective, risk-focused procedures.
• Communicate engagement status, significant findings, technical issues, and potential complications to clients and firm leadership.
• Ensure engagement documentation is complete, accurate, and prepared in accordance with applicable standards and internal requirements.

Technical Review & Quality Management

• Perform detailed reviews of assurance workpapers, financial statements, reports, and other engagement deliverables.
• Conduct technical reviews of assurance engagements and authorize or sign reports when permitted under applicable requirements and the firm's quality management policies.
• Perform required quality management reviews for managers who have not yet completed the firm's authorization process for independent report signing.
• Ensure engagements comply with applicable AICPA standards, professional requirements, and the firm's system of quality management.
• Research complex accounting and auditing matters, document conclusions, evaluate alternatives, and recommend appropriate solutions.
• Identify recurring engagement issues and perform root cause analysis to recommend corrective actions and process improvements.
• Monitor developments in accounting and auditing standards and recommend updates to firm methodologies, templates, training, and quality management procedures.
• Promote consistent execution of quality standards across engagement teams and service lines.

Client Relationship Management & Advisory Services

• Serve as a primary assurance relationship manager for assigned clients, coordinating communication and maintaining strong professional relationships.
• Develop an understanding of clients' businesses, operations, financial reporting processes, risks, and strategic objectives.
• Provide timely updates regarding engagement progress, information requests, findings, outstanding items, and completion timelines.
• Communicate complex accounting and auditing matters clearly to both technical and nontechnical audiences.
• Identify opportunities to provide additional assurance, internal audit, risk management, fraud examination, SOC, and advisory services where appropriate.
• Collaborate with firm leadership to develop new client relationships, strengthen existing accounts, and expand service offerings.
• Apply knowledge gained from different industries and engagements to develop practical, tailored solutions for clients.
• Support a positive client experience through responsiveness, transparency, sound judgment, and consistent delivery of high-quality work.

Team Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead, supervise, and develop audit staff, seniors, managers, and interns assigned to engagements.
• Provide ongoing coaching, technical guidance, and constructive feedback to support professional growth and engagement performance.
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings, review progress against development goals, and support career advancement.
• Train team members on auditing standards, technical accounting matters, documentation requirements, and effective engagement practices.
• Delegate work appropriately, monitor performance, and provide guidance when complex issues arise.
• Promote accountability, collaboration, knowledge sharing, and continuous learning across engagement teams.
• Foster an inclusive and engaging team environment that supports employee satisfaction, retention, and professional development.
• Partner with firm leadership to identify training needs, strengthen team capabilities, and prepare emerging leaders for increased responsibility.
• Maintain effective communication with team members through in-person meetings, Microsoft Teams, and other collaboration platforms.

Financial Management & Engagement Economics

• Monitor engagement budgets, staff utilization, project costs, and overall engagement profitability.
• Develop and communicate billing expectations and recommend appropriate billing arrangements for assurance engagements.
• Track engagement progress against budget and identify potential scope changes, resource constraints, or cost overruns.
• Coordinate with partners and firm leadership regarding billing matters, client expectations, and project economics.
• Support timely invoicing by ensuring engagement milestones, documentation, and billing information are properly maintained.
• Identify opportunities to improve engagement efficiency without compromising audit quality or professional standards.

Process Improvement & Strategic Collaboration

• Identify opportunities to improve audit methodologies, engagement workflows, documentation practices, and quality management processes.
• Research and recommend technology solutions that enhance audit efficiency, data analysis, collaboration, and documentation.
• Share technical knowledge and engagement insights across teams to promote consistent practices and effective problem-solving.
• Collaborate with other departments and service lines to address client needs and identify cross-functional opportunities.
• Contribute to internal initiatives related to training, technical guidance, service development, and operational effectiveness.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Current, active Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license in at least one U.S. state.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in public accounting, internal audit, or a related field demonstrating substantial audit or examination expertise; additional experience appropriate to a senior leadership role is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing assurance engagements and supervising engagement teams.
• Experience with financial statement audits, reviews, and compilations.
• Strong knowledge of applicable AICPA auditing and assurance standards, professional ethics, and quality management requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to review audit documentation, evaluate accounting conclusions, resolve technical issues, and communicate recommendations.
• Experience managing engagement schedules, budgets, client communications, and deliverable deadlines.
• Strong leadership, coaching, mentoring, and performance management capabilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical matters to diverse audiences.
• Strong analytical, critical-thinking, root cause analysis, and problem-solving skills.
• Effective time management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a deadline-driven environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, and Teams.
• Legal authorization to work in the United States.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading multiple assurance service offerings, including internal audit, SOC examinations, fraud examinations, and advisory engagements.
• Experience managing client relationships and identifying opportunities to expand professional service offerings.
• Completion of the applicable firm quality management and authorization process for signing financial statement audit, review, or compilation reports, as relevant to assigned responsibilities.
• Experience with audit and assurance technology platforms such as TeamMate Analytics, DataSnipper, Fieldguide, Autire, or Strongbox.
• Experience with data analytics, audit automation, and technology-enabled assurance procedures.
• Experience working with entrepreneurial, growing, or privately held organizations across multiple industries.
• Ability and willingness to travel locally and out of state to client locations as needed.