UNICEF works in some of the worldโs toughest places, to reach the worldโs most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.
Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.
And we never give up.
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For every child, dedication
In Nigeria, UNICEF works in a complex humanitarian and development setting to fulfill and protect children's rights in partnership with the government, civil society, children, and families.ย UNICEF Nigeria is one of the largest UNICEF Country Offices globally -ย click the link to learn more about UNICEF in Nigeria:ย https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/.
For every child, a champion
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 childrenโs 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. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, nutrition, education and protection of a societyโs most disadvantaged citizens addressing inequity not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfil their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why 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.
How can you make a difference?
Under the supervision of the Risks and compliance Manager, the Risk and Compliance Officer will be supporting in strengthening risk assurance and compliance efforts in UNICEF Nigeria. He / She will be asked to support in providing complementary expertise, and monitoring related to the management of risks, including but not limited to the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of risk management practices at a process, systems, and entity level. He / she will ensure the achievement of risk management objectives follows organizational rules and regulations, and acceptable ethical behavior; internal control; information and technology security; sustainability; and quality assurance. Moreover, he / she will provide support in the analysis and reporting on the adequacy and effectiveness of risk management and internal controls.
Key functions/accountabilities:
1. Risk Management
Work closely with the office(s) to conduct thorough risk assessment processes, support the monitoring of planned actions, ensure the reliability of reports, and verify compliance with applicable rules and regulations. Lead quarterly discussions and updates on the field officeโs Risk Management Plan, with regular follow-ups to ensure the proper implementation of risk mitigation actions plan, including periodic reviews. Provide support during the peer review process and assist the office(s) management team in embedding the risk management approach into projects/proposals, governance committee reviews of submissions, and any major management decisions.2. Compliance & Internal Control
Conduct a regular review process of the office(s) systems, procedures, and processes for compliance with organizational rules and regulations. Update the compliance effectiveness trackers and develop summary of key findings. Assist the policiesโ owners (Chief of Sections/Manager) in enforcing and strengthening internal controls to ensure that systems are in place to prevent, detect and report non-compliance. Support the Risk & Compliance Manager in 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. Assist the office to ensure smooth preparedness of internal and external audit, conduct quality assurance and follow-up on the implementation of the recommendations and provide feedback to the management. Conduct regular follow-ups to ensure the full implementation of internal audit and internal related reviews recommendations. Support in the review the conformity of statutory and non-statutory committees, assess committee members have been trained/oriented on their roles and responsibility. Conduct a thorough review of Notes for Record and Waiver requests in accordance with UNICEF policies and procedures, providing feedback as necessary. Update the tracker and provide a monthly summary to the Risk & Compliance Manager. Assist in developing and/or design workflows, guidance, or Standard Operations Procedures (SOPs).3. Fraud Risk Management
Under the leadership of the Risk & Compliance Manager, support the office(s) in implementing the countryโs anti-fraud strategy and the officesโ anti-fraud activities plan. Based on UNICEFโs policies and procedures and using sound judgement suggest fraud prevention and detection mechanisms, and alert management to any suspected or detected fraudulent issues as well as unethical behaviors. Assist in assessing fraud risk across UNICEF Nigeriaโs programmes and operations. Follow up on the proposed implementation of preventive and detective actions plan. Support the management of the office(s) in collecting evidence to respond to OIAIโs queries when initially assessing allegations of fraud and misconduct or during actual investigations. Follow up on Risk & Compliance letters to local authorities, ensure proper feedback is received in any communication shared with other parties, and maintain confidential communication in such matters. Preform regular checks to ensure consistency in complying with developed and additional measures. Generate reports based on analyzed data to identify trends in compliance and fraud and adjust strategies accordingly.4. Create awareness/capacity building.
Support the implementation of a continuous learning and development plan for the Risk and Compliance function. Support management in providing staff with access to relevant training and that staff and other personnel understand key UNICEF policies including PSEA, Fraud and Ethics. Create and deliver training sessions for staff, consultants, vendors, implementing partners on fraud awareness, prevention and reporting procedures according to UNICEF Anti-Fraud and UNICEF Policy in Combating and Fighting Fraud and Corruption.5. Any other tasks agreed with the Risk & Compliance Manager.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will haveโฆ
Education:ย ย ย ย ย
A university degree in Business Administration, Finance/Accounting, or Audit is required. Fraud Examination, Audit, Investigation or Accounting certifications are considered as assets.
Experience:ย ย ย
At least five years of continuous professional work experience in Risk and Compliance, Internal Audit, Internal Control and Assurance or Anti-Fraud. Relevant Experience in similar technical areas in UN or INGO, with strong capability in Enterprise Risk Management. Field experience /familiarity with Emergency. (Depending on context) Working proficiency in Microsoft tools (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) Emergency experience an advantage. Experience working with the UN systems in similar function is highly desirable.Skills:
General Operations Knowledge: Excellent understanding of relevant operational policies, procedures and best practices is crucial. This including staying updated with any changes. Risk Assessment: Ability to identify, analyze and prioritize risks. This involves understanding the potential impact of various risks on UNICEF Nigeria, and country context. Data Protection and IT Proficiency: Familiarity with Data Protection laws and regulations, basic Data security information to enable to manage data privacy and cybersecurity measures. Investigation: Basic investigation skills including steps to conduct desk reviews for the suspected fraud incidents. Planning: The ability to allocate appropriate time and resources for successful achievement of goals and foresee risks and allow for contingencies when planning. Attention to details: Precision in reviewing documents, creating reports, and monitoring compliance programmes to ensure nothing is overlooked. Writing and Desing: Ability to develop and design policy guidance notes, SOPs, checklist, and workflow. Communication Skills: Ability to clearly explain complex and sensitive matters to different audiences within the organization. Ability to clearly and concisely express ideas and concepts in written and oral form. Strategic Leadership and Adaptability: Ability to resolve difficult, complex and sensitive situations often under pressure. Willingness to continuously learn and adapt to new policies and technologies. Integrity and Ethical Judgment: High ethical standards and the ability to make unbiased decisions that align with the UNICEFโs values. Problem-Solving: Creative and critical thinking to develop effective solutions for compliance issues. Interpersonal Skills: Building trust and collaboration across sections and offices to implement compliance strategies effectively. Training Skills: Ability to design and delivery trainings on Risk Management, Compliance, Internal Control and Fraud Risk.Language Requirements:ย ย ย
Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset.
Temporary Assignment:
UNICEF staff members holding fixed-term, continuing, or permanent appointments who are considered to be on abolished post status may apply for this temporary position and, if selected with a start date before 31 December 2025, may take it up as a temporary assignment, in line with UNICEF guidance on separation due to the abolition of posts or staff reduction. They will retain their fixed-term entitlements but will not hold a lien to their abolished post.ย For other scenarios where a Temporary Assignment may be possible, please refer to ย Additional guidance on IP to IP temporary assignments after completion of the full TOD.pdfย (accessible to internal staff only).
The conditions of a temporary assignment, including relocation entitlements, will depend on the status of the staff memberโs original appointment and may be limited in accordance with applicable UNICEF policies, procedures, and practices in force.
For every Child, you demonstrate...
UNICEFโs Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values
UNICEF competencies required for this post areโฆ
(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others. (8) Nurtures, leads and manages people) for supervisory role
During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.
UNICEF is here to serve the worldโs most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.
Remarks:
This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is a role with direct contact with children, works directly with children, is a safeguarding response role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) applies.
UNICEFโs active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.
Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.
UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.