Lead Auditor Requirements and Generating A Procedure For The Lead Auditor Training

Hello Everyone,
I Have A Problem In Developing A Lead Auditor Training. Our External Auditor Strongly Suggest That We Must Have A Criteria For Lead Auditor. Is There Any Tips That Would Guide Me In Generating A Procedure For The Lead Auditor Training? What Are The Usual Topics Should Be Discussed? Is It The Same With The Ordinary Iqa Training? Please Comment.
Thanks In Advance.
Vash Stampede

[Marc]

You have 2 issues. First is:
> OUR EXTERNAL AUDITOR STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT WE MUST HAVE A CRITERIA FOR LEAD
> AUDITOR...

You just decide what criteria you feel is appropriate, such as an internal auditor course or such.

This is normal - you should be defining requirements for each position in the company anyway.

Make sure you want to call the main internal auditor the lead auditor. Are your audits done by groups of people or just one person?

Second is:

> ANY TIPS THAT WOULD GUIDE ME IN GENERATING A PROCEDURE FOR THE LEAD AUDITOR
> TRAINING?

I don't know about a procedure for training. Typically there is no procedure per se. Typically you have a course and the course material is 'it'. Secondary to your question is how you define the qualifications (requirements) for the instructor.

[Marc]

BTW - If you want to see what is in a typical internal auditors course, go to the Auditing Basics and Essentials pages.

[Rick Goodson]

Assuming you are discussing an ISO system, my experience has been that registrars are looking for a definition of how you qualify your lead auditor. Typically they are looking for two things, education/training and experience. If you define those they should be happy. If you are using a consultant to help you with the implementation they should be able to provide or recommend a course. In addition they should be able to set up some audits during which they 'shadow' the 'lead auditor' to provide them with the necessary experience.

Hello Marc,
Thanks for the immediate response. Actually, as an auditor that was been trained by a certifying body...I stand as the lead auditor and was included in our specs. From there, I trained employees in our company and through the training I gathered auditors. And this trained auditors are the one who audits our company. And I'm the only person who leads them as their lead auditor of course..
I'm the lead auditor based on our specification, I'd rather trained our auditors to be me...the exact replica. Since, our company won't allow me to attend the formal training so as a senior auditor from the group, I have to devise or create a plan or a training material for lead auditor, that's why I'm asking regarding What are the usual topics that should be discussed? Any idea, please comment on this.
I visited the site that you've attached....This Is Great! Thanks a lot.

Hi Rick,
Thanks for the input, actually our lead auditor means is an employee that undergoes a training certified by a certifying body. But without the education/training and experience...Do I still have to include this part? Please advice.
As a lead auditor I think is that has to decide on some issues especially on deciding what could be the category of non-compliance should be given to an non-conformity found during audit.
Thank you very much.
Vash Stampede