The Position:

The Risk Management Project Officer will report directly to the Senior Risk Management Specialist and work closely with the DRHC and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN Agencies, and NGOs. The Risk Management Project Officer supports the Senior Risk Management Specialist in managing the Risk Management portfolio for the humanitarian response to northwest Syria and managing the work and staff of the Risk Management Unit (RMU).

The Risk Management Project Officer will advise the humanitarian community on risk, identifying risks, and advising on how to prevent issues and/or manage risk, with a particular focus on aid diversion. S/he will support joint risk assessments and analysis conducted across the humanitarian community on risk, based on the systematic information exchange on risk issues within the humanitarian community. The successful candidate will support the humanitarian community and Humanitarian Liaison Group (HLG) to integrate risk management activities into strategies and work plans.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

Building on the existing work of the Humanitarian Liaison Group Accountability Framework, the Risk Management Framework and the recommendations resulting from the mission of the OCHA advise on counterterrorism, the NWS Risk Management Unit (RMU) was launched in August 2022 to support the Cross-Border operation and advise the Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis (DRHC) on risk management issues, with a focus on corruption, fraud and aid diversion. The Unit is composed of a Senior Risk Management Specialist (Head of Unit), Project Officer (Risk Management) and Information Management Officer (Risk Management). Core activities and functions include risk analysis and advice, information sharing among humanitarian partners, learning and capacity development, monitoring and development and dissemination of best practices.

Aside from its general activities, the RMU serves as the Technical Advisor to the NWS Humanitarian Hotline, specifically related to corruption, fraud and aid diversion. In 2023, the inter-agency PSEAH community-based complaint mechanism (CBCM), which established a dedicated hotline in 2019, was formally expanded to include not only SEAH but also AAP and corruption, fraud and aid diversion. The RMU will be coordinating activities with numerous stakeholders, including OCHA, UN Heads of Office, NGOs, OCHA Access and Civil Military Coordination Unit, PSEAH and AAP Networks, ICCG, HLG, representing all operations and reporting to the DRHC.

You would be responsible for:

A. Expertly supporting the humanitarian community and HLG to integrate risk management activities into planning, performance and monitoring:

• Support the Senior Risk Management Specialist to conduct analysis and advise the DRHC and HLG on risks related to aid diversion and UN Sanctions compliance and offer technical support to the northwest Syria Safe Line.
• Support the implementation and monitoring of a comprehensive risk management strategy on aid diversion.
• Support and strengthen existing risk management activities and common approaches.
• Facilitate risk information sharing, analysis, and implementation of mitigation measures by advising on and providing regular (quarterly) updates to the northwest Syria common risk register on aid diversion.
• Work with the Senior Risk Management Specialist to examine and assess opportunities to apply harmonized risk management approaches across the humanitarian community, and prepare recommendations, briefings, and other materials in this respect.
• Support the Risk Management Working Group (UN) and Senior Risk Management Working Group in their activities.
• In close coordination with the PSEA Coordinators NWS, provide support in the operational, budgetary, administrative and logistics of the PSEA WoS/regional programme activities. .

B. Promote in-country risk management capacity development:

• Develop and ensure opportunities for learning on risk management for the humanitarian community.
• Serve as the technical advisor to the NGO Forum’s Supply Chain Working Group.
• Regularly review and assess the learning needs of partners.
• Ensure the collection and sharing of best practices and lessons learned.
• Ensure collaboration and coordination with the PSEA Coordinator (NWS) and AAP Specialist and facilitate capacity building on risk management for ‘Safe Line’ operators.
• Support and advice ‘Safe Line’ operators in managing complaints related to risk management.

C. Ensure and improve communication and outreach:

• Provide advice to and support leadership with necessary information and analysis on risk for engagement with donors and others.
• Develop and maintain risk management products and communications for public information (for example risk management one-pager with facts) that can be regularly shared with external stakeholders.
• Ensure close collaboration with the PSEA and AAP Networks to ensure the inclusion of beneficiaries in the reporting and operational processes.

Carry out any other duties as may be required by the DRHC in coordination with UNFPA leadership.

Qualifications and Experience

Education:

• Master’s degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Audit or a related field from an accredited academic institution.
• Certified Public Accountant, Certified Fraud Examiner, or similar certification is highly desired.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Minimum of five years progressively responsible experience in the oversight area or related areas such as finance, forensic accounting, investigations, risk analysis, monitoring and evaluation, or management advisory services.
• Proven experience in auditing or reviewing procedures for programme/project implementation, risk management within the UN system or in the private sector is highly desirable.
• Experience in emergency preparedness and response and community engagement in the humanitarian or development sector.
• Experience in handling web-based management systems and advanced computer literacy.
• Experience working on risk management and/or humanitarian response in the MENA region is an advantage.
• Experience in advising on new approaches and strong advocacy skills is an asset.
• Proven experience in creating internal reporting and accountability processes and standards.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and with other agencies in delivering results.
• Experience in Knowledge Management and ability to capture, develop, share, and effectively use information and knowledge.
• Understanding of humanitarian structure and inter-agency coordination mechanisms.

Languages:

Fluency in English; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably Arabic is desirable.

Required Competencies

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change

Functional Competencies:

• Analysis and creation of messages and strategies;
• Manages programme(s) and project(s) from approval to conclusion, including systematic monitoring and evaluation
• Organizational and analytical skills with the ability to coordinate activities and multitask.
• Identifying and building partnerships
• Building strategic alliance

Core Competencies:

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,
• Communicating for impact

Managerial Competencies:

• Providing strategic focus
• Engaging staff and partners
• Leading, developing and empowering people/creating a culture of performance
• Making decisions and exercise judgment

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus cost of living adjustment, rental subsidy, education grant, home leave, health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA Work Environment

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, teamwork, Embracing diversity in all its forms, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life. We are committed to maintaining our balanced gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities for all including persons with disabilities

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA’s workforce – click here to learn more.NFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, teamwork, Embracing diversity in all its forms, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life. We are committed to maintaining our balanced gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities for all including persons with disabilities.

Note: UNFPA reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNFPA at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Applications that do not meet the above requirements will be disregarded. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Selection and appointment will be subject to medical clearance, visa issuance, and other administrative requirements.

Disclaimer:

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.