Implementing Partnership Management Specialist at UNICEF

Contract type: Fixed Term Appointment
Level: P-4
Categories: Research, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation
Supervisor Title / Level: Chief of M4R (with dotted lines to Dep Rep Ops)
Organizational Unit: M4RJob
Job Classification Level: Level 4

Organizational Context and Purpose for the Job

• The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life - in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions - her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens - addressing inequity - not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. Therefore, the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Job Organizational Context:

• With over 500 implementing partners, Nigeria Country Office has significant and complex programmatic and operational risks and challenges which require a dedicated position to support the Senior Managers in making sure that resources are continuously, effectively and efficiently geared towards achieving results for children.

Purpose for the Job

• Under the supervision of the Chief of Monitoring for Results (M4R) and the Deputy Representative Operations, the Internal Control and HACT Manager will be responsible for strengthening risk assurance and compliance efforts and ensuring implementation and adherence to HACT assurance activities by partners.
• He/She will be responsible for providing complementary expertise, support, and monitoring related to the management of risk, including but not limited to the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of risk management practices at a process, systems, and entity level.
• In addition, the staff member will ensure quality, effective and efficient management of implementing partnerships in the country office in line with respective operational policies, procedures and mainstreaming of risk-based implementing partnership management at the CO level.

Summary of Key Functions / Accountabilities
Risk management:

• Provide guidance in the annual risk assessment process and monitor reliability of reports and their compliance with applicable rules and regulations.
• Ensure the monitoring of risk mitigation action plans including mid-term reviews.
• Lead the office peer reviews process, undertake visits to project sites and field offices to verify the quality of performance.
• Ensure 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.

Compliance Activities:

• Review the office systems, procedures, and processes for compliance with organizational rules and regulations.
• Enforce and strengthen internal controls to ensure that systems are in place to prevent, detect and report non-compliance. Lead the process for the preparation 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.
• Establish a risk-based system to periodically and systematically review a sample of activities (Programme and Operations) to ensure they are carried out according to established work processes and in compliance with UNICEF policies and procedures.
• Ensure smooth preparedness of internal and external audit, conduct a quality assurance and follow-up on the implementation of the recommendations and provides feedback to management.
• Periodically test compliance with the Table of authority and adherence to the delegation of authorities in line with UNICEF policies and procedures and ensure staff understand roles and responsibilities delegated to them.
• Review the conformity of statutory and non-statutory committees, assess committee members have been trained/oriented on their roles and responsibility.

Fraud risk Management:

• Lead in collecting evidence to respond to OIAI’s queries when initially assessing allegations of fraud and misconduct or during actual investigations.
• Advise the management on lessons learned from investigations and measures to be taken accordingly.
• 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.
• Lead the process of Fraud risk training / orientation to Partners and suppliers.

Oversight and advisory on implementing partnership management and quality assurance:

• Provide technical guidance on the formalization of implementing partnerships with government,civil society organizations and other implementing partners in line with relevant policies, procedures and guidelines, including the CSO Procedure and guidance on work plans.
• Provide technical guidance in the implementation of HACT in line with the HACT policy and procedure and other relevant organizational policies, procedures and guidelines, including the DFAM Policy 5: Cash Disbursements Supplement 3-Cash Transfers (HACT). This includes coordinating the preparation of CO annual assessments and assurance plan, facilitating its execution and coordinating with other adopting agencies as appropriate.
• Implement quality assurance strategies/processes for the implementation of the CSO procedure. This includes processes to ensure that implementing partners are selected and assessed in accordance with the CSO procedure and that all documentation is in line with corporate standards as stipulated in the CSO procedure
• Lead in implementation of quality assurance strategies/processes to ensure that HACT assessments and assurance activities are undertaken in accordance with corporate terms of reference and guidance and that appropriate follow-up action and escalation steps are taken as needed

Oversight and advisory to the Management:

• Advise the management on actions to be taken to enforce and strengthen accountabilities for a robust, responsive and transparent governance framework.
• Contribute to effective management process by participating in key governance meetings (particularly CMT, PMT and OMT).
• Coordinate Risk assessment and control activities with other UN agencies by representing the office in meetings related to Risks and Compliance activities.

Impact of Results:

• The Internal Control and HACT Manager 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. 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.

Competencies and level of proficiency required (please base on UNICEF Competency Profiles)
Core Values:

• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability.

Core competencies:

• Communication [II]
• Working with People [II)
• Drive for Results [II]

Other skills:

• Emotional Intelligence
• Managing complexity and change

Functional Competencies:

• Builds and maintains partnerships - Level 2
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness- Level 2
• Drive to achieve results for impact - Level 2
• Innovates and embraces change - Level 2
• Manages ambiguity and complexity - Level 2
• Thinks and acts strategically - Level 2
• Works collaboratively with others - Level 2
• Nurtures, leads and manages people - Level 2

Qualifications
Education:

• An Advanced University Degree (Master’s or higher) in Business Administration and Financial Management. Operations Management, Strategic Management, Risk Management, Audit, Investigation, Internal Control, Statistics and Data Analysis or Accounting certifications are considered as assets.
• A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.

Experience:

• At least 8 (eight) years of continuous professional work experience in Risk and Compliance, HACT or another directly relevant area. Experience in financial management, particularly developing and implementing financial control systems, ERM, audits, internal control preferably with international organizations, NGOs and UN.
• Field experience / familiarity with Emergency is an added asset.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as an asset.