[Hiring] Consultant Risk & Compliance @World Food Programme

Role Description

The incumbent will conduct analysis of oversight reports, collect and synthesize information from functional and operational management, prepare governing body reports, and prepare summaries, briefings, and presentations to support organizational processes (e.g., consolidated external oversight reporting, annual Executive Director’s Assurance Exercise which produces the Executive Director’s Statement on Internal Control, etc.). She/he will coordinate matters related to the conduct of reviews by the External Auditor and the Joint Inspection Unit of the United Nations System (JIU), as necessary. In this role, the staff member will focus on evidence from External Auditor and JIU findings, as well as management feedback and reviews. The incumbent will also contribute to Branch technical advisory services. The incumbent will report to the Risk and Accountability Officer and Head of the Oversight Accountability Support Unit (RMDO).

Key Accountabilities

• Coordinate WFP activities related to External Audit and JIU matters:
• Support the preparation of report to the Executive Board on the implementation of the External Auditor’s (EA) recommendations, including coordination with relevant operational and functional management of WFP responses/information in response to EA recommendations to ensure consistency and accuracy;
• Support or as required lead the EA validation process for recommendation closure, including preparation of recommendation matrix and collection of supporting evidence and feedback from functional management. Initiate discussions with relevant operational and functional management where required;
• Follow up on outstanding oversight recommendations and agreed actions from External Auditor reports;
• Support or as required lead the coordination of External Auditor performance review and field audits including, maintaining effective relationships with the External Auditor and the WFP recommendation owners;
• Participate in the process of resolution of oversight issues (e.g., drafting of accountability framework), including issues for which action has not been taken within a reasonable timeframe;
• Support the design, maintenance and enhancement of oversight monitoring systems and dashboards, including testing, data validation, reporting, training and user support;
• Prepare datasets, summaries, briefings, and presentations to support organizational processes including the annual Executive Director’s Assurance Exercise. Make proposals, develop solutions, and communicate with key internal actors. Identify and propose escalation of issues that merit senior management attention/decision.
• Draft high-quality reports for WFP governing bodies and senior management on internal control and oversight matters;
• Support processes related to JIU reviews including (but not limited to) preparation of Executive Board reports, collections of recommendation responses and updates and preparation of WFP input to inter-agency comments on JIU reports, as required.
• Provide functional or direct supervision to junior consultant in the conduct of external oversight activities, as required.
• Other duties as required.
• Contribute to RMD technical advisory services including:
• Develop and review guidelines, procedures and other documents to support the development of appropriate internal control and accountability frameworks.
• Undertake research and analysis on internal control and oversight issues to enable the provision of comprehensive advisory services to global headquarters and country offices.
• Promote awareness of internal control principles and tools to manage risk and enable well-informed decisions.
• Review draft policies, oversight tools, and other work products, critically analyze, and suggest revisions as needed.
• Conduct relevant trainings to promote awareness on oversight and accountability matters.
• Act as focal point for projects, initiatives or working groups on other relevant areas such as knowledge management, system implementation, etc.
• Other duties as required.

Qualifications

• Advanced University degree in business/public administration, finance, economics, international development, audit or other relevant field, or First University degree with additional years of relevant work experience and/or training/courses in audit, performance and risk management or other related fields.
• At least three years of relevant experience in cross-functional coordination, reporting, data management and use of IT systems to meet business needs.
• Knowledge of UN/WFP governance, organizational structures, strategy and major initiatives.
• Understanding of UN/WFP rules, regulations and policies.
• Excellent English writing skills and ability to independently prioritize and plan.
• Analytical, evaluative, and problem-solving skills; resourcefulness, initiative, good judgement, tact, diplomacy and strong oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to establish effective working relationships with persons of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to synthesize complex information into digestible summaries tailored to stakeholder needs.

Desirable

• Writing for governing body and senior management audiences; preparing input to inter-agency processes and supporting inter-agency discussions.

Language

• Fluency (level C) in English language.
• Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and/or Portuguese, WFP’s working language.