Forensic Accounting Expert (Volunteer)

Overview

This role provides specialized forensic accounting support to strengthen an organization’s ability to identify, examine, document, and respond to unusual or potentially improper financial activity.

Forensic reviews may be needed when transactions, accounting records, internal controls, financial relationships, or patterns require deeper examination than ordinary accounting review.

This is an unpaid volunteer position.

Responsibilities

Forensic Financial Review

• Examine financial records and transactions when concerns or significant inconsistencies arise.
• Reconstruct transactions and financial activity when necessary.
• Trace the movement and use of organizational funds.
• Analyze accounting records, supporting documentation, payments, reimbursements, deposits, expenses, and other relevant financial information.
• Identify unexplained discrepancies or unusual patterns.
• Distinguish accounting errors, control weaknesses, documentation problems, and potential misconduct.

Fraud Risk & Detection

• Help identify financial processes vulnerable to fraud, misuse, conflicts, or circumvention of controls.
• Evaluate potential warning signs and financial anomalies.
• Recommend preventive and detective controls.
• Support periodic fraud-risk assessments.
• Help strengthen systems before weaknesses become losses.

Investigative Support (when formally authorized)

• Establish clear scope and objectives for financial reviews.
• Gather and analyze relevant financial documentation.
• Develop financial timelines and transaction histories.
• Document methodology, evidence, findings, and limitations.
• Conduct objective financial analysis without prejudging outcomes.
• Coordinate with authorized legal or compliance professionals when appropriate.
• Preserve confidentiality throughout the review process.

Internal Controls

Evaluate controls involving areas such as:

• Cash receipts and disbursements
• Bank and credit-card activity
• Expense reimbursements
• Purchasing and vendor payments
• Donations and restricted funds
• Grants
• Payroll or contractor payments where applicable
• Royalties and earned revenue
• Financial approvals
• Account reconciliations
• Segregation of duties
• Financial system access
• Supporting documentation

Recommend practical improvements based on organizational size, resources, risk profile, and operating environment.

Financial Documentation & Evidence

• Maintain organized records supporting forensic reviews.
• Establish clear documentation practices.
• Protect the integrity and confidentiality of financial information.
• Maintain appropriate records of analyses, findings, and supporting evidence.
• Coordinate preservation of relevant records when legal, regulatory, or governance concerns arise.

Reporting & Recommendations

• Prepare clear, factual findings for authorized leadership.
• Separate confirmed facts from assumptions, unresolved questions, and professional judgment.
• Quantify financial impact when reasonably possible.
• Identify control failures that contributed to an issue.
• Recommend corrective and preventive actions.
• Escalate significant concerns through appropriate organizational channels.

Role Boundaries

• This position does not replace routine accounting, audit, compliance, governance, or legal functions.
• The forensic accounting expert does not independently determine criminal liability, make employment decisions, provide legal conclusions, or accuse individuals of misconduct based solely on financial anomalies.
• Potential legal, regulatory, employment, governance, safeguarding, or criminal matters should be escalated to appropriately authorized leadership and qualified professionals.

Independence & Confidentiality

• Approach every review objectively and without predetermined conclusions.
• Disclose potential conflicts of interest before accepting an assignment.
• If independence could reasonably be questioned, escalate and reassign as appropriate.
• Treat investigation information as confidential and share only with individuals authorized to receive it.

Requirements

• Professional experience in forensic accounting and/or related investigative finance work, such as:
  • Forensic accounting
  • Fraud examination
  • Investigative accounting
  • Internal audit
  • Financial investigations
  • Fraud risk management
  • Public accounting
  • Financial compliance
  • Internal controls
• Demonstrated discretion, independence, professional skepticism, analytical ability, documentation skills, and financial judgment.
• Nonprofit accounting or experience investigating matters involving nonprofit organizations is especially valuable.

Preferred Qualifications

• CPA
• CFE
• CFF
• CIA
• Significant equivalent forensic accounting experience

Compensation & Benefits

• Unpaid volunteer position.

Location

• Remote — United States
• Limited to individuals based in the United States due to legal, safeguarding, data-privacy, compliance, and programmatic requirements.

Commitment

• Approximately 5–10 hours per week, based on organizational needs.
• Minimum 6-month commitment preferred.

Reporting & Collaboration

• Reports to: Chief Accounting Officer / Executive Leadership
• Works closely with: specialized finance functions, compliance, executive leadership, and other authorized organizational leaders

Application Materials

• Resume or CV
• Cover letter

Please highlight relevant experience in forensic accounting, fraud examination, financial investigations, internal audit, nonprofit accounting, financial controls, or related fields, along with any applicable CPA, CFE, CFF, CIA, or similar credentials.