Job Title: Audit and Compliance Officer
Position Code: AUD COMP
Contract Duration:1 Year
Team / Programme:Internal Audit
Location: Nairobi (with at least 50% travel to
field locations)
Grade: 4
Post Type: National
Child Safeguarding: Level 1 - The role holder
will not have contact with children and/or young people, or access to personal
data about children or young people, as part of their work.
Role Purpose: S/He will work closely with the finance and programme
teams to ensure efficient support is given to external audit teams with the aim
of minimising any issues arising from external audits.
In addition he/she will promote and instil a culture of
compliance throughout SC Kenya programme and its partners.
Under the direction of the Internal Auditor he/she will oversee
adherence to internal policies and procedures and donor compliance regulations,
ensuring that any non-conformities are documented, investigated and resolved.
Scope of Role:
Reports to: Internal Audit Manager
Dimensions: Save the Children has been operational in Kenya since
the 1950s, providing support to children through developmental and humanitarian
relief programmes delivered both directly and through local partners.
Current programming focuses on child protection, child rights
governance, education, health, HIV/AIDS, livelihoods, nutrition and WASH.
In 2012, as part of a global reorganization process, Save the
Children combined the programmes of SC UK, SC Canada and SC Finland to create a
single operation in Kenya.
In Feb 2014, we completed a second transition, which saw us join
forces with the British INGO, Merlin, and merge their health and nutrition
programmes with our own.
Save the Children now has an operational presence in Bungoma,
Dadaab Refugee Camp, Garissa, Mandera, Turkana and Wajir and we work through
partners in many other parts of the country.
We employ nearly 300 staff and will have an operating annual
budget in 2015 of approximately US$20-25 million.
Staff directly reporting to this post: None
Key Areas of Accountability:
External Audit Support
- Lead
on project audits in liaison with Awards Finance staff and the relevant
project managers ensuring donor compliance with responsibilities
including:
- Coordinating
the entire process of external audits and if need be, accompany the
auditors to field offices.
- Identification
of documents required by the auditor.
- Sharing
with the area offices the audit timelines and requirements.
- Liaise
with programmes and departments in providing management comments to issues
raised by the auditors.
- Clarify
and share questioned transactions from auditors for cross department
responses.
- Coordinate
entry and exit meetings with the auditors.
- Track
and communicate audit findings and recommendations to the Line Manager for
sharing with SMT on a quarterly basis, follow up with relevant department
to ensure corrective actions are taken.
- Visit
field offices and review internal processes (financial and non- financial)
according to Save the Children regulations.
- Document
audit findings and report to the line manager.
- Review
award files, reports and documents prior to any in country donor audit,
making sure that everything is present and that all main compliance points
have been tested.
Donor Compliance
- Summarizing
regulations and requirements for all Save the Children Kenya programme
donors and all other major institutional donors, and circulating to
relevant staff.
- Train
and support budget holders, other departments, staff and partners in the
relevant donor regulations, promote awareness of the importance of
adherence to all guidelines.
- Take
part in proposal development and advise on donor compliance.
- Take
part in new award start-up meetings to ensure that budget holders
understand donor compliance regulations.
- Ensure
Save the Children Kenya programme is complying with all applicable,
reporting requirements and regulations.
Partnership Compliance
- Visit
field offices and partners to review source documents and processes
according to donor guidelines.
- Document
findings and report to budget holders and Line Manager.
- Review
partner agreements and facilitate for their signing at Country Office
level with support from Awards Finance and Operations Manager.
Internal Systems Compliance
- Update
the operations teams, finance and partners with changes in donor
regulations.
- Make
sure that document retention is in accordance with donor guidelines and a
clear process is in place for regular secure storage.
Fraud and Investigation
- Participate
in fraud investigation cases that may arise under the supervision of the
Line Manager.
Skills and Behaviours (our 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.
Qualifications and Experience
- Bachelors
of Commerce degree in Finance or equivalent.
- Professional
qualifications in Accounting (CPA part III or ACCA II).
- Recommended
a minimum of 3 years’ experience in Auditing, Awards (Grants) management
or donor compliance.
- Proven
knowledge of compliance regulations for all major donors; USAID, EC, ECHO,
DFID, UN bodies.
- Strong
working computer skills especially in accounting packages.
- Highly
developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing,
negotiation and coaching.
- Highly
developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international
environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
- Strong
results orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mind-sets.
- Experience
of solving complex issues through analysis, definition of a clear way
forward and ensuring buy in.
- Ability
to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner.
- Ability
and willingness to dramatically change work practices and hours, and work
with incoming surge teams, in the event of emergencies.
- Fluency
in English, both verbal and written, required.
- Have
strong report writing skills.
- Willingness
to undertake high amount of travel to field locations (up to 50%).
- Commitment
to Save the Children values.
How to Apply
Interested candidates are required to submit a CV and mandatory
Cover letter to Kenya.jobapplications@savethechildren.org indicating the
Position Code on the subject line by 23rd March 2015.
Due to the urgency of these positions, applications will be
reviewed as when receive them.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.