Chief of Regional Audit Center Latin American and the Caribbean (RAC-LAC)
JOB DETAIL
OAI reports to the Administrator and is responsible for internal audit and investigations services to UNDP and its affiliated entities. OAI provides independent, objective assurance on the effectiveness of risk management and the effectiveness and adequacy of internal controls.
OAI has a decentralized organizational structure with Directorate and other headquarter units, based in New York, and Regional Audit Centres (RAC) located in the five regions: Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Pretoria (South Africa), Dakar (Senegal), Panama City (Panama) and Istanbul (Turkey).
At the Headquarters level OAI has the Investigations Section, the Headquarters Audit Section, the Special Advisory Services Section, ICT Audit Section, and the Directorate.
Under the guidance and supervision of the Deputy Director (Audit), OAI, the Chief, Regional Audit Centre manages UNDP internal audit function in the region of Latin America and the Caribbean supported by four Audit Specialists (2 P-4 and 2 P-3), and one Administrative Associate (G-6 level).
The Regional Audit Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean manages UNDP internal audit function in the region that comprises 25 country offices (including several Multi-Country Offices in the Caribbean, such as Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago as well as Guyana in South America).
He/she develops working relationships with management and stakeholders in order to improve risk management and controls and promote effectiveness and efficiency of operations.
The primary role of the Audit Chief is to lead the team that conducts internal audits of activities carried out by UNDP country offices in the region, undertake project audits of directly implemented projects as well as project funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (The Global Fund or GF). Some of these tasks may include undertaking audit assignments in areas with hardship or hazardous working conditions. In addition, the Chief may be tasked to provide advisory services to the various units within the region or at the corporate level and is also responsible for the administration of the annual HACT/NIM audit exercise.
UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.
- As a member of the OAI management team, contributes to new strategic initiatives, and to the continuous improvement of processes and methodologies.
- Effectively manage the human resources assigned, including providing support to staff in the achievement of their career goals, ensuring appropriate learning, training and development, and actively participating in planning and assessing staff performance.
General accountabilities include:
- Achieving the results and outputs for the Centre, as documented in OAI Annual Work Plan.
- Establishing and maintaining effective quality control over the activities and outputs of the Centre, to ensure that they conform to professional practices and standards of OAI, the Institute of the Internal Audit and UNDP in general.
- Managing within delegated authority, the human, financial and other resources of the Centre.
- Manages internal audit services for the region, ensuring proper planning, high quality execution of the audits as well as effective and timely reporting.
- Oversees and guides audit teams in conducting audits of UNDP country offices and projects (includes projects directly implemented by UNDP and/or project audits, including programmes funded by the Global Fund); and as may be required, directly participates in the audits.
- Provides support and backstopping to investigations.
- Manages and supervises the services provided by audit firms (or audit consultants) that may be hired to undertake audits either with or on behalf of OAI. This may include procurement of services of audit firms.
- Manages the financial audit reports submitted by country offices in the region that cover projects implemented by NGOs and national institutions (also known as HACT financial audits), identifies recurring and systemic issues in such HACT financial audit reports and issues review letters to the management of country offices that provide an assessment of audit outcome, audit scope and audit administration.
- Builds and maintains effective client relationships in order to identify business risks and facilitate the impact and acceptance of OAI audits.
- Communicates audit results, best practices, and lessons learned to country offices, and other key stakeholders.
- Provides advisory services on a broad range of issues related to audit, risk management and internal controls.
- Provides guidance and advice to country offices in the region on the HACT financial audits exercise.
- Ensures data is accurately uploaded into the Comprehensive Audit and Recommendation Database System (CARDS), monitors the implementation of audit recommendations and validates follow up information provided by management.
- Undertakes frequent missions to UNDP offices in the region, including to areas with hardship or hazardous working conditions.
- Advises and guides UNDP offices in the region about accountability, risks and internal controls in light of UNDP’s increasing adoption of global shared services.
Manages knowledge management and other activities.
- Contributes to the ongoing development of professional practices within OAI.
- Participates in the implementation of his/her personal learning and training development plan.
- Leads and/or participates in special projects, supports and cooperates with other OAI and UNDP units, in order to facilitate matrix management, build organizational synergy, and productivity.
- Provides timely and accurate input for OAI corporate reporting to the Administrator, Audit Advisory Committee, Oversight Group and Executive Board.
- Performs any other tasks requested by the Director or Deputy Director.
Achieve Results: – LEVEL 4: Prioritize team workflow, mobilize resources, drive scalable results/strategic impact.
Think Innovatively: – LEVEL 4: Easily navigate complexity, encourage/enable radical innovation, has foresight.
Learn Continuously – LEVEL 4: Create systems and processes that enable learning and development for all.
Adapt with Agility – LEVEL 4: Proactively initiate/lead organizational change, champion new systems/processes.
Act with Determination – LEVEL 4: Able to make difficult decisions in challenging situations, inspire confidence.
Engage and Partner – LEVEL 4: Construct strategic multi-partner alliances in high stake situations, foster co-creation.
Enable Diversity and Inclusion – LEVEL 4: Create ethical culture, identify/address barriers to inclusion.
People Management
UNDP People Management Competencies can be found on the dedicated site.
Internal auditing standards, practices, and techniques. – Knowledge of key notions and concepts, practices, and methodologies of internal auditing (IPPF and Other IIA Standards, COSO). Undertake audit assignments in accordance with international professional standards in respect of operational audits, financial audits, performance audits, project audits and provision of advisory services.
Collection and analysis of evidence – Ability to extract and analyze all relevant types of evidence and be able to draw reasonable inferences and conclusions.
Audit & Investigation – Audit Fraud awareness and investigation techniques Basic knowledge to understand the foundations of fraud, how to detect red flags and conduct initial fact findings.
Business Direction & Strategy
System Thinking – Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system
Business Management Portfolio Management Ability to select, priorities and control the organizations programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimising return on investment
Audit & Investigation – Audit Critical creative and foresight applied to audit and investigation Possess essential critical thinking and foresight capacity to analyse facts to form a judgment.
Business Direction & Strategy Negotiation and influence Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiates mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and creates win-win situations.
- Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, Statistics, Law, or related field is required. Or
- A first level degree in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience or certification as a Chartered Accountant or Certified Public Accountant will be given due consideration in lieu of an advanced degree.
- Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) designation is highly desirable.
- Additional professional certifications (CISA, CFE) are an advantage.
- A minimum of 10 years (with master’s degree) or 12 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible audit or other relevant professional experience, including at least seven years of experience as team leader or manager. The experience should primarily be in audit or another directly relevant area, such as evaluation.
- Working experience in an International Organization is desirable.
- Field experience is an advantage.
Language requirements:
- Fluency in English and Spanish are required.
- Knowledge of additional United Nations official languages is desirable.
