Risks & Compliance Director

The Organisation

We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard. 

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

• No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
• All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
• Violence against children is no longer tolerated

 We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children.  We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Save the Children International seeks to always be a child safe organization through fulfilling its obligations to the community and through programme implementation carried out by the organization for safeguarding children and to improve the living standards of the child.

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Position: Risks & Compliance Director

 Location: Head Office, Sana’a

Contract Length: 12 months (renewable)

The Opportunity:

As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT) in the Country Office, the Risks and Compliance Director shares in the overall responsibility for the direction and coordination of the Country Office. 

The Risks and Compliance Director in his/her capacity is responsible in providing leadership and coordination of Risk, Compliance, Internal Audit/Internal Control and Fraud Management activities of the Country Office. He/she will champion a culture of compliance throughout the country office and guide appropriate execution of compliance requirements and related internal policies and procedures. The role holder is expected to ensure best practices, raise awareness and play an advisory role in risk and compliance across the CO. He/she is also responsible to continuously assess and review policies and procedures of risk & compliance management.       

He/she promotes accountability and support the Senior Management Team in risk identification, measurement, monitoring, assessment and control, according to the annual risk management plan. The role holder is expected to lead the development of an organisational culture that reflects our values, promotes accountability and high performance and frees up people to deliver outstanding results for children and excellent customer service for our members and donors.

In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

 SCOPE OF ROLE

Reports to: Country Director with matrix management to the Regional Fraud Lead 

Staff reporting to this post: Risk & Compliance Manager-Safeguarding Manager/Adviser.

Country Office Dimensions: Yemen CO is a high complexity country, multi-member interest, with an annual budget of around $50+m, and 600+ staff.

Key Areas of Responsibilities

As a member of the Senior Management Team, contribute to:

• Provides overall leadership on the risk and compliance issues of the Yemen Country Office.
• Serve as a Risk and Compliance focal person in the Leadership Team.
• Ensure Yemen Country Office complies with all Save the Children Policy and Procedures, Operating Standards.
• Ensure all the required Risk and Compliance support is provided promptly, at scale and working closely with the Regional Office and Centre teams. 
• Help design and implement a coherent organizational structure that is consistent with agency practices and appropriate to country office needs.
• Support the development of an organisational culture that reflects the organization values, promotes accountability and high performance, encourages a team culture of learning, creativity and innovation, and supports staff to deliver outstanding results for children.
• Ensure the risk mitigation management plan is developed response to SMT, regional office, centre (HQ), or Member identified risks to the delivery of quality programs. 

Risk Identification & Assessment, Prevention/Control & Mitigation: 

• Provide functional expertise to support the organisation’s risk identification and assessment processes.
• Utilize detailed knowledge of board risk appetite to ensure that it is fully embedded and operationalized within the CO. 
• He/she should be Country expert in SCI Risk Framework tools and techniques (including Jort/RMP/ Datix).
• Acts as a risk focal point and provide expert insight to support award risk assessments.
• Lead and facilitate risk management processes and sit on Country Risk Management Committee.
• Provide Surge support for risk prevention expertise to major humanitarian incidents.
• Provide compliance checks/ audit reviews to provide assurance on key risk management controls. 
• Prepare annual work plan of compliance/spot checks/audit reviews on key management controls E.g. field office audits, vetting spot checks. 
• Prepare TORs for each audit engagement. perform audit procedures by exercising reasonable judgement in the application of audit principles and techniques.

Control & Mitigation Testing Compliance:

• Through a comprehensive risk assessment exercise, identify areas of high risk within the Country Office operating environment. This will include both internal compliance and also partner compliance.
• Maintain a transparent, honest and supportive communication structure to support effective implementation of different policies and procedures.
• Support donor and other external audits and evaluations, when required.
• Maintain an audit planning and history log, including findings, recommendations and reclaims.
• Prepare comprehensive written audit reports, including recommendations for corrective action or system improvements program planning, budgeting and budgetary control.
• Prepare summary reports for Senior Management Team review with emphasis on major findings.
• Evaluate risks of potential and incurred fraudulent activity and inform Senior Management Team, management and the Finance and support services team for next steps.
• Review/attend key control meetings/ process and ensure that they are working & provide expert input.

Incident Response/Investigation (Fraud/Multifaceted):

• Promote a culture of fraud awareness, prevention and detection in the organisation.
• Be the primary focal point for all inquiries and investigations into suspected fraudulent activities.
• Maintain a log of fraud and corruption inquiries, findings, resolutions and lessons learned.
• Organize and maintain audit binders and relevant documents in collaboration with Archive team.
• Provide independent reporting of risk, incidents & investigations.
• Responsible to lead internal Datix reporting system for independent reporting of incidents.
• Lead /coordinator of fraud & multi-faceted investigations in collaboration with different functions.

Action Tracking and Assurance: 

• Track progress of risk actions to provide appropriate annual assurance on risks.
• Track audit/ investigation findings and ensure actions are being taken as per the recommendations.
• Coordinate assurance documentation and risk appetite status to complete RISK/Letter of assurance including exceptions.
• Provide training and expert support to staff/partners on FRAUD prevention, internal control/ mitigation design for new projects or processes.

Local Laws, Regulations and Legal Cases and Disputes:

• Monitor and assess all relevant local laws, regulations, and policies affecting program implementation, ensuring that the organization’s operations comply with national legal requirements.
• Identify potential risks arising from changes in local laws and regulations, and develop strategies to mitigate their impact on the organization’s operations. Collaborate with legal teams and external advisors to proactively address compliance challenges.
• Lead the coordination and management of any legal cases or disputes involving the organization, including legal actions. Work closely with the local lawyer to ensure timely resolution and alignment with local laws, while mitigating risks to the organization’s reputation and operations.

Staff Supervision and Management:

• Supervise and effectively coordinate the Risk and Compliance team.
• Guide and coach staff for top performance and ensure all HR related functions are performed.
• Provide training to managers and staffs regarding old and updated Government and organization proclamation and rules and regulation respectively.

Internal and External Relationships:

• Keep the CO up to date on significant developments within Save the Children IPU, CO, RO, Center and donor communities.
• Develop and maintain strong relationship with the Director of Global Audit and internal auditor team for guidance in strengthening audit processes as well as assisting in personal objective setting, audit planning, audit implementation and follow up.
• Participate in organizational activities that promote networking and representation of the unit.

Safeguarding 

• Work with the Safeguarding Manager to oversee the implementation of the safeguarding policies in Yemen country office and partners.
• Support the Safeguarding Manager in ensuring the appropriate inclusion of Safeguarding in award budgeting and annual budget planning.
• Ensure safeguarding annual plan is created, followed and implemented
• Work closely with the safeguarding manager to ensure effective safeguarding monitoring.
• Maintain green KPI 12 for closing cases on due time.
• Ensure safeguarding risk assessments are done and followed up.
• Identify and utilise opportunities to integrate safeguarding approaches into all aspects of our work
• Apply critical analysis to ensure that we live up to our commitment to making Save the Children safe for children by ensuring that programmes are designed in a safe manner, child safeguarding concerns are reported effectively in line with the policy.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Master’s degree in related field with preferred additional professional certification.
• Proven cross-cultural sensitivity and flexibility required.

Essential

• A minimum of 8+ years' relevant work experience out of which 5 years of experience in management and leadership positions.
• Demonstrable experience at a senior level within both the commercial and NGO sectors, is preferable. 
• A strong interest in international development/humanitarian work. 
• High Fluency in writing and presentation skills in English; fluency in Arabic is highly desired. 
• High level analytical and strategic thinking skills.
• Patient, adaptable, flexible, able to improvise and remain responsive and communicate clearly and effectively under pressure.
• Excellent planning, management and coordination skills, with the ability to organise a substantial workload comprised of complex, diverse tasks and responsibilities.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with experience in managing multicultural teams.
• Experience in training, coaching, capacity-building and supporting the development of a team, including supporting junior members of staff to deliver high-quality output. 
• Experience and skills to priorities and create an audit work plan.
• Ability to create and maintain a high level of effective output; capacity to work hard and remain focused within expected standards of performance. 
• The ability to understand and break down complex technical problems, both translating them into layperson’s terms as well as finding solutions.
• Strong organisational and self-management skills with an ability to lead and work in teams and motivate others. 
• Experience of managing teams, as well as indirect relationships
• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. 
• Willing and able to travel to support members directly or to relevant events as required Ability to capture and respond favourably to suggestions for change and improvement.
• Commitment to Save the Children values.
• Strong results orientation.
• Excellent knowledge of computer systems; proficient in MS Excel, Ms Word, Outlook; familiar with accounting software; strong ability to present, analyse and process numerical information and financial and statistical data.

Desirable

• Experience working for an international humanitarian organisation in Yemen (or the Middle East) preferred.
• Experience solving complex issues through analysis.
• Understanding of the issues concerning the INGO sector with an in-depth knowledge of donor requirements and local laws. 
• Demonstrable track record of leading change, resulting in significant results for the organisation and their stakeholders.

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.  

  Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom Save the Children is in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse. In addition, it is Save the Children’s policy to create and proactively maintain an environment that aims to prevent and deter any actions and omissions, whether deliberate or inadvertent, that place children at the risk of any kind of child abuse. All our representatives are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this commitment and obligation. Any violations of this policy will be treated as a serious issue.  

We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Save the Children complies with all applicable laws.  

To apply:

https://hcri.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/job/10118

Please note that interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis. We encourage early applications, as the position may be filled before the closing date based on the selection process.