Risk & Compliance Officer at the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes. Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Risk & Compliance Officer

Requisition ID: 830074
Location: Abuja
Employment Type: Full Time

Organizational Context

• These jobs are located in Regional Bureaux (RBs) or Country Offices (COs) covering both the risk and compliance responsibilities.
• In RBs, the job holders are part of a team and will report to the Regional Risk and Compliance Advisor or Regional Risk focal point.
• In COs with lower risk profile the job holders may operate individually and report to the Country Director or the Deputy Country Director with functional supervision from the Regional Risk and Compliance Advisor where present, or the Chief of the Enterprise Risk Management Unit.

Job Purpose

• Provide advice and specialized support in the establishment of effective risk assessment and risk management activities; application of controls and compliance with policies and procedures; and contribution to the overall effectiveness of operations and optimization of WFP resources by championing the mainstreaming of WFP’s risk and compliance framework.

Key Accountabilities (not all-inclusive)

• Contribute to embedding risk assessment in planning and decision making through developing and/or monitoring of key risk appetite metrics and risk indicators, and regular updating of risk registers, including progress towards implementing the risk mitigation actions.
• Provide support to managers in analysing and strengthening existing processes on risk & compliance issues and on maintaining an effective internal control environment to support operational efficiency.
• Provide assistance in ensuring that the use of all WFP resources is in conformity with approved CO strategic plans/project plans, WFP rules and procedures, and donor funding agreements.
• Contribute to ideas on enhancement of adequate internal control systems with clear accountabilities, including performance and risk management systems, monitoring and oversight processes and techniques, tools, processes to support their implementation.
• Contribute to the development of compliance Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) by 1st Line of Defense colleagues for managing the risk and compliance process, including criteria for conducting risk and compliance missions, training materials and modules, etc.
• Support relevant managers in their regular and ad hoc risk assessments in regional, country and field offices risk assessments to: identify and evalutate risks, assess the effectiveness of the internal controls, and assess the potential for fraud and corruption in operational activities.
• Contribute to risk management effectiveness across the office and all aspects of WFP’s operations.
• Support managers in their fact-finding reviews and fraud risk assessments. Collect and analyse data on fraud incidents, fraud risk metrics, and fraud risk appetite, support training in AFAC standards.
• Contribute to accountability across functional units, prepare comprehensive reports summarising the status of compliance of internal controls, key oversight themes, and using risk information (e.g. risk indicators, incidents) to highlight areas out of risk appetite and contribute ideas on required actions in areas of risk & compliance vulnerability.
• Support managers in the preparation of risk information for management to share with external stakeholders such as UN system-wide engagement, donors, and partners.
• Assess information/training needs and prepare and deliver training programmes or information sessions for colleagues and partners in RB or CO to enhance understanding of risk management and compliance with WFP policies, rules, regulations and procedures.
• Support risk management focal points in region/country offices.
• Demonstrate managerial and functional skills by effectively managing staff and building staff capabilities for high performance results.
• Other duties, as required.

Standard Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Advanced University degree with three-year experience in business/public administration, finance, accounting, international development, audit or other relevant fielld, or First University degree with 6 years of relevant work experience and/or training/courses in audit, performance and risk management or other related fields.
• Experience: Typically five years of relevant progressively responsible experience in leading, undertaking and/or contributing to risk management activities, including assessing and recommending effective internal controls and mitigation actions, in various organizations that use modern enterprise risk management frameworks, techniques and systems.”
• Language: Fluency (level C) in English language.
• Other specific job requirements.

Desired experiences for entry into the role:

• Has gained programme/project management experience
• Has conducted monitoring and reporting activities, demonstrating knowledge of results hierarchy, performance metrics and measurement
• Has conducted risk analysis and developed risk mitigation strategies.

Application Closing Date
7th November, 2023 by 11:59pm (GMT+1).