Job Description:
Job Opportunity: Internal Audit Associate Director, Digital & Data Analytics
Location: Hybrid. Based in either UK (Paddington) or USA (Chicago or Newark).
Job Type: Permanent
Industry: Internal Audit, Digital Transformation, Data Analytics
Mars is seeking an experienced and innovative Global Internal Audit (IA) Digital and Data Analytics Associate Director to lead the maturation and scaling of our Data Analytics Center of Excellence (CoE). This strategic role will drive the adoption of cutting-edge digital tools, automation, and advanced analytics to transform the audit lifecycle, enhancing audit quality, increasing efficiency, and embedding innovation at the core of Internal Audit’s strategy.
As a key leader, you will champion Mars’ vision to be a digital leader in the S&F (Supply & Finance) function by delivering smarter, faster, and more impactful assurance through digital transformation.
Key Responsibilities
- Drive the modernization of audit processes, tools, and methodologies through digital initiatives.
- Promote adoption of advanced analytics and continuous auditing tools such as IDEA, ACL Robotics, Alteryx, Power BI, Celonis (process mining), and MindBridge (AI anomaly detection).
- Drive data-driven risk identification, control testing, and issue detection to enhance audit execution.
- Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, delivering data-driven insights and thought leadership.
- Develop and mentor a team of digital and analytics professionals, fostering innovation and capability building.
- Build strong relationships internally and externally to deliver best-in-class digital tools across Mars.
About you
- Proven experience in internal audit, data analytics, data science, or digital transformation
- Proven success building AI-enabled solutions in audit, risk, or finance, including large language models, automation, and intelligent document processing.
- Proficiency in Python, SQL, or similar tools to design, prototype, and deploy AI-driven use cases (e.g., audit testing automation, AI agents, data-driven workpapers).
- Experience with platforms such as Optro (formerly AuditBoard), DataSnipper, or similar, including extending functionality via integrations or AI enhancements.
- Strong understanding of ERP systems (SAP preferred) and enterprise data sources.
- Leadership experience managing teams, projects, and cross-functional initiatives.
- Experience auditing consumer packaged goods, manufacturing, or medical service companies is a plus.
- Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Business Analytics, MIS, Finance, Accounting, or related field.
- Preferred certifications: CISA, CPA, CIA, Security+, CISSP, or CISM.
What can you expect from Mars?
- Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
- Join a purpose-driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
- Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
- An industry-competitive salary and benefits package, including a company bonus.
Mars is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable adjustments for individuals with disabilities, long-term health conditions, or who are neurodiverse during the application and recruitment process. To request reasonable adjustments, complete our Reasonable Adjustment Request Form here.
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Mars Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Mars and has not been reviewed or approved by Mars.
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Healthcare Strength — The benefits package is positioned as comprehensive, with broad medical coverage and additional protections like life insurance and short- and long-term disability. Mental health support is emphasized, including free mental health services and wellbeing programming under initiatives such as Mars Be Well.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave is highlighted as market-leading in the U.S., with an example of 18 weeks fully paid for both parents. Additional family-related leave types such as sick time for caregiving and bereavement leave are also described as part of the overall package.
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Retirement Support — Retirement offerings are described as strong, including 401(k) matching (with a 6% match cited) and pension plans in some cases. The broader package also references retirement savings options and contributions aligned to local market practice, supporting long-term financial security.
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What We Do
For more than a century, Mars, Incorporated has been driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. This idea is at the center of who we have always been as a global, family-owned business. Today, Mars is transforming, innovating and evolving in ways that affirm our commitment to making a positive impact on the world around us. Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of confectionery, food, and petcare products and services, we employ 133,000 dedicated Associates who are all moving in the same direction: forward. With $40 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including DOVE®, EXTRA®, M&M’s®, MILKY WAY®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, ORBIT®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, SKITTLES®, WHISKAS®, COCOAVIA®, and 5™; and take care of half of the world’s pets through our pet health services AniCura, Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, Pet Partners™, and VCA™. We know we can only be truly successful if our partners and the communities in which we operate prosper as well. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our Associates to take action every day to help create a world tomorrow in which the planet, its people and pets can thrive.
