Vice President Internal Audit

VP, Internal Audit – Financial Institution (Hybrid – Fairfax, VA)

Location: Fairfax, VA (Hybrid: M/T/Th in office, W/F remote)

Compensation: $190,000–$210,000 base + 11–20% annual bonus + full benefits + pension

Employment Type: Full-time, Direct Hire

About the Role

A growing, mid-sized financial institution in Northern Virginia is seeking a Vice President of Internal Audit to lead a lean, high-impact audit function. This is a hands-on, highly visible leadership role responsible for developing the annual risk-based audit plan, overseeing internal control testing, managing audit staff, and presenting regularly to the Supervisory Committee.

You will lead a small but mighty team and partner closely with external audit vendors for large/specialized audits. The ideal candidate brings deep experience in financial services audit, strong leadership capability, and the communication skills to engage with board-level committees.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the Internal Audit function, including development and execution of the annual audit plan
• Oversee audit execution, workpapers, and audit deliverables
• Present regularly to the Supervisory Committee on audit findings and internal control effectiveness
• Coordinate with external audit vendors and manage vendor relationships
• Ensure compliance with federal regulations, NCUA expectations, and internal policies
• Provide recommendations to strengthen internal controls, operational efficiency, and risk mitigation
• Coach, mentor, and develop internal audit team members
• Collaborate closely with executive leadership across finance, risk, compliance, and operations

Ideal Background & Candidate Profile

This role attracts internal audit leaders who want meaningful work, better balance, and the ability to make an immediate impact in a mid-sized financial institution. The requirements are clear, straightforward, and highly searchable, ensuring strong alignment:

Required & Preferred Experience

• CPA required (non-negotiable)
• Internal audit leadership experience in a financial institution
• Background in a credit union or banking environment
• Supervisory experience managing audit staff
• Direct experience building and executing risk-based internal audit plans
• Vendor oversight experience, particularly managing external audit partners
• Strong presentation skills with the ability to interface with board-level committees

What Makes This Role Appealing

Many senior auditors currently working in large banks are actively seeking roles that offer:

• Relief from SOX-heavy environments
• Less public-company pressure and reporting intensity
• Fewer month/quarter-end cycles
• A more mission-driven, member-centered environment

This opportunity offers exactly that:

• No SOX
• A small, high-impact team
• Strong vendor support to avoid burnout
• A stable hybrid schedule (3 days onsite, 2 remote)
• Direct visibility with executive leadership and the Supervisory Committee

This mix of leadership impact and lifestyle balance is a major draw for high-caliber audit professionals.

What You’ll Bring

• CPA (required)
• 8+ years of internal audit leadership experience within a financial institution
• Strong working knowledge of compliance, NCUA regulations, risk-based auditing, and internal controls
• Ability to work hands-on in a lean environment while maintaining executive presence
• Experience building audit plans, managing audit cycles, and presenting at the committee/board level

Why This Role

• Highly visible “true VP” seat
• Hybrid schedule (2 days remote weekly)
• Competitive bonus structure (11–20%)
• Pension + dollar-for-dollar 401(k) match (up to 5%)
• Collaborative, innovative, AI-supported work environment
• Opportunity to innovate and elevate the internal audit function

If you have a CPA and financial institution audit leadership background, we’d love to connect.