We are excited to be looking for a Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer to lead our global Ethics and Compliance approach that supports and monitors ethical compliance across Relief Internationalโs various global operations.
We are looking for candidates who are based in the US as this role is a remote role, we can consider globally based applicants with a strong US legal background.
This role is classified as requiring advanced pre-employment checks.
About Relief International
Relief International is an international non-profit organization that partners with communities impacted by conflict, climate change and disaster to save lives, build greater resilience and promote long-term health and wellbeing.
People living in fragile settings face complex, interconnected and deep-rooted crises that often tear a hole in the social fabric of communities. When this happens, our teams work closely with community leaders; first focusing on critical health needs, and then, as communities recover, focusing on both health and wellbeing programming that helps reweave the social fabric for greater resilience in the future.
Our team of more than 7,000 staff and local volunteers work in 15 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, providing Health and Nutrition, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), Education and Livelihoods programming that is safe, truly local, conflict sensitive, climate smart, evidence based, and reaches those in need.
Relief International is a 60-year-old international NGO alliance that is the product of mergers and alliances between four organizations. Today, Relief International is comprised of Relief International, Inc., Relief International-France, Relief International-UK and Relief International-Europe, all of which are led by a single senior leadership team.
About the opportunity
Relief International is looking for a globally strategic, solution-oriented executive who will work across and collaborate at all levels of the organization to contribute to Relief Internationalโs mission.
The CECO will help the organization address complex problems - which involve identifying, resolving and preventing misconduct and/or unethical activities.
The international humanitarian sector is faced with increasing regulatory requirements and scrutiny from donors, regulators and host country governments. This requires constant vigilance and ever evolving and adapting policies, processes and practices to ensure cost-effective compliance while at the same time maintaining space for program performance and innovation.
The CECO will assess a host of dynamic ethical, contractual and legal requirements and invite and manage divergent views, while managing multiple tasks and activities in a calm, resilient, collaborative and professional manner, and be able to oversee and manage investigative matters with discretion and the utmost care of the individuals and organizations involved.
They will have experience in developing and delivering training on ethics issues to all levels of team members. Bringing excellent written and oral communication skills to be able to understand and distill data analysis, and have a proven ability to gain credibility, support and engagement from a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
The CECO will be a critical and strategic thinker while being able, and willing, to immerse themselves with details. They will be able to work both independently and, when necessary, collaboratively within a cross-functional, cross-divisional, and multi-national environment assisting in the resolution of issues in a manner that conforms to the highest ethical practices, while fostering and enhancing positive working relationships.
The CECO will have the utmost sensitivity and knowledge of cultural, political and religious environments in the regions where we work and have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability.
You will bringโฆ
- Progressive and proven experience in international development, ideally with direct experience with both programmatic and compliance functions.
- Strong cultural sensitivity and experience in a global, geographically dispersed organization.
- Experience and knowledge of US, EU and/or UK Government grants and contracts, sanctions and counterterrorism and anti-money laundering laws is essential. Specific experience with USAID, ECHO, and UK FCDO grants is a plus.
- Understanding of private international law and U.S. laws related to international business, such as sanctions, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the U.K. Bribery Act as well as relevant EU and French regulations.
- Good general knowledge of current events, particularly international affairs.
- Experience with ethics, compliance, sexual exploitation and abuse, and corporate transactions in an international and high-risk context.
- Previous foreign travel and willingness to travel to RI country offices.
- Demonstrable understanding of Risk & Assurance methodology and practice in an international humanitarian environment
- Experience with international investigations in a regulated environment.
- English language is required; knowledge of one or more other languages is a plus.
- Certifications such as Certified Risk and Compliance Manager Professional (CRCMP) are a plus.
- Demonstrated experience in crisis risk management in humanitarian environments, civilian-military cooperation, international humanitarian law, Saving Lives Together (SLT), as well as familiarity with ISO and OSHA safety and security standards.
Culture and leadership
Relief International is committed to protecting our staff and the communities we work with from abuse and harm including sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and sexual harassment.
All staff are expected to abide by our Code of Conduct. Your role will be to ensure as a leader a culture of upholding and promoting RIโs commitment to ensuring the safeguarding and safety of the vulnerable communities we serve.
As a senior leader you will demonstrate sensitivity and understanding of systemic diversity and cultural differences.