Compliance Coordinator 187 views0 applications

Background:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933, the IRC has been working in Ethiopia since 1999 and is implementing programs aimed at improving the quality of lives and recovery of livelihood of the disaster-affected population, including host communities.

Job Overview/Summary:

The Compliance Coordinator will support the Country Director and senior staff to oversee ethics and compliance-related functions across the country program. The core purpose of the role is: to support and promote an ethical and compliant work environment within the Ethiopia Country Program; through proactive prevention initiatives, raising awareness and promote behaviors consistent with IRC’s Code of Conduct; and to provide a timely review of alleged wrongdoing inconsistent with IRC values and policies under the supervision of the ECU Investigation team.

The role will have a range of responsibilities, all aimed to promote a culture of integrity, ethics, and compliance in the behavior of staff, incentive workers, and volunteers and to coordinate consistent and effective follow-up as needed when there are allegations of misconduct. The Compliance Coordinator is responsible for providing guidance, facilitating, and supporting the compliance of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) Ethiopia country program and the implementing partners to local laws, IRC policies and procedures and donor guidelines, regulations, and contractual commitments.

Major Responsibilities:

1.      Prevention: Create a safe and compliant environment

•        In coordination with and under the guidance and direction of the Country Director and the Global Ethics and Compliance Unit (ECU), act as focal point for the local integration of IRC Organizational Policies and co-ordinate a training and awareness program for staff on integrity, ethics, and compliance issues.

•        Ensure compliance with applicable Ethiopian laws and donor guidelines and regulations.

•        Participate in project opening, review, and closure meetings. In close collaboration with the Grants Department, lead the compliance section of the project opening meetings and subsequently as required.

•        Conduct compliance reviews as appropriate, prepare reports for the SMT and ensure that agreed recommendations are implemented on time.

•        Follow up with department heads and budget holders in ensuring timely response to compliance audit requirements and agreed recommendations.

•        Provide, on a needs basis, capacity building and training to partners or sub-recipients on contract compliance issues, and risk identification & management.

•        Review and report on the adequacy and effectiveness of IRC Ethiopia’s and its partners/sub-grantees systems and internal policies and procedures, assessing the extent to which these controls offer adequate protection against error, fraud, and loss of all kinds.

•        Review and report on the extent to which those internal policies and procedures are complied with, including conducting walk-throughs and tests that systematically assess whether systems and controls are operating as per policies, procedures, and donor regulations.

•        Where weaknesses in controls or application of controls are identified, to recommend to the CD and MT action to remedy the situation and ensure appropriate reporting to HQ risk owners to ensure HQ support for country-level corrective actions and also to support enterprise risk management.

•        Actively monitor the status of agreed mitigation measures to be implemented by the Country Program related to its Enterprise Risk Management

•        Using a range of innovative strategies promotes a culture of ethical and compliant behaviors across all field bases, offices, and areas of operation.

2.      Reporting Misconduct Allegations

·         Ensure staff are informed of IRC fraud, anti-corruption, whistleblowing, Safeguarding, and conflict of interest policies and help implement these policies to staff as directed by country management.

·         Promote a culture of reporting on ethics and compliance concerns, providing appropriate feedback to staff, partners, and complainants, working closely to ensure support and follow-up is provided.

·         In association with the Safe Program Unit and Country leadership, ensure that staff and partners are aware of the IRC’s reporting mechanisms. Ensure reporting contact details are displayed in all IRC facilities in appropriate languages.

3.      Investigations

•        Provide timely support to the ECU on investigations as appropriate, in accordance with the IRC’s investigations process. on a tribute to investigations on a case-by-case basis under the guidance of ECU (Sr Director of Investigations).  This may include the following:

o   By agreement and in conjunction with ECU, support or undertake investigations of breaches of IRC Way including alleged fraud, waste, financial corruption, and safeguarding misconduct while ensuring objectivity, impartiality, and fairness throughout the investigative processes in accordance with generally recognized international investigative standards, and IRC Investigation Guidelines.

o   Prepare investigation reports (in English) and ad hoc briefs pertaining to investigations in coordination with ECU or the Country Director.

o   Liaise with ECU to ensure identification of impacted donors on allegations of misconduct.

o   Undertake investigation assignments in the local area at the direction, and incoordination, with ECU, keeping country and regional management informed, when appropriate, consistent with any investigation confidentiality constraints

•        Maintain, in the required format, an up-to-date tracker of ECU cases and recommendations.

4.      Other

•        Stay informed of IRC procedures and policies in relation to Supply Chain, Finance, HR and Programs as set out in relevant IRC manuals and guidelines.

•        Work in collaboration with and support the Monitoring and Evaluation/ Client Feedback team on client responsiveness, ensuring any issues are escalated from the client responsiveness mechanisms to the CD/ECU when appropriate.

•        Submit a weekly and monthly report to the Country Director and ECU

•        Perform other tasks as requested by the CD as required.

Key Working Relationships:

Members of the Country Program Senior Management Team, Head of Teams (especially, the Grants and Program Coordinator, Deputy Directors – Programs, Operations and Finance), Field Coordinators, Budget Holders and the Global Ethics and Compliance Unit.

·         Experience within NGOs or in the development / humanitarian sector, with knowledge of donor rules and regulations.

·         At least 2 years related experience.

·         Strong planning, organizational and interpersonal skills.

·         Excellent analytical, presentation, and reporting skills.

·         Ability to respond to changing priorities.

·         Ability to work independently on own initiative.

·         Excellent communication skills, verbally and in writing, in English.

·         Evidence of successful experience in compiling and conducting training workshops.

·         Excellent IT skills in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel.

·         Prepared to work in remote environments with significant time spent in the field.

·         Strong commitment to IRC’s mission, purpose and values.