Lead auditor vs auditor

The certified lead auditor designation is a professional certification for audit team leaders working for certification bodies or performing supplier audits for large organizations

Lead auditor certification requires tertiary education plus two years of work experience as an auditor or lead auditor in training

As the name ‘Lead Auditor’ suggests; it is the leading position within an audit team comprising several members

Before one can opt for this designation, a question comes to mind

What does an internal auditor do? This is the common curiosity that drives aspirants to learn more about internal auditors’ responsibilities

Lead auditors usually have more expertise in ISO standards than internal auditors

Lead auditors are typically more concerned with compliance issues than internal auditors, who are more focused on quality improvement

(IAS) is a UQAS accredited ISO Certification and training body

Flaws in processes or improper conduct, if any, are noted by them

Internal auditors are accountable to the lead auditor when the latter enquires them of their reports

This is the primary responsibility of a lead auditor

Information related to the audit is documented and an audit report is created

Lead Auditor enables you to undertake Ist, 2nd, and 3rd party audits

First Party Audit: An internal audit is a first-party audit performed by the company’s employees

The goal is to make the deployment of standards more conformant and practical

With ISO 27001, the two most popular qualifications are lead auditor and lead implementer courses

The difference between them is as obvious as it sounds: an implementer implements an ISMS (information security management system) in accordance with ISO 27001, whereas an auditor audits a third party’s ISMS

The major distinctions between ISO lead auditors and internal auditors are: Lead auditors are independent from the organization being audited, while internal auditors are employees of the organization