Lead Auditor - Business Process SOX

CREATIVITY IS OUR SUPERPOWER. It’s our heritage and it’s also our future. Because we don’t just make toys. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire fans, entertain audiences and develop children through play. Mattel is at its best when every member of our team feels respected, included, and heard—when everyone can show up as themselves and do their best work every day. We value and share an infinite range of ideas and voices that evolve and broaden our perspectives with a reach that extends into all our brands, partners, and suppliers.

The Team:
 

At Mattel, we create innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain and develop children through play. Our Global Internal Audit team plays an important role in strengthening governance, risk management and internal controls across our worldwide operations.

As Mattel continues expanding its Internal Audit capabilities within the Mattel Technology & Innovation Center (MTIC), we are seeking an experienced Lead Auditor – Business Process SOX to provide day-to-day operational leadership for our global SOX compliance program.

This role offers an opportunity to help shape a growing global audit organization while partnering with colleagues across the U.S., EMEA, LATAM and APAC

The Opportunity: 
The Lead Auditor will serve as the operational lead for Business Process SOX testing executed from Hyderabad.

Unlike a traditional people manager, this individual will act as the team's technical leader—ensuring testing progresses according to plan, work is assigned appropriately, review notes are resolved quickly, and testing quality consistently meets Mattel's Internal Audit standards.

Working closely with the U.S.-based Audit Managers, this role will be responsible for coordinating daily execution activities across multiple business cycles while providing coaching and technical guidance to staff auditors.

What Your Impact Will Be: 

SOX Program Leadership

• Lead execution of Mattel's annual SOX Business Process testing program from Hyderabad.
• Coordinate day-to-day testing activities across multiple audit cycles.
• Monitor progress against the annual SOX plan and proactively identify execution risks.
• Drive timely completion of testing while maintaining high quality standards.
• Support annual planning, resource allocation and workload balancing.

Technical Review

• Perform detailed review of SOX testing workpapers before manager review.
• Ensure testing complies with PCAOB standards and Mattel Internal Audit methodology.
• Validate testing conclusions and supporting evidence.
• Challenge control execution where necessary and identify testing gaps.
• Ensure consistent documentation quality across all business process areas.

Team Leadership

• Assign testing activities across staff auditors.
• Provide daily coaching and technical guidance.
• Support onboarding and development of new team members.
• Promote consistency in testing methodology and documentation.
• Share best practices across the team.

Stakeholder Management

• Serve as the primary operational contact for Business Process SOX testing activities.
• Coordinate walkthroughs with global process owners.
• Partner with Internal Audit Managers, control owners and external auditors.
• Escalate issues impacting delivery timelines or testing quality.
• Track remediation activities and support deficiency evaluation.

Continuous Improvement

• Drive standardization of audit documentation.
• Improve audit execution efficiency through automation and analytics.
• Support implementation of continuous monitoring capabilities.
• Identify opportunities to reduce manual effort through technology.
• Contribute to methodology enhancements and knowledge sharing.

What We’re Looking For: 

• We are looking for someone who combines strong technical SOX expertise with the ability to lead execution, mentor team members and drive operational excellence.

  The ideal candidate enjoys being close to the work, solving problems, improving processes and helping others succeed.

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance or Business.
• 8–10+ years of Internal Audit, External Audit or SOX Compliance experience.
• Significant experience testing Business Process SOX controls for multinational or SEC-listed organizations.
• Strong understanding of:
  • COSO Internal Control Framework
  • PCAOB auditing standards
  • SOX Sections 302 & 404
  • Risk assessment methodology
• Experience reviewing workpapers prepared by other auditors.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating multiple concurrent audit engagements.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience working with global stakeholders across multiple time zones.

Preferred Qualifications

• CPA, CA, CIA or equivalent certification.
• Big Four audit experience.
• Experience with AuditBoard / Optro, Workiva or other GRC platforms.
• Experience supporting external audit reliance.
• Exposure to SAP environments.
• Experience using data analytics or automation within SOX testing.

Success in this Role

Within your first year, you will:

• Become the operational lead for Business Process SOX testing executed from Hyderabad.
• Improve consistency and quality of audit documentation.
• Increase testing efficiency through better workload management.
• Reduce review cycle times through effective coaching.
• Build a high-performing Business Process SOX delivery team.

Leadership Behaviors

The successful candidate demonstrates:

• Ownership and accountability
• Strong technical judgement
• Coaching mindset
• Attention to detail
• Continuous improvement orientation
• Effective stakeholder management
• Collaborative leadership
• Growth mindset

Don’t meet every single requirement? At Mattel, we are dedicated to an inclusive workplace and a culture of belonging. If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to apply. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

How We Work:
We are a purpose driven company aiming to empower generations to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential. We live up to our purpose employing the following behaviors:

• We collaborate: Being a part of Mattel means being part of one team with shared values and common goals. Every person counts and working closely together always brings better results. Partnership is our process and our collective capabilities is our superpower.
• We innovate: At Mattel we always aim to find new and better ways to create innovative products and experiences. No matter where you work in the organization, you can always make a difference and have real impact. We welcome new ideas and value new initiatives that challenge conventional thinking.
• We execute: We are a performance-driven company. We strive for excellence and are focused on pursuing best-in-class outcomes. We believe in accountability and ownership and know that our people are at their best when they are empowered to create and deliver results.

Our Approach to Flexible Work:
We embrace a flexible work model designed to empower a culture of growth, optimism, and wellbeing, where every employee can reach their full potential. Combining purposeful in-person collaboration with flexibility, our focus is to optimize performance and drive connection for moments that matter.

Who We Are:
Mattel is a leading global toy and family entertainment company and owner of one of the most iconic brand portfolios in the world. We engage consumers and fans through our franchise brands, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, American Girl, Thomas & Friends, UNO, Masters of the Universe, Matchbox, Monster High, MEGA and Polly Pocket, as well as other popular properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include toys, content, consumer products, digital and live experiences. Our products are sold in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering generations to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential.

Mattel’s award-winning workplace culture has been recognized by Forbes, Fast Company, Newsweek, Great Place to Work, TIME, and more.

Visit us at https://jobs.mattel.com/ and www.instagram.com/MattelCareers.

Mattel is an Equal Opportunity Employer where we want you to bring your authentic self to work every day. We welcome all job seekers, and all applicants will receive consideration for employment.

Videos to watch:
The Culture at Mattel
Corporate Philanthropy