Internal Control & Compliance Manager at Save the Children

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries. We save children’s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Save the Children is working in Nigeria because one in five children in Nigeria dies before their fifth birthday. About 40% of children miss out on school and have to work to survive while nearly 2 million children have lost one or both parents to an AIDS-related disease.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Internal Control & Compliance Manager

Ref No: 210005TJ
Location: Abuja
Grade: 2
Contract Length: Open ended
Employee Status: Permanent

Child Safeguarding

• Level 3: The role holder will have contact with children and/or young people.

Role Purpose

• The Internal Control & Compliance Manager is responsible for ensuring that all Save the Children and donor guidelines and policies are complied with while evaluating the effectiveness of the governance, risk management and control systems in place.
• As a member of the Extended Senior Management Team (ESMT), s/he will advise on any additional steps that need to be taken to ensure the protection of the programme’s assets, funds and reputation. S/he will undertake regular checks of procedures and documentation in all of Save the Children’s offices in Nigeria and will serve as a liaison for all audits and regulatory agencies.
• The position, in coordination with Head of Internal Control & Compliance, will act as the Country Office Fraud Focal Point and actively be involved in CO Risk management review and update planning in coordination with the Programme Operations unit.

Scope of Role

• Reports to: Head, Internal Control & Compliance  
• Matrix Report to: Country Director
• Dimensions:  Save the Children operates currently through 12 project office bases (Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Jigawa and Bauchi, Gombe, Borno, Yobe, Adamawa Lagos, Oyo and Kogi. SC Nigeria has over 500 staff and a high number of local Implementing partners both on development and humanitarian programmes. SC Nigeria has about 34 active awards, currently with about $52m pa. The Internal Control & Compliance (IC&C) Manager is to objectively collaborate with staff in all locations, programmes and functions towards the achievement of the overall organisational goal.
• Staff directly reporting to this post: Two (2) Internal Audit & Control Specialists
• Staff Working Closely with: Members of the Extended Senior Management Team (ESMT), Field/Project office leads, CO Head of Units (in particular the Head of the Awards, Finance & Operations sections), Budget Holders, Save the Children Member staff (as applicable), SCI Global Assurance department and the Regional Fraud Focal Point (RFFP).  

Key Areas of Accountability:

• In coordination with the Head of IC&C, conduct regular in-country risk assessments (incl. Fraud and FOs Internal Control adequacy). coordinate the update of CO risk management register in collaboration with the Programme Operations, Ext. Senior Management Team (ESMT), Programme managers, Field/Project office leads and follow up on implementation of indicated risk mitigation measures.
• Manage all fraud investigations, documentation, reporting and provide regular updates to the Head, IC&C internally and into DATIX (including queries from Regional and Centre Fraud team)
• Serve as the CO fraud focal point, providing necessary guidance and coordination to in-house investigators and ensuring all investigation report/ recommendations are reviewed for completion and share with the Head of IC&C for CD’s final approval prior submission onto Datix.
• In coordination with the Head of IC&C, ensure adequate investigation capacity is in place and regular capacity building session is provided for existing in-country trained capacities.
• Collaborate with Programme development and Awards unit when developing high-risk awards to risk culture is incorporated.
• Flag significant internal control weaknesses/compliance issues to the Head, IC&C and Extended Senior Management Team (as applicable) and provide required support in reinforcing the identified weak controls through recommendations implementation monitoring.
• Conduct sample-based compliance review on Implementing partners (IP), assess processes (organisation and donor regulations), raise issues observed with the relevant Program & Award managers, build the partner’s capacity by discussing issues observed/implications, share report detailing improvement recommendations with the IP’s management &SCI Awards Mgt. team for implementation.
• Provide necessary support to ensure successful completion of external audits (statutory /donor audits)
• Supervision, training, coaching, and mentoring of Internal Audit & Control specialists.
• Deliver on any other responsibility that may be requested or delegated by your Supervisor.
• In conjunction with the team, prepare and review annual internal audit work plan and processes, including but not limited to the design and implementation of various tools to conduct internal audits, investigation, compliance audit and spot-checks.
• Lead, plan, coordinate audit reviews, ensure reports meets a high standard and follow up with action owners and relevant SMT managers on implementation of recommendations from internal reviews and other compliance action.
• Follow up with Unit heads/BHs to ensure timely response to Global Assurance audit requirements and recommendation and update provide regular update to the Head of IC&C.
• Deliver training as required to reinforce risk mitigation, fraud awareness/prevention and internal control and compliance awareness for SCI staff and other stakeholders with meeting log frame results.
• Conduct internal controls compliance review on Save the children CO units and across Field/Projects offices (incl. Programmes/Operations, Humanitarian & Development). Issues of non-compliance identified discussed with related unit team with agreed recommendations and closure timelines tracked for follow-up to ensure early implementation.

Qualifications And Experience
Essential:

• Qualified internal auditor or compliance manager (Graduate of finance, accounting or a related business field with professional qualification-ACA, ACCA, CPA or CIA)
• Minimum of 7yrs working experience with 3 years+ related work experience with a not-for-profit organization in a related capacity.
• Experience in Investigation planning/execution/documentation and risk-based auditing.
• Be highly accurate, detail-orientated, and able to complete multiple projects, with conflicting priorities, on a timely basis
• Strong cultural awareness and be able to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures
• Demonstrate standards of ethics and integrity
• Commitment to Save the Children values
• Excellent report English writing skills
• Proven interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and relationship building
• Willingness to undertake high amount of travel within the SCI Nigeria field locations (40%) and work with minimum supervision under difficult conditions in some of the most underdeveloped, insecure and remote parts of NIGERIA.

Desirable:

• INGO experience or have worked in a commercial/public sector international organisation
• Familiarity with grant requirements of major donors such as USAID, EC/ECHO, FCDO/DfID and the UN
• Good financial analysis aptitude
• Counter fraud experience
• Ability to look at the bigger picture when assessing organisational performance and risk
• Experience of Agresso financial software, Source to Pay or other ERP softwares
• Experience of audit

Behaviours (Values in Practice)
Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions

Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply

Application Deadline  27th August, 2021.