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IIA Three Lines Model (2020) for Risk Managers

What does IIA Three Lines Model (2020) require of a Risk Manager?

The IIA's principles-based model for organising governance roles: what the governing body, management (which carries first-line and second-line work), internal audit (the third line) and external assurance providers each contribute, how they stay independent yet aligned, and how together they create and protect value. Under IIA Three Lines Model (2020), which defines 12 controls, a Risk Manager's work is deciding which controls you own outright, which you share and which belong to another team, then holding the evidence for the first group.

Which IIA Three Lines Model (2020) controls land on the Risk Manager

Risk Managers identify, assess, and prioritise organisational risks. They build risk registers, conduct risk assessments, define risk appetite, and ensure that compliance frameworks address the most material threats to the organisation.

IIA Three Lines Model (2020) defines 12 controls across 2 domains that directly affect the Risk Manager role. Understanding which controls fall within your ownership, which are shared, and which are owned by other teams is the foundation of effective compliance management.

What a Risk Manager is accountable for under IIA Three Lines Model (2020)

1

Conducting enterprise risk assessments and maintaining the risk register

2

Defining risk appetite and tolerance levels with executive leadership

3

Mapping compliance controls to identified risks for coverage analysis

4

Monitoring key risk indicators (KRIs) and escalating emerging threats

5

Integrating compliance, operational, and strategic risk management

Where Risk Managers lose time on IIA Three Lines Model (2020)

These are the most common obstacles Risk Managers face when managing IIA Three Lines Model (2020) compliance, and how to address them:

Challenge 1

Quantifying cyber risk in financial terms that resonate with executives

Challenge 2

Identifying gaps between compliance control coverage and actual risk exposure

Challenge 3

Integrating risk data from siloed tools and departments

Challenge 4

Keeping risk assessments current as the threat landscape evolves

Challenge 5

Prioritising remediation when resources are limited

A working order for a Risk Manager starting on IIA Three Lines Model (2020)

1. Readiness Assessment

Take a 5-minute readiness assessment to identify your organisation's current gap profile against IIA Three Lines Model (2020). Get a prioritised action plan tailored to your specific situation.

2. Cross-Framework Mapping

Use our platform to map IIA Three Lines Model (2020) controls against other frameworks you already comply with. Identify overlapping controls to reduce duplicate effort.

3. Build Your Toolkit

Equip yourself with IIA Three Lines Model (2020) toolkits, self-assessments, and implementation guides from our store. Resources designed specifically for Risk Managers managing compliance programmes.

4. Continuous Monitoring

Establish ongoing compliance monitoring using our platform's gap analysis tools. Track your maturity over time and demonstrate progress to stakeholders.

IIA Three Lines Model (2020) in your sector

IIA Three Lines Model (2020) for Healthcare→IIA Three Lines Model (2020) for Financial Services→IIA Three Lines Model (2020) for Technology→IIA Three Lines Model (2020) for Government→IIA Three Lines Model (2020) for Manufacturing→IIA Three Lines Model (2020) for Energy→IIA Three Lines Model (2020) for Retail→IIA Three Lines Model (2020) for Education→

Who else owns part of IIA Three Lines Model (2020)

IIA Three Lines Model (2020) for CISOsView guide →IIA Three Lines Model (2020) for Compliance OfficersView guide →IIA Three Lines Model (2020) for IT DirectorsView guide →IIA Three Lines Model (2020) for DPOsView guide →IIA Three Lines Model (2020) for AuditorsView guide →

Questions Risk Managers ask about IIA Three Lines Model (2020)

What does a Risk Manager need to know about IIA Three Lines Model (2020)?
As a Risk Manager, your key responsibilities under IIA Three Lines Model (2020) include conducting enterprise risk assessments and maintaining the risk register and defining risk appetite and tolerance levels with executive leadership. The framework contains 12 controls that fall within your area of responsibility. Understanding which controls you own versus which are shared with other teams is critical for effective implementation.
How does IIA Three Lines Model (2020) affect the Risk Manager role?
IIA Three Lines Model (2020) directly impacts Risk Managers through conducting enterprise risk assessments and maintaining the risk register, defining risk appetite and tolerance levels with executive leadership, mapping compliance controls to identified risks for coverage analysis. The framework provides structure that helps Risk Managers demonstrate due diligence and report compliance status to stakeholders.
What are the biggest IIA Three Lines Model (2020) challenges for Risk Managers?
Common challenges include quantifying cyber risk in financial terms that resonate with executives; identifying gaps between compliance control coverage and actual risk exposure; integrating risk data from siloed tools and departments. Using cross-framework mapping tools and automated evidence collection can significantly reduce these pain points.
How should a Risk Manager prepare for a IIA Three Lines Model (2020) audit?
Start by conducting a readiness assessment to identify gaps. Then focus on mapping compliance controls to identified risks for coverage analysis and monitoring key risk indicators (kris) and escalating emerging threats. Maintain a current evidence repository and ensure all control owners have documented their processes. Our readiness reports provide a prioritised action plan specific to your gap profile.
What tools help Risk Managers manage IIA Three Lines Model (2020) compliance?
Effective IIA Three Lines Model (2020) compliance management requires tools for gap analysis, control mapping, evidence collection, and reporting. Our compliance platform provides AI-powered gap analysis across 1,305 frameworks with 315K+ verified control-to-control mappings, helping Risk Managers identify overlapping requirements and reduce duplicate compliance effort.

Risk Manager: How ready is your organisation for IIA Three Lines Model (2020)?

Answer 25 questions and get a professional readiness report with gap analysis, maturity scores, and prioritised action items. Results in 5 minutes.

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Written and maintained by Gerard Blokdyk, The Art of Service.Last updated .