Head of Audit, ESSN Programme At International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies

Job Purpose

ESSN is the largest programme delivered by IFRC and good risk management, audit, and assurance are critical to the effective delivery and oversight of the programme. Working with the Head of Audit for IFRC, the Head of Audit for the ESSN Programme will be responsible for the design, delivery, oversight, and quality assurance of the audit and assurance work for ESSN. This will include the annual internal audit plan, quarterly financial spot checks and household verifications, and ongoing support and consultancy to the IFRC Turkey Delegation on risk management, control, and fraud and corruption.

The Head of Audit for the ESSN Programme will lead and manage the ESSN audit team based in Ankara, comprising three senior field auditors, as well as manage the relationship with the third party service provider delivering the quarterly programme of financial spot checks and household verifications.

The Head of Audit for the ESSN Programme will be a key part of the OIAI and IFRC Turkey management teams and will work closely with the wider OIAI team, Head of IFRC Turkey, ESSN Operations Manager, ESSN workstream leads, Head of Risk and Compliance in TRC, and TRC’s operational teams – acting as a trusted advisor and providing ongoing advice and insight. The role also involves reporting to IFRC’s Audit and Risk Commission quarterly.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership and management

• Role model IFRC’s values and principles in day-today operations. Proactively works to create an ethical and inclusive environment.
• Act as a member of OIAI’s management team.
• Act as a member of IFRC Turkey’s management team and attend the regular management meeting.
• Remain up to date with audit best practice and policy develops and translate these into ESSN audit and assurance work.
• Manage the ESSN team based in the IFRC Turkey Delegation.
• Ensure all professional staff undertake appropriate continued professional development and training.
• Oversee external (contracted) professionals working to deliver the ESSN audit plan and assurance and spot check work.
• Manage and oversee the workload of the ESSN audit team, ensuring risky areas are prioritised and ensuring a fair balance of work.

Technical delivery and audit and assurance products

• With the support of the Head of Audit, be accountable and responsible for the design, delivery, and quality of a fully risk based, world class, internal audit plan for ESSN.
• Be accountable and responsible for the design, delivery, and quality of the quarterly financial spot checks and quarterly households verifications.
• Maintain the ESSN audit universe and assurance map, including the programme wide and specialist fraud and safeguarding risk assessments.
• Ensure previously reported audit risks are followed up and their status reported to the Audit and Risk Commission (ARC) every six months.
• Ensure audit, assurance, and spot check work is delivered with agreed resources and budget.
• Quality assure all audit and assurance outputs for ESSN.

Specialist advice and training and capacity building

• Act as a source of deep technical and specialist advice on all aspects of audit work, including but not limited to risk management, programme management, financial management and risk, IT risk and audit, external and donor audit, value for money, fraud and corruption risk and prevention, and safeguarding risk and prevention.
• Support the Head of IFRC Turkey to maintain the IFRC Turkey and ESSN risk registers, including specific fraud and safeguarding risk assessments.
• Provide technical leadership and in-house training for ESSN audit professionals.
• Provide technical leadership and in-house training for the IFRC Turkey Delegation, including but not limited to regular training on risk management and fraud and corruption and SEA prevention; contributing to any team away days; and supporting the induction of new staff.
• Provide training and capacity building for NS teams as relevant.
• Provide technical inputs for core IFRC Turkey and ESSN documents and planning, including donor proposals and the operational plan.
• Share good practices and lessons learned from ESSN across IFRC, including contributing learning to the Global Cash Unit as relevant.

Communication

• Attend weekly OIAI management meetings and regularly audit and OIAI team meetings.
• Attend the two weekly IFRC Turkey management meetings, and regular IFRC Turkey all staff meetings.
• Attend the two weekly joint IFRC-TRC ESSN management meeting and the quarterly Management Coordination Cell meeting with IFRC and TRC.
• Provide OIAI management with regular updates on briefings on ESSN audit and assurance work and any emerging risks and issues.
• Provide FRC Turkey management with regular updates on briefings on ESSN audit and assurance work and any emerging risks and issues.
• Report to IFRC’s ARC on a quarterly basis, preparing a quarterly update report and summary of the audit and assurance work completed for ESSN.
• Meet with ECHO periodically to provide updates on the audit and assurance work completed by IFRC and any emerging risks and findings.
• Meeting regularly with TRC counterparts to provide an update on the audit and assurance work, seek feedback, and ensure an effective working relationship.
• Coordinate with other humanitarian agencies on audit, risk, and assurance work as relevant and see opportunities for collaboration.

Duties applicable to all staff

1. Actively work towards the achievement of the Federation Secretariat’s goals
2. Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross and Red Crescent principles
3. Perform any other work related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager

Education

Required

• University degree
• Internal audit or accountancy qualification (CMIIA, CIA, QIAL, ACCA, etc.)

Experience

Required

• Demonstrable experience of the successfully managing and leading audit teams
• At least five years recent professional experience in an audit leadership role
• Experience delivering risk based audit methodologies and plans

Preferred

• Experience in working for humanitarian, charitable or not for profit organisation.
• International experience

Knowledge, Skills and Language

Knowledge and Skills

Required

• Robust understanding of risk based audit methodologies and planning
• Working knowledge of audit systems, processes, and techniques
• IT literate with skills in data analysis, using Computer Assisted Audit Techniques (CAAT)
• Understanding of IT and data risks and IT auditing principles and approaches
• Understanding of the principles of good risk management and risk management approaches
• Understanding of the principles and application of good corporate governance and effective internal control
• Knowledge of the principles and processes related to sound financial management.
• Working knowledge of fraud and corruption risks and prevention
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing with different audiences, adapting style to fit situation
• Ability to gather, analyse, and evaluate facts, and prepare and present concise oral and written reports
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships throughout the organization and with key partners

Preferred

• Working knowledge of safeguarding/sexual exploitation and abuse risks and prevention
• Experience of delivering training and capacity building activities, particularly on risk management and fraud and corruption prevention
• Working knowledge of whistleblowing and reporting principles and good practice.

Languages

Required

• Fluently spoken and written English\

Preferred

• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic)