About Himalaya Wellness Company:

Himalaya Wellness Company is a global leader in herbal pharmaceuticals, personal care, and wellness products, rooted in Ayurveda and driven by science. With over 90 years of heritage, Himalaya operates in more than 100 countries, offering trusted, safe, and effective products that improve lives naturally.

Guided by the principles of integrity, innovation, and sustainability, we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of governance and accountability across our global operations.

Why Join Us:

At Himalaya, you will be part of a globally respected organization where integrity, innovation, and purpose guide every decision. This role offers exposure to a wide range of global operations, an opportunity to shape the audit vision for a rapidly growing multinational, and a platform to leverage technology and data to transform governance and risk management.

Location: Bangalore, India

Function: Global Internal Audit

Reporting: Global Head of Internal Audit

Job Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Position Overview:

The General Manager - Internal Audit will play a pivotal role in strengthening the internal audit framework and driving risk-based assurance across Himalaya's India operations (including Herbal Pharma, Personal Care, Baby Care, Animal Health, and Wellness Nutrition businesses). The incumbent will lead end-to-end audits across business processes, manufacturing sites, R&D, marketing, distribution, and corporate functions.

This role will serve as the key interface between the global audit function and regional management, ensuring alignment with group audit methodologies, audit standards, and governance expectations. The role demands strong leadership, a sharp understanding of risks in the FMCG/pharma ecosystem, and the ability to apply technology and data analytics in audit execution.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Internal Audit Strategy & Planning:

- Develop and implement the annual risk-based audit plan for India in consultation with Global Head and in alignment with global priorities and emerging risks.

- Identify critical risk areas impacting operations, regulatory compliance, data integrity, and financial accuracy.

- Ensure coverage of core business cycles Procure to Pay, Order to Cash, Record to Report, Plan to Produce, Hire to Retire, CAPEX governance etc.

2. Audit Execution & Quality Assurance:

- Lead and supervise audit reviews across corporate offices, factories, R&D centers, and distribution hubs.

- Evaluate internal controls, business processes, and governance systems for design and operational effectiveness.

- Identify control gaps, process inefficiencies, and emerging risks; recommend practical, value-adding improvements.

- Ensure audits are conducted per the Himalaya Internal Audit Charter, IIA Standards, and corporate SOPs.

- Ensure that findings are supported by robust evidence and aligned with risk severity.

3. Risk Management & Advisory Support:

- Partner with business and function heads to assess key operational and strategic risks.

- Contribute to the continuous risk assessment framework and provide insights into risk trends and control maturity.

- Participate in fraud risk assessments, whistleblower investigations, and compliance reviews.

- Provide advisory input on new business initiatives, system rollouts, and major projects (e.g., business transformation, ERP upgrades etc.)

4. Data Analytics & Technology Enablement:

- Deploy data analytics and automation tools (e.g., Power BI, ACL/IDEA, Excel analytics) to enhance audit coverage and insight generation.

- Champion the use of continuous auditing and GRC tools to drive proactive monitoring of key risk indicators.

- Integrate SAP data extraction and automated control testing into audit programs.

5. Stakeholder Management & Governance:

- Build and maintain strong partnerships with regional and business leadership teams to ensure timely closure of audit actions.

- Present key findings, risk insights, and root cause analysis to senior management and the Global Head of Internal Audit.

- Support implementation of Management Action Plans (MAPs) and conduct periodic validation reviews.

- Promote a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement across operations.

6. People Leadership & Capability Building:

- Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Internal Audit Managers and Assistant Managers.

- Build audit capability through structured training, coaching, and exposure to international best practices.

- Drive adoption of digital audit tools, agile audit methodologies, and cross-functional learning.

Qualifications & Experience:

- Education: Chartered Accountant (CA) mandatory.

- Additional certifications like CIA, CISA, or CPA are desirable.

- Experience: 12-16 years of experience in internal audit, risk management, or assurance preferably in FMCG, pharmaceutical, or manufacturing sectors.

- At least 3-5 years in a leadership role managing multi-location audit teams.

- Prior experience in Big 4 or global audit environments preferred.

Technical Expertise:

- Strong understanding of internal control frameworks, governance structures, and risk management practices.

- Exposure to SAP or similar ERP systems.

- Working knowledge of data analytics, GRC tools, and continuous auditing techniques.

Key Competencies:

- Strategic thinking with deep operational understanding.

- Strong analytical and problem-solving capability.

- High ethical standards and independence of judgment.

- Excellent communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills.

- Proven leadership and team development abilities.

- Technology orientation with a mindset for innovation and improvement.

- Ability to balance assurance and advisory roles with business empathy.

KPIs / Success Metrics:

- Completion of approved risk-based audit plan within defined timelines.

- Timely and effective closure of audit recommendations (- 90% within agreed deadlines).

- Improvement in control maturity and risk mitigation effectiveness year-over-year.

- Adoption of data analytics across >50% of audits.

- Positive stakeholder feedback on audit value and engagement.

- Team development and retention metrics.