IT Auditor Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Are you searching for an IT auditor job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of an IT auditor. Feel free to use our IT auditor job description template to produce your own IT auditor job description. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as an IT auditor.
Who is an IT Auditor?
An IT auditor is a specialist who inspects and evaluates a company’s technological infrastructure to ensure that processes and systems are accurate and effective while remaining secure and compliant. An IT auditor finds any IT problems that are part of the audit, particularly problems with security and risk management.
They protect sensitive data from technological security lapses by detecting holes in a system’s network and developing plans to plug them.
The majority of their time is spent gathering and analyzing data from databases, software, and information management systems.
Due to the technical and financial nature of the job, most IT auditors have a bachelor’s degree in information systems management, computer science, accounting, finance, or a related field. They deal with a wide range of issues and are frequently required to work alone with little supervision. The ability to use common office software as well as strong written and oral communication skills are required. IT auditors are knowledgeable about both technological and commercial processes. You should also be able to think critically, identify potential risks, and offer solutions.
IT Auditor Job Description
What is an IT auditor job description? an IT auditor job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of an IT auditor in an organization. Below are the IT auditor job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write an IT auditor job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of an IT auditor include:
- Testing, identifying network and system flaws, and developing preventative measures to protect the network.
- Investigating security and network issues.
- Collaborating with management to develop policies to help ensure the security of corporate data.
- Communicating identified IT issues to other members of the organization.
- Providing solutions on how to improve or modify procedures and controls to ensure security and compliance.
- Addressing any security flaws in the system or network.
- Securely maintain the organizations’ records and data in order to be in compliance with the law.
- Providing advice and recommendations on uncovered security and control risks.
- Gaining a firm understanding of business and system processes.
- Coordinating employee education on information security best practices to reduce the likelihood of data breaches or cyberattacks.
- Establishing, carrying out, testing, and evaluating audit review procedures.
- Carrying out IT and IT-related audit projects in accordance with the company’s accepted IT auditing standard.
- Providing guidance to staff members and management regarding internal controls, compliance vulnerabilities, and accounting inconsistencies.
- Preparing an audit report and communicating suggestions and findings to all audiences, technical and non-technical.
- Keeping up with new IT developments and assisting in the creation of audit plans to mitigate any potential risks associated with the use of such technologies.
- Fostering technical development of staff through mentoring and coaching.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, management information systems, or computer science.
- Certifications such as Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) or another comparable one.
- Two years working as an IT auditor.
- Familiar with MAC and OS.
- Working knowledge of various hardware and software.
- Web proxies, VPNs, firewalls, data loss prevention, and security audits expert
- Strong IT background, as well as experience in public accounting or internal auditing.
- Analytical and critical-thinking skills.
- A clear understanding of IT auditing procedures.
- Strong attention to detail and problem-solving abilities.
- Excellent understanding of cybersecurity trends and hacking techniques.
- The ability to travel to various locations to conduct audits.
Essential Skills
IT auditors need the following skills in order to be successful:
- IT infrastructure and security expertise:
This is one of the most important requirements for working as an IT auditor. IT auditors must be technically savvy in order to work within an organization’s IT infrastructure. They necessitate a thorough understanding of all aspects of information technology, including networks, systems, infrastructures, and databases.
- Teamwork
While IT auditors frequently work alone, they may also collaborate with others to develop audit recommendations and work in small groups on specific projects. IT auditors frequently collaborate with business professionals, external auditors, information security officers, IT professionals, and operational and financial auditors. They will be able to effectively collaborate with other professionals to achieve a common goal if they have strong communication and collaboration skills.
- Research Skills:
Research skills are the ability to locate and analyze information. IT auditors must be able to conduct research in order to learn about an organization’s IT systems and procedures. You may need to conduct additional research into security risks, compliance requirements, and other laws.
- Risk Assessment:
Another critical competency required of a successful IT auditor is the ability to accurately assess risks and determine which are the most urgent versus those that can be addressed later.
- Analytical Abilities
An IT auditor must be able to accurately analyze various aspects of an organization’s information system. Analytical thinking frequently involves creativity in order to evaluate potential outcomes and consider previously unconsidered possibilities. IT auditors must have excellent analytical thinking skills in order to successfully complete audits, particularly in identifying potential areas for improvement.
- Communication, both verbal and written:
IT auditors must have strong communication skills because they allow them to share information with others and comprehend information from others. Communication skills are used when you meet with clients, educate colleagues on technical procedures, and write reports. By using effective communication techniques, you can gain the trust of others and persuade them to share information with you. IT auditors must be able to write detailed reports, collaborate with other staff members, and communicate effectively in order to determine the best course of action for each problem.
- Personality Traits:
Given the wide range of people they must interact with every day, an IT auditor must be able to easily establish working relationships and get along with all different types of people.
- Self-education potential:
IT auditors must be able to quickly learn new skills and stay current on all IT-related discoveries and conventions.
- Problem-solving:
IT auditors with problem-solving skills can devise the best solutions to the problems they discover. These skills are especially important when they encounter unexpected difficulties at work or with networks and systems. With the help of their problem-solving abilities, they can weigh various solutions and select the one that best meets the demands and needs of the organization.
- Business Acumen:
Business acumen refers to the ability to comprehend a company’s financial operations. Business acumen is essential for IT auditors because it allows them to understand the financial risks associated with the technology a company uses. An IT auditor with business acumen understands the financial implications of the audit’s conclusions.
- Attention to detail:
IT auditors must complete their tasks correctly and completely. Their attention to detail ensures that their work is accurate and thorough. This allows for the most accurate problem identification and the development of potential solutions.
How to Become an IT Auditor
To become an IT auditor, follow the steps below:
- Earn a bachelor’s degree
A bachelor’s degree is the absolute minimum for becoming an IT auditor. Choose a field of study that is related to a field such as a computer science, information technology, management information systems, and so on. You could also choose to specialize in an area where audits are frequently required, such as business administration, engineering, finance, or the law. Choose a program that, if at all possible, allows you to specialize in quality assurance or auditing.
Degree programs can vary depending on the institution and field of study. It is, however, critical to hone your data management and workflow design abilities.
- Complete an Internship
Try to complete an internship while pursuing your degree to learn more about the industry. Most internships provide basic training as well as real-world experience, which may help you stand out to future employers once you graduate. Similarly, an internship may provide you with the opportunity to network with industry experts who can help you with your job search.
- Gain Relevant Experience
Understanding how to improve IT systems and architectures necessitates prior experience with them.
Look for opportunities to gain relevant experience. Look into jobs in internal auditing, public accounting, or other areas of accounting or finance. Computer systems analyst, database administrator, and systems administrator are other typical jobs that someone might have held before becoming an IT auditor. Accounting firms, banks, consulting firms, government agencies, information technology companies, private businesses, and public businesses are just a few of the places you could get experience.
- Pursue Certification
As your career progresses, consider obtaining a relevant IT certification. When applying for jobs, this could be a good way to demonstrate your knowledge and set yourself apart from the competition. If you want to become certified as an IT auditor, the following are some of the most useful certifications:
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- Certified Internal Auditor:
You might want to look into the Institute of Internal Auditors Certified Internal Auditor certification. This certification, which is recognized worldwide, is for internal auditing. It demonstrates your thorough understanding of global internal auditing standards and procedures.
You can pursue this certification after earning a bachelor’s degree and gaining some work experience.
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- Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA):
The CISA certification is provided by the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA). The intended audience consists of IT auditors and information security professionals. Before you can obtain your CISA certification, you must have at least five years of professional experience.
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- Certified Information Security Manager (CISM):
The CISM certification offered by the information systems audit and Control Association (ISACA) focuses on information security managers and develops, builds, and maintains information system programs. To be eligible for the CISM certification, you must have at least five years of experience in information technology and three years of experience managing security.
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- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP):
This certification allows you to demonstrate your expertise in developing, implementing and managing a high-quality cybersecurity program. Those with a master’s degree in information security only need four years of experience; those without a master’s degree in information security need five years of IT security work experience to be eligible for this certification.
- Consider getting a master’s degree
Consider obtaining a master’s degree in cybersecurity, information technology, or a related field. Though it is not necessary, your understanding of operating systems, risk analysis, and software platform operations may improve as a result. A master’s degree may also improve your eligibility for desired promotions.
You could also enroll in other continuing education courses if you decide against getting a master’s degree. This enables you to stay up to date with emerging trends and other technological advancements. Investigate your options for taking quick courses, attending seminars, or participating in specialized training.
Where to Work as an IT Auditor
IT auditors spend the majority of their working day interacting with computer systems in an office setting. If the company works with external clients, an IT auditor may travel to assess the client systems. However, some of the companies for which IT auditors work include:
- Financial institutions
Financial institutions rely on a large number of IT professionals as well as a wide range of IT services. As a result, financial institution IT auditors, who work on a variety of IT framework components for the institution, play an important role.
- Computer Science Research Organizations
IT auditors are required to keep everything running smoothly between the various IT components. These professionals work for companies that specialize in artificial intelligence, software development, hardware development, and a variety of other fields.
- Corporations, both for-profit and non-profit
Many other businesses make use of IT auditors. These can be insurance, merchandising, sports, travel, or even general manufacturing businesses that have nothing to do with money or computers. If the company employs a variety of IT and computerized systems, it will almost certainly require some competent IT auditors.
- Government
Government organizations are another place where IT auditors are needed. Organizations such as the FBI, IRS, and others require highly functional IT systems.
IT Auditor Salary Scale
Payscale.com estimates that an entry-level IT auditor with less than a year of experience can expect to earn an average total income of $61,950. The average total pay for an IT auditor in their early careers with 1-4 years of experience is $69,452. The average total compensation for an IT auditor in the middle of their career with 5 to 9 years of experience is $88,087. The average total compensation for an experienced IT auditor with 10-19 years of experience is $100,413 per year. The average total compensation for employees in their late careers (20 years or more) is $118,433.