Global Learning for Operational Leaders
Course AGRC-001
High Impact Internal Audit Leadership
Today’s chief audit executives, their deputies and internal audit managers need to work closely with business leaders, b... The outline covers Internal Audit Leadership, Effective Internal Audit Planning, Getting Maximum...
Introduction
Course overview
Why Attend
Today’s chief audit executives, their deputies and internal audit managers need to work closely with business leaders, boards, audit committees, peers and their own audit teams. Now more than ever, leadership, stakeholder relations and influencing skills are becoming as important as managing a team, planning and delivering insightful internal audit assurance and consulting engagements.
This course focuses on the various challenges and opportunities internal audit leaders face and shows how audit leaders can make a contribution at a strategic level, clearly adding value and also enhancing productivity in the audit process.
This clear, practical, and interactive course will help participants improve their awareness and skills, making them better internal audit leaders who deliver impactful and insightful internal audit work that can make a strategic difference to their organization.
Course Methodology
A blend of theoretical, technical, discursive and practical approaches. It will include facilitator-led input sessions, and numerous team exercises based around practical internal audit situations, case studies, group presentations, discussions and debates.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Demonstrate greater confidence in dealing with senior leaders
- Appraise what it really takes to be an effective internal audit leader
- Explain how to make effective and valuable contributions at a strategic level and towards overall business success
- Apply practical methods to manage key relationships with the audit committee, senior management and peers
- Add value through efficient and effective internal audit good practices
- Explain key priorities for them and their departments to help maximize their contribution to their organization
Target Audience
Chief audit executives, deputy heads of audit, internal audit managers and senior internal auditors who deal with business leaders and/or lead or manage members of the internal audit team. This course is equally valuable for both in-house and outsourced internal audit teams.
Target Competencies
- Internal audit management
- Improvement and innovation
- Internal audit delivery
- Persuasion and collaboration
- Governance, risk and control enhancement
What you will achieve
Learning objectives
- Demonstrate greater confidence in dealing with senior leaders
- Appraise what it really takes to be an effective internal audit leader
- Explain how to make effective and valuable contributions at a strategic level and towards overall business success
- Apply practical methods to manage key relationships with the audit committee, senior management and peers
- Add value through efficient and effective internal audit good practices
- Explain key priorities for them and their departments to help maximize their contribution to their organization
Who should attend
Target audience
- Chief audit executives, deputy heads of audit, internal audit managers and senior internal auditors who deal with business leaders and/or lead or manage members of the internal audit team. This course is equally valuable for both in-house and outsourced internal audit teams.
- Target Competencies
- Internal audit management
- Improvement and innovation
- Internal audit delivery
- Persuasion and collaboration
- Governance, risk and control enhancement
Methodology
Learning approach
- A blend of theoretical, technical, discursive and practical approaches. It will include facilitator-led input sessions, and numerous team exercises based around practical internal audit situations, case studies, group presentations, discussions and debates.
Course content
Course outline and key learning areas
Module 1
Internal Audit Leadership
- Effective leadership
- The importance of steady management
- Qualities of an effective internal audit leader
- A reminder of leadership and management theory
- The inspirational internal audit leader
- Large vs small internal audit teams
- The mission statement and definition of internal auditing
- Relevant attribute and performance standards
- Challenges all internal audit leaders face
- Resolving common challenges
Module 2
Effective Internal Audit Planning
- Determining risk maturity
- Designing the risk-based assurance universe
- Developing an effective internal audit strategy
- How you develop your universe and strategy
- Coordination with other assurance providers
- Advantages and disadvantages of working with other assurance providers
- Determining the annual or six-monthly internal audit plan
- Delivering the plan and working in an agile way
- Discussion: Good practice planning
- Internal audit delivery today and building team capability for tomorrow
Module 3
Getting Maximum Impact from our Internal Audit Resources
- Securing the necessary internal audit resources
- Managing internal audit resources
- Dealing with the dispersed team
- Ensuring an effective internal audit engagement process
- Maximizing efficiency
- Managing co-sourcing and contractors
- In-house vs outsourced contractors
- Risk management in the internal audit function
- Risk identification and management for internal audit
Module 4
Stakeholder Relationship Management
- Perceptions of internal audit
- Stakeholder analysis
- Effective stakeholder relations
- Marketing internal audit
- Internal audit’s product mix
- Best practice stakeholder management
- Effective reporting and recommendations
- Conflict management, negotiation and persuasion
- Networking
- Conflict and solutions
Module 5
Insight, Added Value and Quality Assurance
- What is insight
- Delivering insight and impact
- Enhancing and protecting organizational value
- Adding value through assurance and consulting
- The power and perils of advisory work
- The quality assurance and improvement programme
- Internal assessments
- External assessments
- Elements of the improvement program
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What does High Impact Internal Audit Leadership (AGRC-001) cover?
This course covers Auditing and Governance Risk and Compliance through a structured five-day outline focused on practical application, discussion, and implementation planning.
When is the next available session?
The next scheduled session starts on 15 - 19 June 2026, with additional classroom dates and mirrored Online / Live options listed in the course schedules section.
Who should attend this course?
Chief audit executives, deputy heads of audit, internal audit managers and senior internal auditors who deal with business leaders and/or lead or manage members of the internal audit team. This course is equally valuable for both in-house and outsourced internal audit teams., Target Competencies, Internal audit management
How can I register for a session?
Use any Register button next to the available course dates to open the participant registration page and submit your booking request for the selected session.
Is this course available online as well as classroom-based?
Yes. The course detail page includes both classroom sessions and Online / Live sessions, with online options aligned to the same course dates for easier planning.
Where are classroom sessions delivered?
Current classroom venues include Rome, Kuala lumpur, Barcelona, London, Munich, Paris.
Still Have Questions?
Contact the academy team for course details, delivery options, and delegate guidance.
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