Risk Management Analyst

UNDP has been working across Afghanistan for more than 50 years on challenges related to climate change and resilience, gender, governance, health, livelihoods and rule of law.

Guided by the government and its Development Councils, our work is fully aligned with the Afghanistan National Peace and Development Framework and National Priority Programmes, and is carried out in close coordination with partner UN agencies under the One UN Framework.

As the UN’s development network, we connect the Afghan government and people with the resources and information they need to drive their own development according to their own priorities, as well as to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet. UNDP has been working in Afghanistan for more than 50 years on climate change and resilience, gender, governance, health, livelihoods, and rule of law. Under the broader framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in close coordination with other UN agencies, UNDP is supporting the Afghan people’s aspiration for peace, prosperity, and sustainability.
Afghanistan remains one of the poorest countries in the world3 with per capita income estimated at $360 in 2022, reversing all progress made since 2007. 85% of the population (29 million people) need humanitarian assistance in 2023. As of December 2022, approximately 6.5 million people remain in internal displacement . Almost half of the population - 18.9 million people - face emergency levels of food insecurity. 6 Even prior to August 2021, social protection support only reached 12.5 per cent of the population.
UNDP is currently implementing the Transitional Country Programme Strategy (TCPS) 2024-2025. The Strategy will apply six implementation principles that focus on: (a) applying the triple nexus approach bringing together the humanitarian, development and peace mandates (b) promoting a whole-of-society approach; (c) maximizing a risk managed approach and synergies between programme and operations to facilitate delivery of support; (d) prioritizing the leave no one behind agenda; (e) investing in enhancing gender equality and (f) adhering to the fundamental postulate of ‘do no harm’.
In Afghanistan, UNDP works with international partners, the UN Country Team and national implementing partners to launch and deliver a comprehensive, risk-informed crisis response programme composed of interventions, inter alia, in the areas of socioeconomic resilience and recovery as well as maintenance of key health services.
An adaptive management and risk mitigation system have been put in place to assist the gradual roll-out and implementation of TCPS activities through continuous risk monitoring, learning, and adaptation loop. At the center of this system is envisaged an Integrated Risk Management Unit (IRMU) that continuously assesses and manages risks involved in the implementation of the ABP. This action-oriented capacity is meant not only to ensure a consistent “DO NO HARM” approach to UNDP’s intervention but also to support the agile adaptation of programmes in a continuously changing context.
To respond to the need for risk analysis, the IRMU is looking for a highly motivated Risk Analyst who can positively contribute to the work of the team and support implementation of the TCPS and CO operations in Afghanistan.
The Risk Analyst will work under the direct supervision of the Head of the IRMU and will work closely with different sections of the Programme and Operations in the Country Office. S/He is responsible for supporting the Head of the RMU in implementing the risk management regime and strategies in place through the provision of risk analysis and support.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the UNDP Head of the IRMU or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UNV Risk Specialist will:
1.) Risk assessment and analysis:
• Support the IRMU, programme and operations teams in the identification, assessment and mitigation of risk. This includes the ability to analyses and interpret complex information, accurately identify issues and trends, make appropriate judgments, and provide relevant recommendations for minimizing the risk.
• Undertake preliminary risk assessment and screening of UNDP prospective partners and contractors through a desk review of the available documentation including profile and other information provided and supplemented, as well as conducts his/her research on due diligence to make specific recommendations to the requesting unit.
• Ensure compliance with sanctions regimes and and UNDP policy on Anti Money Laundering/Combating Terrorist Financing.
2.) Partnership Building:
• Facilitate risk management dialogue and discussions with compliance, programme and operations colleagues in UNDP and other UN system organizations.
• Assist in building and maintaining a partnership with key internal and external stakeholders including the UN, donors and other funds and programmes, and implementing/responsible parties, including regulatory bodies.
• Promote collective risk management and risk-sharing approaches and practices.
3.) Information Management:
• Create, collect and analyse information across different sources to support risk specialists undertaking risk assessment and analysis.
• Conduct partner verification in compliance with the IRMU SOPs and risk framework, UNDP Enterprise Risk Management and Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism Policies.
• Upload information in the IRMU database - Contractor Information Management System (CIMS) and any other web-based system managed by the Unit.
• Handle and manage information in compliance with the organization’s policies in place and personal data protection practices.
4.) Knowledge management and learning:
• Support the IRMU team in developing and delivering risk management training to UNDP, project personnel and implementing/responsible parties.
• Draw lessons and best practices which contribute to the continuous improvement of UNDP CO risk management support.
• Contribute to developing SOPs and protocols of the Unit.
• Continuously work on self-development and remain up to date with the UNDP policies on risk management and Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT).
Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and taking an active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
• Provide annual and end-of-assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.