ISO CERTIFICATION INDIA: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, ISO 22000, HACCP & CE MARKING

A lead auditor is the one who is responsible for leading the audit team in an organization. He or she prepares the audit plan, delivers meetings and submits audit report at the end of quarter or year. Conducting audits is the main responsibility of a lead auditor and that needs to be done on a daily basis.

Developing the audit plan, including determining the audit objectives, scope and criteria with the audit client
Confirming any requirements for the audit such as PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), transport, access and resources
Communicating the audit plan to the audit team as well as the audit client

Contacting the auditee and managing all communication and correspondence prior, during and after the audit
Ensuring the logistic requirements are acceptable and understood by the auditee

Chairing the opening and meeting
The opening meeting should confirm the audit plan and timetable and any changes noted
The opening meeting is where the audit team sets the scene for the audit and put the auditees at ease

Planning a final team meeting prior to the closing meeting to ensure that, as an audit team, the findings are collated and nonconformances and conformances are identified
Preparing these findings by coming to agreement in preparation for presentation at the closing meeting
It is always beneficial to consider having regular catch ups with the audit team member/s to determine how they are tracking with regards to the timetable and whether any changes need to be made

Chairing the closing meeting
The closing meeting is where the team leader will present all of the findings of the audit and discuss any applicable follow-up

Completing and distributing the audit report
Collecting audit notes from the audit team member/s for inclusion in the audit report
If you review all of the above points again, you can see that essentially an audit team leader needs to be an excellent communicator with both the audit team members and the auditee. While an audit team member needs to be aware of all of these elements of an audit, it is the team leader who takes responsibility and provides direction throughout the audit.
To attain your Audit Team Leader qualification we recommend our Management System - Lead Auditor course. For those with an existing Management Systems - Auditing qualification, you can upgrade your existing qualification to include Team Leader here.