Risk and Compliance Business Partner

Job Title: Risk and Compliance Business Partner
Location: Home-based
Contract duration: 1-year fixed-term contract
Responsible to: Internal Audit Manager
Department: Finance, Operations and Support Services
Travel: Travel to Ukraine /surrounding countries 2-3 times a year for around 2 weeks
Eligibility: The existing right to travel to Europe/Ukraine is a must; candidates must have either a valid British or European passport or a current and valid Schengen Zone visa.

DRS is looking, on behalf of our client, secretariat to a global network of organisations, for a Risk and Compliance Business Partner who will ensure that the organisation is successfully meeting all compliance requirements, both donor and local legal requirements. The successful applicant will also support the Internal Audit Manager in identifying those areas of potentially higher risk within the organisation and work to develop a framework to assess them more fully.

Key Areas of Responsibility:

The successful applicant has a key role in ensuring that this commitment is met by delivering an agreed programme of risk compliance work. This work will ensure that financial and other control procedures identified in the risk register are properly implemented, managed and used in all overseas offices, in emergency programmes and by our operational partners.

The successful applicant will work on various programmes and areas, but there will be a specific focus on the Ukraine response programme, which is currently being implemented in Ukraine, Moldova and Poland. Therefore, the individual will be required to travel to Ukraine as soon as possible, and therefore, we are looking for someone with the existing right to travel to Europe/Ukraine. Candidates must have a valid British or European passport or a current and valid Schengen Zone visa to ensure the organisation can evacuate staff from Ukraine to neighbouring countries if required.

Job Activities

• Will plan, prepare and carry out risk and compliance reviews of programmes and Country Offices based on own risk analysis and understanding of the international context, as well as the Internal Audit Plan approved by the Finance & Audit Committee.
• Support the Internal Audit Manager in identifying risk areas across the entire organisation’s operations and developing plans to address them.
• Develop and maintain Risk and Compliance Procedures to ensure that best practice is followed and that audits address specific areas of risk management.
• Undertake the approved compliance review in line with agreed procedures liaising with the relevant staff.
• At the conclusion of risk and compliance exercises, provide a full briefing to the relevant Country Director or partner organisation, ensuring that their comments are recorded as part of the review.
• Agree on the action plan necessary to implement the audit recommendations with the Country Director or the director of the relevant department.
• Present the audit report to the Internal Audit Manager, highlighting any areas of concern and the resultant action plan.
• Monitor and support offices with the implementation of any recommendations.
• Identify common features across audits and organisation-wide issues, proposing appropriate systems improvements and how the organisation can manage and respond more strategically to risks.

Other activities

• Advise finance staff on internal control procedures and support the organisation with strengthening internal control procedures.
• Ensure that internal control issues are considered during all work and in developing new policies and procedures.
• Contribute to continuous review of the organisation’s systems and recommend necessary changes.
• Perform any other tasks as requested by the Internal Audit Manager.

Education/Qualifications

• A university degree/qualification in accounting, legal, compliance or risk management.
• Membership of one of the accounting, legal or compliance bodies or similar.
• Progressively responsible experience of 3-5 years, including managing risk at a higher level.
• Experience of Risk and/or Compliance work.
• Design of risk-based reviews.
• Experience in risk appraisal and management techniques.
• Experience international organisations with overseas offices.
• Experience in ensuring compliance with donor requirements.
• Experience in ensuring compliance with statutory requirements in other countries.
• Experience in the finance function of a not-for-profit or charitable organisation.
• Experience in writing financial procedures.
• Legal experience – knowledge of international donor organisations’ legal requirements/compliance.
• Excellent command of written and spoken English and knowledge of other languages such as Ukrainian, Rus-sian and Romanian can be considered an advantage.

Skills/Attributes/Knowledge

• Excellent communication and reporting skills (verbal and in writing).
• Planning & analytical skills.
• Negotiating and influencing skills.
• Proactive, cooperative and supportive team player.
• Ability to work to deadlines.
• Experience working across cultures.
• Ability and willingness for overseas travel, including to conflict-affected areas.