Stretch Assignment: Operations Officer/Risk & Compliance, Nouakchott, Mauritania

Title:  Operations Officer/Risk & Compliance
Level:  P1/P2/P3/NOA/NOB/NOC – we encourage staff from all levels with the relevant experience to apply
Reports to: Deputy Representative Operations
Duration: 2 months
Section: Operations, Nouakchott
Location: Nouakchott, Mauritania
Dates/Duration: Stretch assignment from April 20, 2024, until June 20, 2024.
Eligibility: All Fixed-Term, Permanent or continuing appointment UNICEF staff members currently working in UNICEF worldwide.

Background

The requirement for the reinforcement of the Operations Section at Mauritania Country Office creates the opportunity of a Stretch Assignment for 2 months, for a UNICEF colleague as Operations Officer/Risk & Compliance P1/P2/P3/NOA/NOB/NOC.

Purpose of the Position

Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Representative Operations, the Operations Officer/Risk & Compliance will be supporting the Office in setting-up the new established position NOA Risk & Compliance Officer in the context of a medium country office.

Duration
This stretch assignment will be for a period of two (2) months with possible 1 month extension. The date successful applicant will take up post, ideally is April 20, 2024.

Key expected results

a. Risk management support
– Provide support the office in the annual risk assessment process and support the monitoring, reliability of reports and their compliance with applicable rules and regulations.
– Provide support in the monitoring of risk mitigation action plans.
– Provide support to office management team in ensuring 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.
b. Compliance support
– Provide support in the review of the office systems, procedures, and processes for compliance with organizational rules and regulations.
– Support the office in enforcing and strengthening internal controls to ensure that systems are in place to prevent, detect and report non-compliance. Support the process for the reviewing of the annual Statement of Internal Control (SIC) by the office.
– Review 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; UNICEF Mauritania.
– Support the office to ensure smooth preparedness of upcoming internal audit, 3. Fraud risk Management support.
– Support the office, under the leadership of the Deputy Representative Operations, to 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.
c. Create awareness/capacity building.
– Support management in providing staff with access to relevant training and that staff and other personnel understand key UNICEF policies including PSEA, Fraud and Ethics.
– The Risk and compliance Officer is expected to be fully knowledgeable in the field of the work, to work with minimum supervision and therefore exercise judgement, take initiatives, establish work priorities, and ensure follow-up actions.
– The ability to support assessment, mitigation, monitoring, review and reporting on the most significant risks that could potentially harm the organization, is a critical element of UNICEF’s risk and internal control performance management framework.
– The risk management skills are necessary to safeguard UNICEF’s reputation, resources, continuity of operations and reputation to fulfill our primary mission to save and protect children, globally.

Minimum Qualifications and Competencies

-Education: A university degree in Business Administration, Finance/Accounting, or Audit is required. Audit, Investigation or Accounting certifications are considered as assets.
-Work Experience: At least 2 (two) years of continuous professional work experience in Risk and Compliance or another directly relevant area, such as internal audit.
-Experience in financial management, particularly developing and implementing financial control systems, ERM, audits, internal control preferably with international organizations, NGOs and UN.
-Languages: Fluency in French and English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station may be required.

Funding arrangement
This is a temporary development opportunity and there will be no changes to the staff member’s status (position number, level, etc.).

The Office will cover the ticket for economy class travel and 100% of the UN DSA rate during the first 30 days, and 50% DSA for the remaining time.

Interested UNICEF staff should discuss this opportunity with their supervisor and seek the approval of their management before applying.

Candidates considered potentially well-matched for the stretch assignment will be contacted for an informal interview. Supervisors may also be contacted for references.