Director of Internal Audit

Fervo Energy • Houston, TX

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

Fervo Energy is hiring a Director of Internal Audit to build its internal audit function from the ground up, establish its SOX compliance program, define the enterprise risk universe, and provide independent assurance across financial reporting, IT, operational technology, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance. This hands-on leadership role is intended for an experienced audit professional who can shape a new function and operate effectively in an ambiguous, fast-moving environment.

The Director will partner with the Head of Compliance & Regulatory Programs, CFO, external auditors, and the Audit Committee to support an appropriate, risk-aligned, and continuously improving control environment. The position reports directly to the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors, with a dotted-line administrative reporting relationship to the Head of Compliance & Regulatory Programs. The role is hybrid, with regular in-office presence required at the Houston office and an expected office schedule of three days per week; travel to Fervo offices and project sites may be needed.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field.
• CPA, CIA, or CISA strongly preferred; an MBA is a plus.
• At least 10 years of progressive internal audit, external audit, or ICFR experience.
• Meaningful experience at a Big Four or top-tier professional services firm and at a public or near-IPO company.
• Demonstrated experience standing up or materially rebuilding a SOX program, including scoping, control design, testing, and remediation.
• Deep knowledge of COSO 2013, PCAOB AS 2201, and SEC rules governing ICFR, disclosure controls, and Audit Committee reporting.
• Working knowledge of IT general controls, cybersecurity frameworks such as NIST CSF or ISO 27001, and audits of complex ERP and operational technology environments.
• Ability to coordinate effectively with external auditors and present to Audit Committees and senior executives.
• Ability to operate independently, exercise sound judgment under ambiguity, and deliver results in fast-moving, resource-constrained environments.
• Ability to travel to Fervo offices and project sites as needed.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in energy, including power generation or distribution, infrastructure, upstream oil and gas, or other asset-heavy industries.
• Exposure to regulatory compliance audits in regulated energy environments, including FERC, NERC, DOE loan programs, and IRS domestic content and prevailing wage requirements.
• Experience auditing complex capital projects, joint ventures, or project finance structures.
• Hands-on experience with ERP systems; Quorum is a plus.
• Experience with audit or GRC platforms.
• Experience building an internal audit function at a recently public or pre-IPO company.

Responsibilities

• Build the internal audit function, including its charter, methodology, risk-based annual audit plan, and quality assurance and improvement program aligned with IIA standards.
• Serve as the primary Audit Committee contact by preparing materials, reporting key risks and control issues, and ensuring concerns are surfaced and resolved.
• Define the enterprise risk universe with Finance, Legal, Compliance, IT, and Operations, and develop a multi-year audit roadmap.
• Establish audit standards, documentation norms, and workpaper practices that can withstand external auditor and regulator scrutiny.
• Partner with Finance and Accounting to design and build the SOX program, including scoping, risk assessment, control design evaluation, and deficiency remediation tracking.
• Own independent SOX control testing, assess deficiency severity, and report results to the Audit Committee independently of management’s conclusions.
• Coordinate with external auditors on SOX scoping, walkthroughs, testing reliance, and deficiency evaluation.
• Provide control guidance for system implementations, M&A activity, and strategic initiatives.
• Design and execute IT general controls, application controls, and cybersecurity audits across financially significant systems, OT environments, and field-data infrastructure.
• Assess cyber risk in coordination with IT and Security leadership, including access management, change management, incident response, and third-party and cloud risk.
• Develop data analytics, continuous monitoring, and fraud detection capabilities for the audit function.
• Conduct independent audits of regulatory compliance programs, including FERC, NERC, energy market participation, domestic content and prevailing wage, trade and sanctions, ethics and anti-corruption, supply chain, and third-party/vendor compliance.
• Evaluate the design and operating effectiveness of controls in engineering, operations, and commercial workflows.
• Support investigations and special projects requested by the Audit Committee, General Counsel, or executive leadership.
• Build and lead a small internal audit team over time, using in-house talent and co-source relationships to address the company’s risk profile.
• Develop relationships with business leaders and provide internal control awareness and training.
• Present findings and recommendations clearly and candidly to C-suite and Board-level stakeholders.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision plan options.
• Employer-paid basic life insurance and short-term and long-term disability coverage.
• 401(k) plan with up to 6% match.
• Flexible paid time off and paid parental leave.
• Family-building, fertility, hormonal health, pregnancy, postpartum, and parenting support through Carrot.
• Dependent care FSA for eligible child and elder care expenses.
• Annual Lifestyle Spending Account for eligible wellness expenses, including fitness, financial planning, pet insurance, and pet care.
• Employee ownership opportunities through the Employee Stock Purchase Program, stock option grants, and bonus opportunities for eligible roles.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director