Senior Compliance Officer at Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS)

Introduction

Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), is an International Catholic Organization working across 56 countries whose mission is to accompany, serve and advocate for the rights of refugees and IDPs in conflict zones, detention centers, camp and urban settings, and on remote borders.

Job Summary

The Senior Compliance Officer will monitor the performance of all financial and operational functions within JRS project and ensure that financial and operational activities are in compliance with Nigeria’s laws (tax laws, CSA laws and government pension agency laws), donor rules and regulations, and JRS policies and standards.

Key Responsibilities of the Position

Role/Mission

• Develops an annual customized compliance monitoring and evaluation plan including tools, standards, ethical considerations and evaluate all project locations in line with specific donor requirements.
• Conducts risk assessment for financial and operational landscape. Identify high risk activities and provide a mitigation plan.
• Offer practical advice on how best to comply with financial, logistics, HR policy and donor guidelines on programmes.
• Conducts quarterly audits, investigations, and status of audit recommendations reports for submission.
• Meets with National Grants/Compliance Officer and Country Director on a regular basis, or as requested by the Country Director.
• Ensure quality control of Partner organization activities in line with the project plan and donor requirements.
• Ensure project implementation are in line with proposed timeline based on agreement with the donor.
• Periodically reviews and updates the compliance monitoring checklist and other tools to stay current with JRS and funding partners, procedures and policies.
• Assesses the effectiveness of internal controls and compliance within JRS Nigeria policy framework and identifies gaps in procedures and controls systems and provides recommendations to the Country Leadership Team for strengthening them.
• Tests internal controls, targeting high risk areas, including workshops, inventory control, cash advance management, payroll, and Fleet Management.
• Documents internal control weaknesses and compliance deviations and their impact and makes recommendations to address these weaknesses.
• Identifies gaps in knowledge and skills and provides recommendations for training.
• Prepares detailed reports of each compliance review and other task assignments, with prioritized findings and recommendations.
• When necessary, collaborates with internal and external audit on investigations of whistleblower cases, suspected fraud, mismanagement, loss of assets, etc.
• Follows-up on recommendations from the internal and external auditors to ensure the recommendations have been implemented and adhered to.
• Stays abreast of laws, directives, and current trends in the local legal and NGO environment.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Country Director.

Required Profile

Experience and Qualification

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Business management, Project management or any related discipline with five (5) years relevant experience in similar position.
• An advanced degree in international development, project management, project control with three (3) years relevant experience in similar position.
• Professional certification in Project management, Project control, Accounting, Internal Audit, Fraud Examination and Procurement
• Extensive familiarity of program grants rules and regulations especially with ECHO/EU Grants.

Skills

• Excellent planning, management, and organizational skills.
• Proven leadership and interpersonal skill.
• Have good computer skills and mastery of MS Office tools in addition to other relevant software.
• Trustworthiness, integrity, and accountability.
• Strong ability to work independently, organize work, meet deadlines, maintain composure, prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks and maintain attention to details.
• Ability to adapt to working conditions and tasks that may change with the reality of the field.
• Demonstrate initiative and personal discipline.
• Demonstrate leadership skills, active listening skills, initiative and personal discipline, etc.

Qualities

• Adhere to JRS values and abide by the code of conduct and other policies.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information.
• Mastery of English (fluency in spoken and written languages) and any local language including Hausa and Kanuri.