Risk and Compliance Manager at Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)

At Country Office (CO) level, the R&C function has been tasked with supporting risk owners, across both Programmes and Support functions, in their efforts to manage risks, providing assurance to the Country Management Group (CMG) on CO compliance within high risk areas/issues, promoting a risk management culture in the CO through training and communication, ensuring CO’s compliance with standards and regulations that fall outside the scope of existing CO functions (Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), Data Protection (DPR), Code of Conduct, Securing Supporting Documentation, COTER and sanctions) and ensuring that complaints from external and internal stake holders are properly handled and responded to.

In the Nigeria CO the Risk and Compliance Manager will work to support both Programme and Support Departments in managing high risk areas that fall under R&C responsibilities, as well as high risk areas under all departments. This function will aim to decrease risks within the organisation to ensure delivery of programme objectives in a compliant, timely, and accountable manner.  The ideal candidate will have broad experience across both Programming and Support functions, and will be open, flexible, and have the ability to build strong relationships.

As a consultative member of the CMG and the leader of the risk and compliance function in the CO, the Risk and Compliance Manager is responsible for: leading the CO's efforts to effectively manage risks; promoting a risk management culture; ensuring the CO’s compliance within high-risk areas and with regulations not specific to a given function (i.e. SSD, COTER, sanctions); and responding to any issues or questions that arise relating to the CO’s work on PSEA, DPR, legal, Code of Conduct and complaints management.

Role and responsibilities

Some of the roles and responsibilities include:

1. Support the CMG and the Country Director (CD) by ensuring:
2. That risks in the CO’s operations are identified, assessed and controlled effectively; and
3. CO’s compliance within high-risk areas/issues, by:
   • leading the implementation of compliance improvement measures throughout the CO.
   • reporting regularly to the CD and the CMG on compliance issues; and
   • conducting regular compliance checks on the said areas/issues (e.g. spot checks);
   • identifying such high-risk areas/issues;
4. Ensure that risk management and compliance related CO registers, namely the CO Risk Register, Waiver Register, Recommendations Tracker and Standards Operating Procedures (SOPs) Register are complete and up to date.
5. Support Management to oversee internal controls in place, effectively work and ensure NRCs policies and donor regulations are being followed across the country program, including by all program departments, support functions, partners etc.;
6. Support Management in the Risk Management process, including regular trainings, updating the Risk Register, working with Risk Owners to develop and track mitigation measures, escalating ‘high’ risks, as necessary.
7. Work as a focal person for Securing Supporting Document Initiatives (SSDI) in the country programme, which includes supporting archiving electronic documentation and supporting the reconciliation of finance reports and programmatic deliverables;
8. Work, when assigned, as Audit focal point – which includes creating timeline and filing structure, communication with auditors, and liaising with departmental focal points;
9. Work in collaboration with Support function managers on follow up of compliance to local laws e.g local Tax law, labor law both at federal and state level for different offices.
10. Complete spot checks on high risk issues under R&C function (ex: COTER, data protection, anti-corruption and PSEA, etc.), as well as supporting on spot checks on high risk issues within other departments, in coordination with the department heads. Reports outlining high risk issues will be provided to CMG, including providing recommendations related to NRC policies and procedures;
11. Develop and roll out a Recommendations Tracker of internal and external recommendations (ex: from audit reports, investigations, evaluations, missions, etc.) and work with department heads to monitor follow up of recommendations;
12. Serve as a support function to both Support Departments and Programme Department to ensure compliance across high risk areas to NRC policies and procedures to ensure delivery of project activities.
13. In coordination with line manager, carry out trainings & refreshers for staff, Partners etc. about different NRC policies for example NRC Anti-Corruption policy, Securing Supporting Documentation Initiatives (SSDI), Compliance Awareness etc.

Professional Competencies

1. Minimum 3 years of experience from working as a manager in compliance, auditing or risk management functions or from working as senior manager in the humanitarian sector. Relevant experience could include work in programme delivery, grants management, partnerships, audits, etc.
2. Knowledge and skills in the international regulatory context applicable for INGOs
3. Knowledge and skills in any of the following: safeguarding, accountability to affected populations or Code of Conduct related matters
4. Fluency in English, both written and verbal
5. Valid driver’s license
6. Strong understanding of humanitarian operations especially in North East Nigeria
7. Excellent analytical & negotiation skills
8. Fluency in local working language (if necessary)
9. Knowledge and experience to work on web based accounting & other system e.g Unit4, MS Office including word, excel, office 365 etc