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For every child, the right to a Champion

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF Somalia operates in a highly complex environment characterized by protracted crisis, climate shocks, and evolving governance systems, where risks to programme delivery and fiduciary oversight are significant. Within this context, the risk and compliance function plays a critical role in safeguarding resources and ensuring that support reaches the most vulnerable children and communities.

The operating context presents heightened programmatic, fiduciary, and operational risks, including constraints in access, reliance on partners, and varying institutional capacities. This requires strong risk identification, assessment, and mitigation measures, alongside reinforced financial assurance, robust oversight of cash transfers, and continuous strengthening of partner capacities.

The function supports transparent, accountable, and effective programme implementation through managing risks and ensuring compliance with established frameworks. Effective risk and compliance management is therefore central to protecting programme integrity, maintaining donor confidence, and enabling UNICEF to deliver on its mandate in Somalia.

Job organizational context

The Risk and Compliance Manager is to be positioned in Offices with significant and complex programmatic and operational risks and challenges which require a dedicated position to support the Senior Managers in making sure that resources are continuously, effectively and efficiently geared towards achieving results for children.

Purpose for the job

The Risk & Compliance Manager position will support the Somalia Country Office and will be outposted in Nairobi, Kenya. Under the supervision of the Deputy Representative, Operations, the position will be responsible for leading and strengthening risk management, assurance, and compliance efforts across the Somalia Country Office

They will be responsible for providing complementary expertise, 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 entity level

They will ensure to lead 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, they will provide analysis and report on the adequacy and effectiveness of risk management and internal controls

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

Risk management support

Lead the process of providing guidance and supporting the office in the annual risk assessment process and monitor the reliability of reports and their compliance with applicable rules and regulations

Lead the monitoring process 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

HACT Financial Assurance & Compliance

Lead the design and implementation of the HACT Financial Assurance Plan, ensuring effective use of donor funds

Ensure transparency, oversight of cash transfers, and strengthened partner financial capacity

Conduct and follow up on micro-assessments in line with workplans and programme needs

Support capacity building of staff and partners on HACT financial requirements

Develop and maintain HACT-compliant procedures, tools, and guidance

Ensure timely action and closure of findings from assessments, spot checks, and audits

Compliance support 

Lead the review process of 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 and validate the 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

Lead the establishment of 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

Lead the internal and external audit processes, conduct a quality assurance and follow-up on the implementation of the recommendations and provide 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

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 Partners and suppliers

Oversight and advisory to the Management 

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, PCM and OMT and risk committee)

Maintain quality assurance for the partnership review committee and contacts review committee

Coordinate Risk assessment and control activities with other UN agencies by representing the office in meetings related to Risks and Compliance activities

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, memos…) and building the capacity of responsible staff and partners.

Analyze cause and effect of policy changes to the operations of the office, anticipate changes and advise on the new way of doing business.

Lead 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.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  JD Risk and Compliance Manager Leve 4_Somalia edit.pdf

To qualify as a champion for every child you will have

Minimum requirements

• Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Business Administration, Finance, Operations, Strategic Management, Statistics, Financial management, risk management, audit, investigation, internal control, statistics, data analysis, accounting and any other related fields
  A Bachelor or equivalent (First Level University Degree) in a relevant area combined with 2 additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree
• Work Experience: At least 8 years of relevant work experience in Administration, Financial Management, Audit and Investigation, risk management, compliance, internal audit, financial management, internal controls, fraud risk management, governance, operations management, Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), donor compliance. and any other related fields
• Skills: Financial Management, Risk Management, Audit, Emotional Intelligence, Managing Complexity, Change Management
• Language Requirements: English knowledge is a must. Arabic and Somali language knowledge is an asset

Desirables

• Knowledge of another official UN language (Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish)
• Field experience, Emergency Context, Accounting Certifications
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts

For every Child, you demonstrate

UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others
(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.