Risk & Compliance Specialist

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, commitment.

The Tanzania Country Office is a large Country Programme which operates in a challenging and sensitive economic and political environment. The office has 4 Sub offices and a total 158 staff and over 30 consultants.  The office, with an annual budget of over US$ 70 million works with over 149 Government partners and 67 Civil Society organizations. Tanzania is a DAO country for the United Nations, an initiative that aims at a more unified and coherent UN structure and UNICEF takes the lead in most of the initiatives including the CBO and also leads the Admin & common premises, Supply and Procurement working groups.

The main outcome of the assignment is to assess the functionality and implementation of all UNICEF relevant program requirements including, HACT quality assurance activities, peer review and audit recommendation/implementation and sustenance, program monitoring, internal control compliance, budget and funds monitoring, and enterprise risk management.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the Deputy Representative Operations the Risk and Compliance Specialist will be responsible for strengthening risk assurance and compliance efforts, assessing programmatic and operational risks and challenges which require management attention, guidance and decision in making sure that resources are continuously, effectively and efficiently geared towards achieving results for children.

 This role will bring together all the components of risks managements in programmes and operations, including the management of implementing partnership under HACT.

Risk and Compliance Specialist will be responsible to ensure that key management, operational and programmatic risks are systematically identified, reviewed holistically, integrated and managed effectively to inform management, operational and programmatic decisions within the UNICEF TCO.

He/She will be responsible for providing complementary support, and monitoring related to the management of risk, including but not limited to the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of risk management practices at a process, systems, and TCO level.

He/she will ensure the achievement of risk management objectives follows organizational rules and regulations, and acceptable ethical behavior; internal controls; information and technology security; sustainability; and quality assurance. Moreover, he/she will provide analysis and report on the adequacy and effectiveness of risk management and internal controls.

KEY FUNCTIONS, ACCOUNTABILITIES, AND RELATED DUTIES/TASKS

1. Risk management support

• Support the office management team in the annual risk assessment process and monitor reliability of reports and their compliance with applicable rules and regulations.
• Ensure the monitoring of risk mitigation action plans including a mid-term review.
• Lead the office peer reviews process, undertake visits to project sites and field offices to verify the quality of performance.
• Ensure the risk management approach is embedded in any project/proposal, in office governance committees’ review of submissions and in any major decision made by the management.

2. Compliance support

• Review the office systems, procedures and processes for compliance with organizational rules and regulations.
• Enforce and strengthen internal controls to ensure that systems are in place to prevent, detect and report non-compliance.  Support the process for the preparation of the annual Statement of Internal Control (SIC) by the office.
• Review internal work processes in Programme and Operations to ensure that accountabilities are clear and placed at the adequate levels as per global policies and/or best practices.
• Establish a risk-based system to periodically and systematically review a sample of activities (Programme and Operations) to ensure they are carried out according to established work processes and in compliance with UNICEF policies and Procedures.
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• Ensure smooth preparedness of internal and external audit, conduct a quality assurance and follow-up on the implementation of the recommendations and provides feedback to the management.
• Periodically test compliance with the Table of authority and adherence to the delegation of authorities in line with UNICEF policies and Procedures; and ensure staff understand the roles and responsibilities delegated to them.
• Review the conformity of statutory and non-statutory committees, assess committee members have been trained/oriented on their roles and responsibility.

3. Fraud risk Management support

• Support the management of the office in collecting evidence to respond to OIAI’s queries when initially assessing allegations of fraud and misconduct or during actual investigations.
• Advise the management on lessons learned from investigations and measures to be taken accordingly.
• Ensure the implementation of the global anti-fraud strategy, suggest internal fraud prevention mechanisms and alert the management on any fraudulent issues as well as unethical behaviors detected.
• Lead the process of Fraud risk training / orientation to staff, Partners and suppliers.

4. Oversight and advisory to the Management

• Serve as a secretary to the risk management task force for the TCO,
• Help advise the management on actions to be taken to enforce and strengthen accountabilities for a robust, responsive and transparent governance framework.
• Contribute to effective management process by participating in key governance meetings (particularly CMT, PMT and OMT).
• Coordinate Risk assessment and control activities with other UN agencies by representing the office in meetings related to Risks and Compliance activities.

5.     Create awareness/capacity building

• Establish a system to document and report weaknesses in internal control and implement actions aimed at addressing internal controls gaps (SOP, NFR, memos…) and building the capacity of responsible staff.
• Analyze cause and effect of policy changes to the operations of the office, anticipate changes and advise on the new way of doing business.
• Support the implementation of a continuous learning and development plan for the Risk and Compliance function.
• Ensure that management provides staff with access to relevant training and that staff and other personnel understand key UNICEF policies including PSEA, Fraud and Ethics, etc.

6. Any support needed

• Support and perform duties as might be required by the supervisor and management from time to time

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education:

An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher*) in Business Administration or Financial Management, Operations Management, Strategic Management, Risk Management, Audit, Investigation, Internal Control, Statistics and Data Analysis or Accounting certifications are considered as assets.

*A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.

Experience:

At least 5 (five) years of professional work experience in Risk and Compliance, or another directly relevant area, several of which in internal control and or audit. Experience in financial management, particularly developing and implementing financial control systems, ERM, audits, internal control preferably with international organizations, NGOs and UN.

Language required:

Fluency in English is required.  Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as an asset

Other skills:

• Emotional Intelligence
• Managing complexity and change