Re-advertised Compliance and Risk Management Advisor - Iraq

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is a non-governmental, humanitarian organization with 60 years of experience in helping to create a safer and more dignified life for refugees and internally displaced people. NRC advocates for the rights of displaced populations and offers assistance within the shelter, education, emergency food security, legal assistance, and water,sanitation and hygiene sectors.

The Norwegian Refugee Council has approximately 5000 committed and competent employees involved in projects across four continents. In addition, NRC runs one of the world’s largest standby rosters -NORCAP, with 650 professionals, ready to be deployed on 72 hours notice when a crisis occurs

NRC in Iraq

The unfolding crisis in Iraq is one of the most complex humanitarian emergencies in the world today, with millions of uprooted Iraqis, and hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees. For the past several years, millions of people have been displaced from and within Iraq as a result of military operations. At the end of 2015, the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) began a military operation to enter and retake control of parts of the country under the control of armed opposition groups, especially in the Anbar governorate. Civilians have been caught in the crossfire. 

NRC has been present in Iraq since 2010, with offices located in Baghdad, Erbil, Dohuk, Kirkuk and Mosul.  We have scaled up our response across Iraq to meet the large-scale crisis facing the country, reaching Iraqis with emergency assistance and supporting Syrian refugees as they live in exile.  Our goal is to always be prepared to work in new settings, so we are establishing more local partnerships in Iraq.  Additionally, NRC is part of the UNICEF and WFP-led Rapid response mechanism (RRM), which enables us to reach newly displaced populations with the most urgent life-saving assistance.

Today, NRC is one of the biggest cash providers in Iraq. Our emergency assistance also includes distributing food rations, hygiene kits, water and basic non-food items (NFIs). In the winter months, we also provide blankets and heaters.  We pay particular attention to gender equality and ending gender-based violence (GBV).

More recently NRC in Iraq has been responding to the ongoing Mosul crisis, where it is estimated that 1.2 million people are in grave danger.

Compliance and Risk Management Advisor

 The Compliance Advisor will work across departments and functions to ensure that a controlled environment is in place, that standard operating procedures and NRC policies are followed. Where weaknesses in controls or application of controls are identified, the Compliance Advisor will recommend action to remedy the situation. In addition, the Compliance Advisor will actively work to decrease potential incidents of fraud, corruption, and non-compliance through facilitating regular trainings to all (?) departments.

Role Specific Information

• Regularly assess the effectiveness of the Iraq country & area offices systems in order to identify and mitigate risks; Map and consolidate those risks, gaps and findings
• Be one focal point for internal, external & donor audits: contribute to define action point and coordinate management response based on audit recommendations from external and internal auditor's reports and financial reviews. Follow up on all audit recommendations
• Based on assessment and audit feedback, support various department to provide targeted improvement plan that could include training, capacity building on NRC and donor regulations, introduction of new tools, review of structure, need for resources and provide recommendations, advice and guidance
• In cooperation with each department, be a leader in the harmonization of processes across the country operations
• Develop a risk management framework in the country, maintain a risk register & risk matrix
• Be the focal point for anti-corruption & counter terrorism awareness in the country, organize training, maintain whistleblowing register and update the corruption mapping.
• Contribute to organisational learning and development in compliance and anti-corruption at NRC by sharing learning, experience and best practice with other compliance and anti-corruption practitioners in NRC or externally
• Could be involved or assist in internal investigations when appropriate to do so
• Support development of new SOP, innovative programming in regards to compliance. Advise and propose on alternative procedures in specific situation.
• Support if required NRC through review of implementing partners’ and suppliers’ capacity evaluation, monitor and control in terms of compliance structure.
• Provide advice on solution to secure data protection and archiving of supporting documentation and program filing systems.
• Ensure proper use of checklist for securing supporting documentation before audit and program documentation, including grants files, M&E documents, and others as required
• Advise on a strengthening roles in terms of division of responsibilities, control and support;
• Stay informed NRC and donor procedures and policies in relation to Supply Chain, Finance, HR and Programs as set out in relevant NRC manuals and guidelines;
• Review NRC compliance surveys and complete PoA to ensure improvement on areas of need and maintain positive results

Our Ideal Candidate:

A university graduate in the field of accountancy, advanced degree in finance or relevant discipline, previous experience working in humanitarian/recovery settings and especially in complex and volatile environment.  Minimum 5 years’ combined finance/audit/compliance experience with strong understanding of NRC core competencies and operating context.   Our ideal candidate will have strong planning, organisational and interpersonal skills, along with excellent analytical presentation and reporting skills. He/she will be able to work independently on his/her own initiative and respond to changing priorities  The position will require the successful candidate to develop a strong knowledge of NRC donor rules and regulations, internal procedures as well as establish internal procedures, legal documents, contracts, etc.

Fluency in English, both verbal and written is required, previous work experience in the Middle-East and Iraq will be a distinct advantage.

Additional Information:

Contract period: 6 months 

Salary/benefits: According to NRC’s salary scale and terms and conditions

Duty station: Erbil (with approx.. 40% travels)

Approved health certificate will be requested before contract start

NB: Please enter the geographical location in the "Company name" field for both company and location on your application.

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