Internal Audit Manager -Asia

The Internal Audit Manager will assist the Director of Financial and Operational Audit in developing an integrated, value-adding audit function, and in executing the internal audit plan for the company's operations in Vietnam and the broader Southeast Asia region. This position will plan, provide oversight over, and/or perform internal audits, special projects of both a financial and operational nature - including SOX 404 testing consistent with the company's US-listed parent - and partner with management on a range of risk, control, and process improvement topics.
Key Responsibilities
1. Audit Engagement Oversight
Oversee individual audit engagements, including operational audits and SOX 404 testing, across Vietnam and Southeast Asia. This includes planning, performing, and analyzing audit results using an integrated audit approach that concentrates on high-risk areas, and the review of both operational and financial controls.
a. Risk Assessment
Gain a clear understanding of specific business units and areas of potential risk in day-to-day processes and transactions alike.
Assist the Director in creating project-level fraud risk assessments to ensure testing is performed in the appropriate locations.
Incorporate Vietnam-specific risk areas into the assessment, including transfer pricing exposure, foreign contractor withholding tax (FCWT), customs valuation, and FCPA / anti-bribery exposure.
b. Planning
Create and manage the department project schedule considering available resources, while remaining flexible to business unit needs and shifting priorities.
Design appropriate risk-based audit procedures and work plans that ensure the objectives of each audit are achieved (e.g., integrity and reliability of information, process efficiency and effectiveness, safeguarding of assets, compliance with laws, regulations, policies, and procedures) and provide adequate coverage of both manual and automated systems.
Assist in developing the internal audit plan and schedule.
c. Execution
Interact with internal staff (whether in-house and/or co-sourced) and management at all levels to understand and review controls within each business unit.
Review how financial reporting and business processes are managed by local finance and management teams.
Identify process weaknesses and/or areas of potential risk arising from the review.
Provide day-to-day supervision of senior auditors and other staff in support of specific engagements.
Ensure work paper documentation supports auditing conclusions.
d. Reporting & Follow-up
Prepare and present final audit reports to local and senior management, discussing areas of risk identified, process weaknesses, and recommendations to mitigate that risk.
Evaluate related action plans and process improvement opportunities with business units and process owners in a tactful and constructive manner.
Manage the open audit findings log to ensure appropriate Internal Audit follow-up with management, so that management action plans are implemented to full remediation. Discrepancies should be followed up on by the Manager directly with line management to determine the reasonableness and appropriateness of differences between planned and actual remediation.
2. Compliance Review
Review compliance with Vietnamese Customs, Foreign Exchange, Tax, and Labor law, as well as other applicable regional regulations, including:
Tax: Corporate Income Tax (CIT), Value Added Tax (VAT), Personal Income Tax (PIT), and Foreign Contractor Withholding Tax (FCWT)
Transfer Pricing: Documentation requirements under Decree 132/2020 and related Circulars
Trade & Customs: Import/export controls, customs valuation, and rules of origin for cross-border supply chains
Labor: Social insurance, trade union obligations, and other local labor requirements
FCPA & Anti-Bribery: Controls relevant to a US-listed entity operating in a high-risk manufacturing region
3. Business Partnership
Assist in building and maintaining a partner relationship with management to develop and maintain cost-effective, efficient systems of internal control.
4. People Development
Coach, develop, and support Internal Audit staff.
Lead future recruitment and hiring of Internal Auditors in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
5. Special Projects & Interim Coverage
-15-20% of time spent on special projects such as acquisition integration, rationalization studies, and process improvement initiatives.
Act as finance controller in company facilities when necessary.
Requirements
Education & Certification
Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related major (Master's degree preferred).
Qualified accountant - CPA, ACCA, or equivalent; CIA (Certified Internal Auditor) strongly preferred.
Experience
10+ years of audit experience in a Big 4 / CPA firm or in the internal audit function of a large MNC.
Manufacturing industry audit background required; experience in FDI / foreign-invested enterprise (FIE) environments in Vietnam is strongly preferred.
SOX 404 testing experience in a US-listed company is required.
Technical Knowledge
Strong working knowledge of USGAAP and Vietnamese Accounting Standards (VAS); familiarity with IFRS is a plus.
Solid understanding of Vietnam tax regulations (CIT, VAT, PIT, FCWT) and transfer pricing rules.
Familiarity with common ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics) and database query tools.
Knowledge of FCPA and anti-bribery controls is a plus.
Skills & Competencies
Strong numerical and analytical skills.
Excellent report writing skills.
Fluency in English and Vietnamese is essential; Mandarin is a strong plus for liaison with regional / China-based teams.
Strong communication and stakeholder management skills across cultures and seniority levels.
Integrity, ethics, and confidentiality.
Self-motivated, with the ability to work independently in a fast-paced, multi-site environment.
Other
Willingness to travel frequently within Vietnam and across Southeast Asia (up to 30-40%).
Key Differentiators (Nice to Have)
Experience working with the General Department of Taxation (GDT) or Ministry of Finance (MOF) audit / inspection processes.
Cross-border transaction review experience (e.g., Vietnam-China or Vietnam-ASEAN supply chains).
Experience setting up or maturing an internal audit function in a greenfield or fast-growing FIE.
Working knowledge of data analytics / continuous auditing tools (ACL, IDEA, Power BI, Tableau).