Senior Risk and Compliance Officer

Job Summary:

The Senior Risk and Compliance officer will conduct risk related activities for the Kenya and Somalia country program (CPs) including sub-recipient compliance adhering to CRS policies, local laws, and donor regulations to help ensure effective delivery of high-quality programming to the poor and vulnerable. The incumbent’s knowledge and skills will help reduce risk to staff, to the effectiveness of our programming and to the people we serve through the application of the principles of stewardship, integrity, transparency, and accountability.

You will manage risk functions at the country program and partner levels and assist the country level management to proactively manage risk. You will develop, analyze and implement systems, processes and controls that enhance agency operational efficiency and promote competitiveness across operational areas. You will also be instrumental in regional and country-level capacity-building in identification, assessment and management of all categories of risks identified in external & internal Audit reports and Risk Assessments. 

Roles and Key Responsibilities:  

• Support the planning and performance of internal audits, control reviews and compliance assessments, conduct audit activities, operations-focused monitoring visits/spot checks, as applicable. Help analyze results and provide recommendations.
• Provide technical advice and solutions to the Ethics Unit Manager to strengthen internal control systems and procedures; and assisting in building capacity of the country program to comply with Fraud Allegation Management (FAM) procedures, applicable local laws, and donor requirements. 
• Support the design and facilitation of trainings and institutional capacity strengthening plans for CRS and partners.
• Maintain an in-depth understanding of relevant donor requirements for CRS Kenya & Somalia programs, including USAID, specific corporate and foundation donors on Fraud Management. 
• Ensure Partner’s fraud policies and procedures are in alignment with CRS polices and build capacity of Partners on fraud.
• Support the design and facilitation of trainings and Institutional Capacity Strengthening plans for CRS Partners in consideration of donors’ requirements and partner’s system procedures.
• Support implementation of sub-recipient financial management policy (SRFMP).
• Anticipate and identify risk issues and challenges and the most appropriate solutions to address them.
• Take part in investigations and other special audits and ensure key steps over the entire investigation cycle (planning, fieldwork, reporting and follow up) are effectively carried out as per FAM Procedures, Policies, local laws and donor regulations. 
• Assist with drafting of investigation plans/SoWs. 
• Contribute to knowledge management and learning through collecting and analyzing relevant data, evaluating, and measuring impact of activities, capturing, and sharing lessons learned to identify trends, best practices, and research and internal reports.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of agency-wide standards and tools, including detection and response processes to fraud violations, guidelines, reporting formats and how to incorporate such standards into relevant CRS business practices.
• Monitor the Compliance dashboard and support with resolution of noted exceptions. 
• Follow up with process owners to monitor and close Corrective Action Plans.
• Support with Sub Agreement Reviews in line with Agency standards.
• Conduct Agency instituted Enterprise Risk Management Framework tasks e.g., Annual Internal Control Questionnaires, among others. 
• Conduct Transaction Processing Reviews and compliance assessments to identify risks, weaknesses, anomalies, and challenges; propose solutions to address findings to improve control environment and system integrity.
• Support internal and external audits and the coordination of action plans to close out audit findings including the implementation of CRS’ USG Subrecipient Audit Procedure.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 

• Strong analytical skills with ability to detect and report inconsistencies.
• Accuracy and completeness with great attention to detail
• Good relationship management skills
• Ability to make sound judgment
• Ethical conduct in accordance with recognized professional and organizational codes of ethics
• Proactive, resourceful and results-oriented
• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint)
• Demonstrated commitment to respect, equity, diversity and inclusion including gender equality.

Required Languages – Excellent written and oral communication skills in English. 

Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 50% within Kenya and Somalia.

Key Working Relationships:   

Internal: Ethics Manager; Finance Manager and staff; SC Manager; Procurement Manager; PDP Managers; Chiefs of Party and Program Managers; Head of Operations; Country Representative; EARO Risk and Compliance Manager; FAM Unit staff

External: Partner management and staff; project participants; vendors  

QUALIFICATIONS

Basic Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s Degree in Accounting, Business Administration or other relevant field preferred. Accounting or audit certification highly preferred Minimum of 3 years work experience, ideally with an international organization, with progressive responsibility in operations and/or programming. At least 2 of these years entailing audit, compliance or risk management experience.
• Knowledge of audit standards and compliance regulations and familiarity with international standards for internal control and risk and compliance management (e.g., COSO, ISO, COBIT)

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Familiarity with accounting systems.