Investigations / Forensics
Investigations / Forensics is an individual-contributor career path within Internal Audit & Controls. Professionals progress from guided execution to independent delivery, senior problem solving, cross-team leadership and enterprise-level expertise without requiring people management.
- Function
- Internal Audit & Controls
- Archetype
- Risk
- Highest level
- L6 · Senior Principal Risk Specialist
Why it exists
Enables the organization to deliver reliable outcomes in investigations / forensics by building progressively deeper expertise, judgment, ownership and business impact.
Typical responsibilities
Execute discipline-specific work; apply professional standards; solve increasingly complex problems; collaborate with stakeholders; improve quality and efficiency; share expertise; at senior levels, shape practices and decisions beyond the immediate team.
Where the work happens
Common in Internal Audit & Controls teams across technology companies, shared-services organizations, consulting firms, multinational operations and other employers that require investigations / forensics capability.
How the career progresses
Associate Risk Specialist → Risk Specialist → Senior Risk Specialist → Lead Risk Specialist → Principal Risk Specialist → Senior Principal Risk Specialist
Levels in this career
Six standard stages. The seventh exists only where the career provides for it.
What is expected at L1 · Associate Risk Specialist
Learns the discipline; executes defined work with guidance. The focus is successful individual contribution at this stage, not people management.
The five dimensions that change
- Autonomy
- Works with regular guidance and review.
- Scope
- Defined tasks within the immediate team.
- Complexity
- Known problems with established approaches.
- Influence
- Primarily peers and direct stakeholders.
- Business impact
- Reliable individual contribution and learning velocity.
- Ambiguity
- Low; requirements are generally clear.
What good looks like
Associate Risk Specialist consistently demonstrates the expected autonomy and judgment for L1, delivers outcomes appropriate to the scope of the role, applies required Human, Professional and Technical skills at the mapped proficiency, and produces evidence of impact rather than relying on tenure alone.
Typical evidence
Completed work with measurable quality/outcome; stakeholder feedback; examples of problems solved and decisions made; reusable artifacts or improvements; demonstrated skill proficiency; mentoring/influence evidence at senior levels.
Skills expected at L1
Grouped as human, professional and technical. Target proficiency uses the P1–P7 scale, and each row says what that level means for that particular skill.
Human8
| Human | P | Supporting |
|---|---|---|
| AccountabilityExecution & Self-Management | P2FoundationalCore | Applies the skill to routine work with guidance and follows established practices. |
| Active listeningCommunication & Language | P2FoundationalCore | Applies the skill to routine work with guidance and follows established practices. |
| AdaptabilityExecution & Self-Management | P2FoundationalCore | Applies the skill to routine work with guidance and follows established practices. |
| Clear verbal communicationCommunication & Language | P2FoundationalCore | Applies the skill to routine work with guidance and follows established practices. |
| Clear written communicationCommunication & Language | P2FoundationalCore | Applies the skill to routine work with guidance and follows established practices. |
| CollaborationCollaboration & Relationships | P2FoundationalCore | Applies the skill to routine work with guidance and follows established practices. |
| Critical thinkingThinking & Problem Solving | P2FoundationalCore | Applies the skill to routine work with guidance and follows established practices. |
| Time managementExecution & Self-Management | P2FoundationalCore | Applies the skill to routine work with guidance and follows established practices. |
Professional4
| Professional | P | Supporting |
|---|---|---|
| Financial controlsFinance, Accounting & Treasury Practice | P1AwarenessSupporting | Understands the concept, terminology and when the skill is used; performs only with close guidance. |
| Internal controlsRisk, Controls, Audit & Compliance | P1AwarenessCore | Understands the concept, terminology and when the skill is used; performs only with close guidance. |
| Investigations methodologyRisk, Controls, Audit & Compliance | P1AwarenessCore | Understands the concept, terminology and when the skill is used; performs only with close guidance. |
| Year-end closeFinance, Accounting & Treasury Practice | P1AwarenessSupporting | Understands the concept, terminology and when the skill is used; performs only with close guidance. |
Technical4
| Technical | P | Supporting |
|---|---|---|
| Statistical analysis softwareAnalytics, BI & Data Visualization | P1AwarenessSupporting | Understands the concept, terminology and when the skill is used; performs only with close guidance. |
| TableauAnalytics, BI & Data Visualization | P1AwarenessSupporting | Understands the concept, terminology and when the skill is used; performs only with close guidance. |
| eDiscovery toolsLegal, Compliance & Governance Systems | P1AwarenessSupporting | Understands the concept, terminology and when the skill is used; performs only with close guidance. |
| eSignature platformsLegal, Compliance & Governance Systems | P1AwarenessSupporting | Understands the concept, terminology and when the skill is used; performs only with close guidance. |
What changes from L1 to L2
Moving from Associate Risk Specialist to Risk Specialist means demonstrating sustained performance at a larger scope with greater autonomy, complexity, influence and business impact—not simply spending more time in role.
How readiness is shown
Repeatedly performs key aspects of Risk Specialist before promotion; demonstrates the required skill increases; handles standard problems with some judgment required.; receives credible stakeholder evidence; shows measurable outcomes at the next-level scope.
How to prepare
Take stretch assignments at the next-level scope; deepen the listed skill gaps; seek feedback from experienced practitioners; document measurable outcomes and decisions; mentor/share knowledge where appropriate; pursue relevant learning or certification when it strengthens capability.
Adjacent careers
Computed from shared skills. It is a signal for exploring, not a hiring or eligibility guarantee.
- SOX / Internal ControlsInternal Audit & Controls41 shared skills
- Internal AuditInternal Audit & Controls41 shared skills
- Community Impact / Corporate CitizenshipCorporate Affairs, Public Policy & ESG25 shared skills
- Sustainability / ESGCorporate Affairs, Public Policy & ESG25 shared skills
- People Partner / HRBP - ICPeople / Human Resources27 shared skills
- Enterprise / Operational RiskLegal, Compliance & Risk29 shared skills
Career framework v21, active since August 17, 2026.