Senior Risk Management Specialist (Head, RMU) P4 Temporary Appointment

The Position:

The Senior Risk Management Specialist will report directly to the DRHC and will have an administrative reporting line to the UNFPA Head of Office (Gaziantep, Cross border) and will work in close collaboration with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN Agencies, and NGOs. The Senior Risk Management Specialist is responsible for delivering the Risk Management portfolio for the humanitarian response to northwest Syria and managing the work and staff of the Risk Management Unit (RMU). 

The RMU will advise the humanitarian community on risk, identifying risks, and advising on how to prevent issues and/or manage risk with a particular focus on aid diversion. The Senior Risk Management Specialist will ensure joint risk assessment and analysis are conducted across the humanitarian community on risk, based on the systematic information exchange on risk issues within the humanitarian community. S/he will strengthen the capacity of partners on risk management-related issues, and advocate and report on risk management issues, particularly with respect to aid diversion. The Senior Risk Management Specialist should promote knowledge building and knowledge sharing on the areas of specialty related to her/his function.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

Building on the existing work of the Humanitarian Liaison Group Accountability Framework, the Risk Management Framework and the recommendations resulting from the mission of the OCHA advise on counterterrorism, the NWS Risk Management Unit (RMU) was launched in August 2022 to support the Cross-Border operation and advise the Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis (DRHC) on risk management issues, with a focus on corruption, fraud and aid diversion. The Unit is composed of a Senior Risk Management Specialist (Head of Unit), Project Officer (Risk Management) and Information Management Officer (Risk Management). Core activities and functions include risk analysis and advice, information sharing among humanitarian partners, learning and capacity development, monitoring and development and dissemination of best practices. 

Aside from its general activities, the RMU serves as the Technical Advisor to the NWS Humanitarian Hotline, specifically related to corruption, fraud and aid diversion. In 2023, the inter-agency PSEAH community-based complaint mechanism (CBCM), which established a dedicated hotline in 2019, was formally expanded to include not only SEAH but also AAP and corruption, fraud and aid diversion. 

You would be responsible for:

1. Expertly supporting the humanitarian community and HLG to integrate risk management activities into planning, performance and monitoring: 

• Conduct strategic analysis and advise the DRHC and HLG on risks related to aid diversion and UN Sanctions compliance and offer technical support to the northwest Syria Safe Line.
• Implement and monitor a comprehensive risk management strategy on aid diversion to support and strengthen existing risk management activities and common approaches.
• Promote improved risk information sharing, analysis, and implementation of mitigation measures by advising on and providing regular (quarterly) updates to the northwest Syria common risk register on aid diversion, including: 

o  Monitoring and assessing key risks, control effectiveness, and mitigation strategies,

o   Monitoring, reviewing, and improving and resolving due diligence efforts and gaps in compliance,

o   Analyzing, acting on, and/or escalating emerging themes/gaps, and

o   Advising on actions organizations can take regarding risk management.

• Examine and assess opportunities to apply harmonized risk management approaches across the humanitarian community, and prepare recommendations, briefings, and other materials in this respect. 
• Lead the Risk Management Working Group (UN) and support the DRHC to lead the Senior Risk Management Working Group, using them to help conduct analysis on risk issues, build consensus on risk, strengthen accountability, and ensure advocacy and information sharing.
• Continue to link and manage synergies with relevant coordination forums, such as the Access Working Group and Cash Working Group, to ensure a coherent and coordinated approach to risk management. 
•  Provide authoritative risk-related analysis on specific issues of importance.
  
   

1. Promote in-country risk management capacity development: 

• Develop and ensure opportunities for learning on risk management for the humanitarian community.
• Serve as the technical advisor to the NGO Forum’s Supply Chain Working Group.
• Regularly review and assess the learning needs of partners.
• Ensure the collection and sharing of best practices and lessons learned. 
  
   

1. Ensure and improve communication and outreach:

• Provide advice to and support leadership with necessary information and analysis on risk for engagement with donors and others. 
• Develop and maintain risk management products and communications for public information (for example risk management one-pager with facts) that can be regularly shared with external stakeholders. 
  
   

1. Management:

• Manage and ensure the effective running of the Risk Management Unit on a day-to-day basis, represent and oversee the team’s overall work, and exercise financial, programmatic, and operational management responsibility. 
• Manage the performance of the RMU team, including identification of clear roles & responsibilities for each team member, evaluating performance and resolving issues. 

Carry out any other duties as may be required by the DRHC in consultation with UNFPA leadership. 

Qualifications and Experience

Education: 

• Master’s degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Audit or a related field from an accredited academic institution. 
• Certified Public Accountant, Certified Fraud Examiner, or similar certification is highly desired.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Minimum of seven years progressively responsible experience in the oversight area or related areas such as finance, forensic accounting, investigations, risk analysis, monitoring and evaluation, or management advisory services.
• Experience in auditing, consulting, or reviewing procedures for programme/project implementation, risk management within the UN system or in the private sector is highly desirable.
• Experience in handling web-based management systems and advanced computer literacy.
• Experience working on risk management and/or humanitarian response in the MENA region is an advantage. 
• Ability to evaluate financial data, derive relevant findings, and present them in a meaningful manner. 
• Solid understanding and experience in performing administrative and procedural activities to ensure that quality requirements and goals are fulfilled. 
• Ability to identify and execute opportunities to improve operational efficiency. 
• Proven experience in creating internal reporting and accountability processes and standards. 
• Ability to identify and prioritize risks and organize action around mitigating them. 
• Experience in Knowledge Management and ability to capture, develop, share, and effectively use information and knowledge.
• Understanding of humanitarian structure and inter-agency coordination mechanisms.

Languages:

Fluency in English; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably Arabic is desirable.

Required Competencies

Values: •     Exemplifying integrity, •     Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, •     Embracing cultural diversity, •     Embracing change	Functional Competencies: Data and information analysis, and development of strategies; Manages programme(s) and project(s), including systematíc monitoring and evaluatíon Organizational and analytical skills with the ability to coordinate activities and multitask. Identifying and building partnerships Building strategic alliances
Core Competencies: •     Achieving results, •     Being accountable, •     Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen, •     Thinking analytically and strategically, •     Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships, •     Communicating for impact
Managerial Competencies:  [if position has a supervisory role] Providing strategic focus Engaging staff and partners Leading, developing and empowering people/creating a culture of performance Making decisions and exercise judgment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Compensation and Benefits:

 This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts. 

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.