Senior Risk Management and Compliance Adviser (3 positions), P5, Baghdad/Panama City/Sana’a

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The incumbent will be part of a the UNHCR Risk Management Network and will collaborate with the Chief Risk Officer to ensure strengthening of risk culture across the organisation. Special attention is paid to coherence, identification of systemic risks/issues requiring a corporate-wide response and sharing of good risk management practices and lessons learnt.
The incumbent shall engage with internal stakeholders, including with the regional bureaus and headquarter entities, as appropriate, to align reforms and initiatives and to share risk information. Keeping the Representative/Director informed, the incumbent shall also engage with external stakeholders including government offices, partners, donors, and (for in-situ posts) contractors and refugee/host communities, to maximize collective efforts to manage risk, and strengthen compliance and the quality of services provided to persons of concern.
For in-situ and roving positions (while on mission), the incumbent will be in the first line of defence, supporting the Representative as the risk owner. S/he shall review the adequacy of risk management and compliance systems, structures, procedures and capacities within the operation, make recommendations as appropriate, and assist management in their implementation.
For regional positions, the incumbent will coordinate operations within their region in matters related to risk, compliance and oversight, as part of the second line of defence. S/he will assess the adequacy of risk management within the operations and provide advice, guidance and challenge to first line owners of risk who make and execute risk decisions. At the regional bureau level, the incumbent will work closely with, and provide guidance to the Head of the Strategic Planning and Management Service, the Senior Strategic Planning and Management Coordinator(s), and/or the Regional Controller and other senior colleagues on emerging risks and related issues.
The incumbent may manage relevant functions relating to risk management. S/he reports directly to the Representative/Bureau Director, with a functional reporting line to the Chief Risk Officer, except for roving officers who will report directly to the Chief Risk Officer.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR¿s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties

All Senior Risk Management and Compliance Adviser positions

• Advise and support the Representative/Bureau Director on risk management, integrity, compliance, and oversight matters, assisting him/her in discharging his/her responsibilities and accountabilities to manage risks and ensuring an effective implementation of UNHCR¿s risk management strategy and policy and strengthening the risk culture in the operation(s) / bureau.
• Ensure risk management considerations are integrated into decision making, planning, resource allocation, monitoring, evaluation, reporting and contingency activities across the operation(s) /bureau.
• Assist the Representative / Bureau Director in maintaining and improving integrity and ethical conduct among UNHCR workforce and partners; improve detection of potential integrity related breaches.
• Contribute to decision making processes in the operation(s) / bureau by providing risk perspectives and objective risk-based analysis and information, especially on high risk and key priority areas.
• Promote collaboration between different functions within the operation(s) / bureau to ensure cross-cutting risks and issues are addressed effectively; elp review adequacy of the systems, structures, procedures and capacities in high risk areas.
• Support the work with internal and external oversight entities, report on specific trends and cross-cutting matters; assist in the implementation of oversight recommendations to improve risk management, compliance and quality of outputs, and to ensure effective internal control framework in support of operational efficiency.
• Support management in ensuring compliance and oversight with policies and procedures.
• Represent UNHCR in relevant internal and external task forces / meetings on risk management, integrity and oversight matters; prepare / review and input to management reports to stakeholders; interact with counterparts in the UN/IO, NGO and the broader humanitarian community, as well as with government counterparts, on risk management matters.
• Contribute to the development of the operations¿ / bureau¿s communication strategy by highlighting risks and opportunities; and identifying possible impacts of the overall communication and external relations strategy and its execution, with special attention to potential reputational risks; ensure regular and timely information flow within the operation on matters related to risk management, oversight and compliance.
• With assistance from and in coordination with the ERM Service, Global Learning and Development Centre, and other headquarter services, as required, build the capacity of UNHCR teams and partners by raising awareness of and skills in risk management, with the aim of strengthening the culture of integrity and accountability; provide advice and support to all personnel on matters related to risk management.
• Promote and disseminate policies, guidance, good practices and lessons learnt related to risk management in the operation(s) / bureau and within the risk network; provide support and input for global risk management guidance, tools, methodologies and initiatives.
• Provide regular updates / reports to the Representative(s), Bureau Director and Chief Risk Officer on matters related to risk, compliance and quality, including on emerging risks and opportunities; escalate risks, as required.

In-situ and roving posts only

• Coordinate and facilitate periodic and ad-hoc risk reviews with functional experts and management to identify the key risks and opportunities to the operation, and to design appropriate risk responses; facilitate, monitor and report on the implementation of agreed responses; ensure the risk register is regularly updated.
• Analyse risk management, compliance, and oversight findings and recommendations; in coordination with the regional bureau and ERM Service, identify lessons learnt and root cause(s) of recurring systemic issues in the operation; prepare summary reports, with recommendations, on significant matters requiring management action or intervention, or changes to global level policies/procedures.
• In consultation with the Chief Risk Officer, and keeping the regional bureau Snr Risks Management and Compliance Adviser informed, assess the methodology, tools and practices related to the implementation of risk management activities in the operation to strengthen integrity, identify root causes of risks, and propose mitigating measures with a focus on prevention.

Bureau posts only

• Ensure that the bureau and country operations throughout the region effectively implement the ERM policy and related processes and provide feedback to all operations on their risk assessment process; monitor that appropriate action is taken to manage the identified risks and opportunities.
• Coordinate and facilitate the bureau risk review and ensure it reflects the key risks of the operations under Area of Responsibility (AOR); ensure the risk register is regularly updated.
• Identify and/or support the development of cross-functional risk-based regional monitoring and support plans of operations/functions under AoR.
• Analyse risk management, compliance, and oversight findings and recommendations; in coordination with ERM Service and Snr Risks Management and Compliance Adviser(s) and/or risk focal points in the region, identify lessons learnt and root cause(s) of recurring systemic issues; prepare summary reports, with recommendations, on significant matters requiring management action or intervention, or changes to global level policies/procedures.
• Monitor and provide quality assurance over the implementation of risk management and compliance actions in the operations, and help strengthen the first line controls.
• Ensure that operations in the AoR receive technical support and guidance in risk management as required; identify, monitor, and address and/or elevate emerging issues and risks to the Bureau Director and Chief Risk Officer.
• Produce a regional risk report on a regular basis, summarizing key oversight themes and using risk information (e.g. metrics, risk indicators, incidents) to highlight the highest risks at the regional level, identify lessons learnt and root causes; recommend improvements and enhancements on significant matters requiring management action or intervention, or changes to global level policies / procedures.
• Conduct risk-based monitoring and support missions to countries under their AoR to assess the adequacy of risk management and compliance systems, structures, procedures and capacities and to support them in the implementation of the ERM policy. Report back to the Chief Risk Officer on findings and recommendations.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P5 – 12 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 11 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 10 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Business Administration; International Affairs; Political Science; Risk Management;
or other relevant field.
(Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Certificates and/or Licenses
Prince2-Project Management
HCR Risk Mgmt Basics & ERM Prg
Risk Management
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential
At least 6 years of experience in a senior managerial/leadership positions involving, amongst other things, responsibilities relating to risk management, compliance and quality of results. Knowledge of and working experience with Enterprise Risk Management frameworks. Experience in liaising with governmental and / or diplomatic authorities as well as international institutions and partner organizations. Excellent judgement with proven ability to deal with complex interrelated issues and strong analytical and problem solving skills to develop solutions that address root causes. Excellent communicator with strong interpersonal and writing skills. Strong management skills in collaboration, team building, capacity development and with ability to deliver quality results on time. Exposure to and experience in UN or humanitarian field operations and emergencies in various geographical locations and multiple functional areas. Demonstrated high level of integrity, objectivity, impartiality and fairness.

Desirable
Good working knowledge of UNHCR¿s mandate, field operations, organizational structure, and policies & procedures. Certification in risk management.