Future of the Audit Associate Role
By leveraging on analytics and expanding their capabilities, audit associates will be able to develop new digital literacy skills to maximise efficiencies.
Job Scope Evolution
Skills Implication
New Knowledge and Abilities
| Work Functions | Skills Impacted | New Knowledge | New Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perform assurance engagement activities |
|
| 1. Explain flow of RPA scripts 2. Explain logic behind machine learning categorisation 3. Pick-up RPA error messages 4. Execute RPA scripts for all accounting solutions 5. Explain the logic behind data extraction tools 6. Set-up data extraction & analytic requirements 7. Run data extraction & analytic tools as per instruction |
| Support engagement team |
|
| 1. Ensure data sharing procedures keep to cybersecurity protocols 2. Understand cybersecurity risks and potential areas of security breach |
| Technology management |
|
| 1. Troubleshoot and/or debug simple errors to produce desired output |
Interaction Mapping
Current
Future (Tech-enabled Audit Associate)
*Digital Champion can be an independent role or merged into the Senior Audit Associate, depending on the organisation.
As data management takes on a new form with RPA and data analytics integration, the audit associate role should involve less data entry work. The financial data management executive works closely together with the tech-enabled audit associate and digital champion to ensure that data is well managed and that RPA scripts are adjusted according to financial reporting standards. This role allows the tech-enabled audit associate to analyse and validate output.
Future (Financial Data Management Executive)
*Financial Data Management Executive will serve multiple accountants and will focus on managing the RPA scripts and checking for data entry errors.
This interaction mapping is only possible in organisations that integrate their client’s accounting data and that have implemented the Financial Data Management Executive Role (view the role here)
