Overview
The Risk and Compliance Specialist post is located in the UNFPA Afghanistan Country Office and provides guidance, technical support, and oversight ensuring that resources are utilised appropriately and in compliance with relevant policies and requirements.
Key Responsibilities
- Contribute to the delivery of the country programme by ensuring overall compliance is carried out effectively, in a transparent manner and in compliance with established policies, procedures and rules.
- Provide inputs to determination of optimal approaches for improving effectiveness and efficiency of business management.
- Provide Country Office senior management with regular analytical assessment of the Country Office performance in relation to programme finance and expenditures and identify any potential areas of risk.
- Support quality assurance reviews of compliance processes, including follow-up on audit recommendations, management responses and internal oversight findings.
- Support the International Operations Manager in ERM related activities for the country office.
- Assess risks using the Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) policies and tools as well as the effectiveness of internal controls and recommend appropriate measures to mitigate risks and improve internal controls.
- Assist the International Operations Manager in developing oversight mechanisms for the operations of CO to ensure transparency and accountability.
- Review and ensure appropriate segregation of duties, including in system access roles.
- Identify internal control weaknesses, gaps, inefficiencies and overlaps.
- Alert CO management and project staff and personnel on deviations from established rules and regulations and propose remedial measures or solutions.
- Provide guidance to the UNFPA Country Office on necessary requirements to ensure compliance with UN Security Council sanctions.
- Establish a tracking system to ensure that all payments by UNFPA and Implementing Partners comply with requirements of the UN Security Council sanctions.
- Oversee the arrangements for payments to IPs and programme beneficiaries ensuring the integrity of financial systems and consistent application of rules and regulations.
- Regularly review risk assessments related to financial transactions and programme implementation, updating mitigation measures.
- Conduct extended and periodic due diligence (including anti-money-laundering procedures) for vetting of IPs.
- Obtain information from national data sources, UNPP, UNCT Risk Management or HACT group/ Unit, performance history at UNFPA, current project proposals and public/ media sources and triangulate them using UNFPA tools.
- Verify accuracy of information in the project proposals, including the necessary operational footprint, valid leadership and key staffing, etc.
- Assess the overall risk of engaging the partner and put in place necessary mitigation measures pre- and post engagement.
- Ensure that mitigation measures are assigned, resourced and undertaken.
- Ensure accuracy and validity of signatories and bank accounts in the IP agreement.
- Ensure all successfully vetted IPs have valid capacity assessments, as needed.
- Commission capacity assessment (always jointly with other agencies if IPs are shared) or obtain existing assessments from other agencies.
- Ensure enhanced queries are applied as needed to enhance due diligence.
- Ensure special attention to high risk management areas, such as sub-contracting, procurement, cash management.
- Carefully review capacity assessment findings and recommendations, especially for high risk processes and take measures to implement recommendations, address gaps and weaknesses and mitigate remaining risks.
- Adjust the capacity risk rating in UNFPA’s management system as needed.
- Oversee effective implementation of the Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT), especially the implementation of assurance activities in accordance with the Assurance Plan.
- Upgrade and contextualize existing assurance activities and safeguarding systems to meet specific context needs.
- Lead the process of developing the annual IP Assurance Plan in accordance with the UNFPA IP risk model, the IP Assurance Guide of the UNFPA.
- Ensure that IPs are aware of UNFPA requirements and restrictions on use of funds, including through development of guidance and conducting training.
- Quality assure IP work plan budgets, requests for sub-contracting, procurement activities by IPs that may require additional approvals at RO and HQ level, and financial reporting.
- Lead the process of quarterly financial monitoring, in close coordination with relevant Programme Units and Area Offices and ensure the completion of programme activities as reported by IPs are validated.
- Coordinate spot checks and compliance reviews of IPs to ensure that financial, procurement and HR processes are in line with IPs established procedures and the requirements of HACT.
- Working with the Programme Units and Area Offices, assess the compliance capacity (finance, procurement and human resources) of Implementing Partners and where necessary, develop and implement a plan for building capacity.
- Contribute to programme quality assurance by reviewing documentation and ensuring that financial and operational compliance supports effective and accountable programme delivery.
- Take lead in reviewing all audit reports carefully and engage with programme staff, IPs and auditors to agree on findings and follow up actions, including remedial actions such as refunds.
- Systematically review all findings from assessments, monitoring, verification, spot checks and audits and recommend, assign or implement the appropriate follow up and mitigation measures and adjust risk assessments accordingly.
- Report on progress to the SMT.
- Recommend and when appropriate carry out capacity development activities and advise on systems improvements for Implementing Partners.
- Represent UNFPA in inter-agency working groups and clusters, as required.
- Prepare materials for briefing donors on UNFPA’s compliance with UN Security Council sanctions, as required.
Required Experience
- At least 5 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in risk management, audit, investigation ideally in public organisations is required.
- Knowledge of international risk management standards such as ISO 31000, COSO, and Enterprise Risk Management is required.
- Experience working in highly volatile environments is required.
- Initiative; strong conceptual abilities; sound judgment; strong interest in development work, especially the mission of UNFPA; and dedication to the principles of the United Nations are required.
- Proficiency in current office software applications and UN Corporate ERP systems is required.
- Previous experience and knowledge in law enforcement, investigation/intelligence, audit, and fraud examination are advantageous.
- Previous experience in the UN and knowledge of UN internal control, risk management and implementing partner procedures is advantageous.
Qualifications
Advanced university degree in business administration, accounting, finance, law or a related field.
