Services
Internal audit services, in the order you need them.
Assess where you stand, fix how the work gets done, and sustain it with senior leadership, without Big 4 cost.
The path
Three steps from “are we ready?” to “we've got this.”
Most audit functions need them in this order. Start wherever you are.
-
Assess
Standards & Quality Assurance
Know where you stand against the Standards before your assessor does.
Explore Standards & QA -
Fix
Audit Modernization
Rebuild how your team plans, tests and reports, in fixed-scope sprints.
Explore Audit Modernization -
Sustain
Fractional & Co-sourced CAE
Senior audit leadership on a monthly retainer, without a full-time hire.
Explore Fractional CAE
Services in detail
What each service delivers.
01 · Assess
An independent view of your conformance, and a plan to close the gaps.
- External Quality Assessment: full, or self-assessment with independent validation
- Standards readiness gap assessment
- Quality assurance and improvement program (QAIP) set-up
- Topical requirement reviews: cybersecurity, third-party, AI
02 · Fix
Faster cycles, cleaner workpapers and reporting leaders actually read.
- Risk assessment and audit plan
- Workpapers, testing and QA review
- Board reporting and value scorecard
- AI and analytics in audit, governed and evidence-ready
Specialty
Know your fraud exposure, and how you'll respond, before you need to.
- Fraud risk assessment
- Response playbooks
- Escalation triggers and clear accountability
Fraud risk readiness is also built into our other three services.
03 · Sustain
Experienced audit leadership when you need it, scaled to your season.
- Audit leadership and audit committee reporting
- Annual risk assessment and audit plan
- Surge or specialist audit capacity
How we work
One method behind every engagement.
- Assess
Make the current state undeniable
Current state, risks and stakeholder expectations.
- Design
Architect the future state
A future-state model and clear priorities.
- Implement
Build what your team can run
Workflows, templates and governance.
- Enable
Drive adoption fast
Training, coaching and rollout.
- Sustain
Keep it improving
Metrics, cadence and continuous improvement.
Built into every engagement
We leave your team able to run it.
Every engagement includes an Enable step: team rollout, coaching and working sessions, so the new way of working sticks after we leave.
- Team rollout and coaching
- Templates and tools your team owns
- Course seats for your auditors where included: the Audit Leadership course, through our partner TAPA Institute
Looking for broader leadership development? See our partner Leadership/MEQ.
Why Charles FS
The rigor of a large firm. The attention of a boutique.
Founder-led, senior attention
Dr. Sabine Charles provides the oversight and quality assurance on every engagement.
About Dr. Charles
Standards first
Our work is built around the IIA Global Internal Audit Standards, so it holds up when an assessor or regulator looks.
Our Standards work
Built for lean teams
Practical tools for mid-sized and mission-driven audit functions, without Big 4 cost.
Who we serveWho we serve
Sector expertise where it matters most.
Higher Education
Grant compliance, decentralized departments and trustee reporting.
Learn more
Healthcare
Regulatory compliance, billing and fraud risk, and patient data.
Learn more
Nonprofits
Donor and grant accountability with lean teams.
Learn more
Banks & Credit Unions
Regulator expectations, AI and model risk, and third-party risk.
Learn more“Charlesfs strengthened our fraud risk readiness with clear scenarios, priorities, and a response protocol leaders can follow.”
FAQ
Choosing where to start.
Which service should we start with?
If an EQA or a Standards transition is coming, start with Standards & Quality Assurance. If you already know the gaps, start with Audit Modernization. If you need leadership capacity now, start with Fractional CAE. One readiness call is usually enough to decide.
Can we combine services?
Yes. A common path is a readiness assessment first, a modernization sprint to fix the gaps, then fractional support to keep the function on track.
Do you work with small audit teams?
Yes. Our work is designed for lean teams that need structure, consistency and speed.
How are engagements priced?
Assessments and sprints are fixed fees, scoped to your team size. Fractional support is a monthly retainer. You receive a written proposal before any work starts.
Start here
Not sure where to start? Start with one conversation.
Book a readiness call with Dr. Charles.