Risk and Compliance Advisor (Roster)

The Risk and Compliance Group (RCG) integrates key Second Line of Defence functions to strengthen risk management and ensure UNOPS operations align with UN values. RCG supports the organization in applying best practices across risk management, quality assurance, compliance, internal controls, and due diligence. Core responsibilities include enterprise and corporate risk management, such as secretariat support to the Quarterly Management Review (QMR); corporate insurance; development of compliance and accountability frameworks; oversight of internal controls; cyber privacy and security; and due diligence. RCG also manages the Contracts and Property Committee (CPC) and the bid protest process. Through these functions, RCG helps embed risk management into operational processes, supports the automation of controls, proactively addresses key risks, prevents non-compliance, and ensures robust due diligence. Our group plays a vital role in advancing integrity, accountability, and operational excellence across UNOPS.

This position operates within the Risk and Compliance Group (RCG), contributing to enhancing operational integrity, ensuring accountability, and leading components of strategic initiatives across UNOPS global operations. The role requires expertise in internal control, compliance, due diligence, and risk management, with a focus on developing and implementing frameworks, providing advisory services, and building capacity within the organization. The Risk and Compliance Advisor will work on short-term and longer-term assignments on an as-needed basis, potentially involving travel to various global locations, including hardship locations.

This position is located within the Risk and Compliance Group (RCG) at UNOPS headquarters. RCG brings together key Second Line of Defence functions at UNOPS headquarters. The group was established to strengthen UNOPS’s collective commitment to effectively managing corporate risks and aligning operations with UN core values. Our vision is to enable risk-informed decisions through a culture of integrity and accountability, promoting trust with internal and external stakeholders.

The Group comprises specialized teams, including the Risk Management Unit, the Compliance & Internal Control Unit, the Due Diligence Unit, Cybersecurity and Contracts and Property Committee. Together, these teams are responsible for advancing risk management practices, promoting a strong compliance culture, and ensuring robust internal controls and due diligence processes across the organization.

UNOPS is actively enhancing its global frameworks in these areas. Current priorities include the development of the Enterprise Risk Management framework and integration of risk management principles into strategic decision-making and operational planning, automation and maturity of internal controls, strengthening integrity due diligence processes and systems, and implementing preventative measures against bribery, corruption, and fraud.

UNOPS aims to establish a pool of qualified professionals who can be deployed for short-term and longer-term assignments on an as-needed basis. This vacancy primarily seeks to fill home-based opportunities as a retainer, but positions may also require travel to various global locations, including hardship locations, depending on needs.

Professionals in this pool will contribute to enhancing operational integrity, ensuring accountability, and leading components of strategic initiatives across UNOPS global operations. RCG is looking for experts in one or more of the below functional areas:

1. Internal Control & Compliance Advisory:

• Designing, improving, and implementing internal control systems and frameworks, including defining enhancement strategies, annual focus areas and reporting mechanisms (e.g. dashboards and other visualization tools).

• Leading or contributing to reviews on existing capabilities related to policies, processes, systems, and functions, which may involve gap analyses, control design reviews, and validating control effectiveness.

• Addressing audit recommendations specific to UNOPS’ Internal Control Framework (ICF) and implementing appropriate corrective actions.

• Contribute to the development and implementation of risk-based compliance programs and frameworks, reflecting external good practice, particularly within the UN system.

• Advising in the development and maintenance of policies relating to compliance and contributing to their implementation across headquarters and regional units.

• Contributing to the continuous improvement of UNOPS’ legislative and policy framework in light of risk management and internal control requirements.

1. Due Diligence Advisory:

• Recommend revisions of the existing integrity due diligence policies, procedures and tools after assessing their adequacy based on best practices

• Leading components of the integrity due diligence  risk assessments and advice on mitigation of UNOPS’ exposure to integrity risks    .

• Providing advice on the implementation of a UNOPS-wide plan to integrate various elements of risk-based due diligence assessments with the monitoring framework.

• Contributing to the preparation of periodic due diligence updates and reports.

• Provide advice with the development of integrity due diligence training materials with focus on financial crime and AML/CFT.

1. Risk Management Advisory:

• Reviewing existing enterprise risk management policies, processes, performance indicators, and role definitions

• Providing advice on the development, enhancement, and institutionalization of the ERM framework across all risk domains (corporate, portfolio, operations), and including risk appetite, and escalation protocols;

• Contributing to the development of risk management principles, tools and practices in the context of project, program, portfolio management;

• Analyze complex and/or systemic risk exposures across the global UNOPS portfolio or focused regions/themes (e.g., fragile settings, infrastructure, large procurement engagements);)

• Provide high-level advice to senior management on risk-informed decision-making, trade-offs, and prioritization of strategic risks.

• Work with senior management, corporate functions and regional entities in developing and rolling out threshold-based risk escalation protocols and map those to performance metrics. Perform quality assurance of Management Team level risk metrics.

• Contribute to and support internal awareness-raising and capacity building efforts through targeted guidance, training, and facilitation of workshops with internal stakeholders.

• In close collaboration with RCG personnel and in coordination with other relevant UNOPS units (PLG, IPMG, PG, LG, Regions, etc.), lead and/or contribute to corporate initiatives that mitigate corporate risks (WB ESF, TA, etc.).

1. Capacity Building & Knowledge Management:

• Provide risk and compliance as well as due diligence related training, coaching, and facilitation support to UNOPS stakeholders at headquarters and in regional offices.

• Developing the capacity of personnel in risk-based compliance through education and training, especially concerning policy changes and framework implementation.

1. Reporting & Coordination:

• Conducting compliance data analysis and contributing to the production of compliance reports and dashboards.

• Provide expert advice on compliance concerns and incidents.

• Coordinating with Policy Groups and other units to address systemic compliance risks and issues and advising on cross-functional solutions.

Monitoring and Progress Controls Key deliverables and performance indicators will be set for each specific assignment. The role is critical to the effective management of integrity risks, contributing to strengthening compliance, ensuring effective internal controls, and minimizing compliance costs and improving efficiency.

***This is a Roster posting intended to build a pool of qualified candidates for the short-term or ongoing assignments to address future needs under the IICA contract modality***

Required

• A Master's degree preferably in risk management, law, international relations, business administration, finance and accounting, or a related field is required
• A Bachelor's degree combined with two (2) additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of a Master’s degree.

Desired

• Professional qualifications such as Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Compliance & Ethics Professional (CCEP), Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM), or other relevant certifications in due diligence, risk management, compliance, or fraud and corruption, are highly desirable.

Required

•  A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in compliance, risk management, internal controls, and/or due diligence is required, ideally in large international or multinational organizations.

• Substantive experience and recognized expertise in at least four of the following areas is required:

  • • Internal control framework development and implementation

    • Risk-based compliance program design

    • Fraud risk management and mitigation

    • Control testing and assurance activities

    • Investigative or forensic audit work

    • Financial Crime Prevention and/or AML/CFT

    • Ability to process and evaluate vast amounts of structured or unstructured data to assess risks

    • Advanced expertise in the development of reporting dashboards or data visualization tools for internal control or compliance insights

    • Cross-functional collaboration across global teams

    • Policy and SOP development, including gap or impact analysis

    • Coordinating responses to corporate risks

Desired

• Experience in the UN system, Multilateral Development Banks, or developing country contexts is a strong asset.

• Familiarity with multicultural and multilingual environments is desirable.