Sikich

Sikich is looking for: Staff IT Auditor (Federal Audit)

Been having a lot of conversations lately with biotech teams, and it feels like the tone of the market has shifted pretty noticeably over the past few weeks. A few themes I’m hearing consistently: - Gene editing and AI aren’t just “future state” anymore… we’re actually seeing meaningful clinical progress - Deal activity is starting to pick back up, but investors are being way more selective - At the same time, companies are under real pressure to do more with less and prove they can scale Feels like biotech has moved into a “show me, don’t tell me” phase. What’s interesting is how much this is putting pressure on internal infrastructure. The conversations aren’t just about science anymore, they’re about: - can we scale operations without breaking things - do we actually trust our financial and operational data - are we ready for audits, partners, or commercialization That’s where I’ve seen a lot of teams start to invest in: - stronger ERP foundations (NetSuite, etc.) - tighter controls, compliance, and system validation from an ITQ&C perspective Not the flashiest part of biotech, but honestly…the difference between companies that move forward vs stall seems to come down to this more than people expect. #lifescience #biotech #erp #lifescienceerp #sikich #netsuite

Let's work together! Come join the team at Sikich . We’re looking for a Sales Operations Coordinator to support our Assurance & Tax growth efforts through strong CRM ownership, clean data, and disciplined sales operations. Reach out to me for more info!

For many internal audit leaders, building the audit plan is the easy part. Building leaders on the team? That’s where the real challenge, and opportunity, lies. In this article, written by my Sikich colleague Jesse M. Laseman, CIA, CRMA, CFE Laseman and published by The Institute of Internal Auditors , Jesse explores a common dynamic inside audit functions: the CAE as the central hub for all key stakeholder relationships. While this often happens naturally, it can create a bottleneck, pulling leaders into every conversation and limiting both strategic focus and team development. The bigger issue? When all relationships flow through one person, the rest of the team misses out on opportunities to build influence, credibility, and leadership skills. The article outlines a practical shift: ➡️ Move from centralized relationship ownership to shared responsibility across the team ➡️ Create structured opportunities for auditors to lead meetings, engage stakeholders, and develop a point of view ➡️ Build trust intentionally, through coaching, repetition, and real-world experience Done right, this doesn’t dilute the CAE’s role, it elevates the entire function. The result is a more scalable, resilient audit team with stronger stakeholder relationships, greater engagement, and increased impact across the organization. If you’re thinking about how to strengthen your audit function beyond execution, this is a perspective worth considering. #InternalAudit #Audit #TheIIA #IIAChi #Sikich #Management The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) - Chicago Chapter