Keertana Finance is a new-generation, inclusive, and rural-focused financial institution that leverages cutting-edge technology to enable hassle-free, affordable, and convenient credit access. Led by promoter Ms. Padmaja Reddy and a founding team with 100+ years of collective experience in small business lending, Keertana focuses on Gold Loans and Micro Enterprise lending (secured and unsecured) for segments traditionally unserved by banks and underserved by NBFCs. With a strong commitment to transparency, customer-centric operations, and disciplined risk management, the company operates in high-trust environments where process rigor is essential.
This comprehensive guide provides essential insights into the Executive – Internal Audit at Keertana Finance, covering required skills, responsibilities, interview questions, and preparation strategies to help aspiring candidates succeed.
1. About the Executive – Internal Audit Role
The Executive – Internal Audit plays a critical frontline role in safeguarding process integrity across Keertana Finance’s branch network. Based in Hyderabad within the Internal Audit department, you will travel to branches, review loan files, validate KYC/documentation, and test whether operating procedures for loan origination, approvals, disbursements, and collections are consistently applied. You will assess adherence to internal SOPs and applicable RBI guidelines for NBFCs, identify gaps or control breaks, and recommend practical corrective actions that strengthen transparency and compliance in gold loans and micro enterprise lending.
2. Required Skills and Qualifications
Candidates should combine formal education with strong analytical discipline, a compliance mindset, and clear communication. The role requires comfort with fieldwork, documentation scrutiny, and report writing, along with the ability to collaborate with branch teams to close audit observations on time.
Educational Qualifications
- MBA (Finance/Operations/General) – Final Year Students
Key Competencies
- Operational Auditing: Ability to conduct branch-level operational audits and verify loan disbursements, documentation, and KYC compliance
- Compliance Monitoring: Skill in ensuring adherence to internal SOPs and RBI guidelines for NBFCs
- Analytical & Reporting Skills: Good analytical skills with ability to prepare reports on findings, gaps, and process improvements
- Coordination & Communication: Effective communication skills to coordinate with branch teams for timely closure of audit observations
- Risk Assessment: Capacity to support surprise checks, fraud detection, and control audits
Technical Skills
- Financial Products Knowledge: Basic knowledge of financial products and NBFC functioning
- Documentation Review: Experience in reviewing loan files and checking documentation accuracy
- Process Verification: Ability to verify if branch processes are properly followed for loan approvals and collections
- Audit Reporting: Skill in preparing detailed audit reports with findings and recommendations
- Regulatory Compliance: Understanding of RBI guidelines and internal SOPs for NBFC operations
3. Day-to-Day Responsibilities
Your routine will include field audits at assigned branches, systematic testing of process compliance, and closure of observations. Expect structured documentation checks, interaction with branch staff, evidence gathering, and timely reporting aligned to internal SOPs and RBI expectations for NBFCs.
- Branch Operational Audits: Conduct comprehensive operational audits at assigned branches to verify adherence to company policies and regulatory guidelines.
- Loan Process Verification: Verify loan disbursements, documentation accuracy, and KYC compliance according to established policies and procedures.
- Process Compliance Monitoring: Check proper implementation of branch processes including loan approvals, collections, and other operational activities to ensure alignment with internal SOPs.
- Regulatory Compliance Assurance: Ensure strict compliance with RBI guidelines for NBFCs and internal control frameworks across all branch operations.
- Audit Reporting & Documentation: Prepare detailed audit reports documenting findings, process gaps, and recommendations for improvement.
- Branch Coordination & Follow-up: Coordinate with branch teams to facilitate timely closure of audit observations and implementation of corrective actions.
- Risk Detection & Control Audits: Support surprise checks, fraud detection initiatives, and control audits to identify potential risks and control weaknesses.
4. Key Competencies for Success
High performers pair strong control awareness with people skills. They demonstrate independent judgment, handle field constraints gracefully, and communicate evidence-based insights that drive sustainable process improvements.
- Control Mindset: Prioritizes risk identification and remediation while maintaining a clear audit trail.
- Time and Travel Management: Plans field visits efficiently and delivers reports on schedule despite multi-branch coverage.
- Data Discipline: Ensures accuracy and completeness of evidence, observations, and working papers.
- Influence Without Authority: Gains buy-in from branch teams to implement corrective actions quickly and effectively.
- Fraud Awareness: Recognizes red flags in loan files, collections, or documentation and escalates appropriately.
5. Common Interview Questions
This section provides a selection of common interview questions to help candidates prepare effectively for their Executive – Internal Audit interview at Keertana Finance.
Give a concise background linking your MBA, analytical strengths, and interest in controls/compliance to Keertana’s branch-focused audits.
Connect with Keertana’s inclusive, rural-focused mission and its products (gold loans, micro enterprise lending) where robust controls matter.
Share a project or internship where precision and completeness were critical; quantify error reduction or efficiency gains.
Explain scheduling, risk-based prioritization, checklists, and timeboxing to meet reporting timelines.
Highlight respectful communication, clarity of purpose, and evidence-based discussions to secure buy-in for closures.
Walk through observation, root cause analysis, recommendation, and follow-up results.
Describe using documentation, SOP references, and collaborative problem-solving to align on remediation.
Confirm willingness, discuss planning, and how you maintain consistency and documentation quality on the move.
Emphasize independence, confidentiality, objectivity, and zero-tolerance for data manipulation.
Outline a path from branch audits to controls, risk, or operations, emphasizing continuous learning.
Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) and quantify outcomes where possible.
Outline ID/address proof verification, customer due diligence documentation, and consistency with policy and RBI-aligned SOPs.
Check sanction vs. disbursement, approvals, maker-checker controls, and supporting evidence in the core records.
Validate receipt issuance, reconciliations, daily deposits, and adherence to authorized modes and timelines.
Discuss product-specific documentation, collateral controls for gold loans, and cash-flow/credit assessment for micro enterprise loans.
Use risk-based sampling: recent disbursements, higher-ticket cases, exceptions, and random picks for coverage.
Map control tests to SOP clauses and applicable regulatory requirements; document evidence and deviations clearly.
Inconsistent KYC data, missing approvals, backdated documents, unusual reversals, or unsupported disbursements.
Maintain version control, evidence cross-references, clear narratives, and secured storage.
Assess impact, likelihood, regulatory significance, and recurrence to categorize as high/medium/low.
Define action owners, timelines, evidence requirements, and follow-ups until verification and closure.
Keep explanations policy-linked and evidence-driven; reference SOP sections where applicable.
Document exceptions, assess risk, escalate per protocol, and agree corrective steps with timelines and re-verification.
Refer to SOP, show evidence, listen to context, and jointly align on acceptable remediation and proof.
Preserve evidence, avoid tipping off, escalate immediately, and follow approved investigation steps.
Risk-rank activities, use standardized checklists, timebox reviews, and schedule quick stakeholder touchpoints.
Capture the state as-is, seek immediate clarifications, record deviations, and recommend process fixes.
Identify systemic root causes, propose control redesign/training, and monitor for sustained closure.
Receipts, daily deposit slips, reconciliations, authorization logs, and maker-checker controls.
Record limitation, request alternate evidence, set follow-up deadline, and adjust severity as needed.
Follow standard programs, evidence-first approach, peer review where applicable, and disclose potential bias.
Present risk analysis, benchmarking, and cost-benefit to process owners for decision and governance sign-off.
State your assumptions, reference SOPs, and prioritize customer protection, compliance, and data integrity.
Highlight objectives, methods, your contribution, and measurable impact related to audit/compliance.
Mention audit, risk, financial analysis, or operations subjects and how you applied them.
Talk about templates, checklists, peer review, and final validations before submission.
Explain how you use structured note-taking and spreadsheets to track samples and findings.
Summarize your understanding of origination, disbursement, and collections in NBFC lending.
Show collaboration with operations/sales/collections and how you aligned on fixes.
Confirm readiness and outline how you plan logistics to maintain productivity.
Describe need-to-know access, secure storage, and professional discretion.
Mention guidance on audit methodology, regulatory understanding, and report quality.
Connect your skills to Keertana’s mission, field audit rigor, and commitment to compliance.
Tailor responses to Keertana’s products and branch-audit context; be concise, specific, and evidence-led.
6. Common Topics and Areas of Focus for Interview Preparation
To excel in your Executive – Internal Audit role at Keertana Finance, it’s essential to focus on the following areas. These topics highlight the key responsibilities and expectations, preparing you to discuss your skills and experiences in a way that aligns with Keertana Finance objectives.
- NBFC Compliance Fundamentals: Study internal SOPs alignment with RBI guidelines relevant to NBFC lending, including documentation, approvals, and controls.
- KYC and Documentation Quality: Master end-to-end KYC verification, documentation completeness, and evidence collection standards for loan files.
- Branch Operations and Control Testing: Understand origination-to-collection workflows and how to design risk-based tests for each step.
- Gold Loans and Micro Enterprise Lending: Review product-specific control points—collateral handling for gold loans and business assessment for micro enterprise lending.
- Audit Reporting and Closure Management: Practice writing clear observations, rating severity, recommending actions, and tracking closure with stakeholders.
7. Perks and Benefits of Working at Keertana Finance
Keertana Finance offers a comprehensive package of benefits to support the well-being, professional growth, and satisfaction of its employees. Here are some of the key perks you can expect
- Professional Growth: Learn from experienced leaders and gain exposure across audit, risk, and operations.
- Performance-Based Incentives: Competitive pay with incentives linked to outcomes and quality.
- Challenging, Impactful Work: Field audits that directly improve process integrity and customer trust.
- Collaborative Culture: A supportive environment that values teamwork and innovation.
- Mentorship: Guidance from seasoned professionals to accelerate your learning curve.
8. Conclusion
The Executive – Internal Audit role at Keertana Finance blends rigorous fieldwork with a strong compliance mindset to protect process integrity across branches. By mastering KYC/documentation checks, NBFC-aligned SOP adherence, and precise audit reporting, you can drive meaningful improvements while supporting Keertana’s mission in gold loans and micro enterprise lending.
Prepare to communicate clearly, collaborate with branch teams, and close observations on time. With focused preparation and an evidence-led approach, you’ll be ready to demonstrate impact from day one and grow into broader roles across compliance, risk, or operations.
Tips for Interview Success:
- Anchor to SOPs and Evidence: Reference controls and show how you document findings with clear, verifiable proofs.
- Know the Products: Be ready to discuss control points unique to gold loans and micro enterprise lending.
- Show Field Readiness: Explain how you plan branch travel, structure checklists, and meet reporting timelines.
- Communicate with Impact: Practice concise, stakeholder-friendly reporting and closure follow-ups.