Due Diligence Specialist

Purpose and Scope of Role

Under the overall guidance of the Due Diligence Advisor, the Due Diligence Specialist will have the following duties:

Policy Development Support

• Support the Due Diligence Advisor in developing and maintaining due diligence policy, including: financial crime (Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Counter-Terrorist Financing (CTF), bribery and corruption) due diligence policy

• Work with colleagues in the due diligence unit to maintain and promote all aspects of due diligence policy and guidance (including reputational, environmental, ethical and financial)

• Working in partnership with Risk and other relevant business units, support the development of a risk taxonomy and possible  risk responses that will be used by business units to assess and manage engagement risks identified via due diligence.

Administer and operationalize the UNOPS Due Diligence Policy

• Conduct due diligence reviews (e.g. financial crime, reputational, sustainability, ethical), research and screenings of prospective and existing funding sources, partners, clients and other relevant entities in accordance with the UNOPS legal framework. Assess risks on the basis of these screening outcomes, and in relation to the wider business context and business risk

• Provide support, advice and escalation for due diligence screening conducted regionally or within business units or other functional partners. 

• Draft and consolidate due diligence and screening reports with a special focus on financial crime risks for UNOPS. 

• Co-administer all aspects of the UNOPS due diligence case management system, including receiving and tracking due diligence requests, assessing the need for referral to internal or external reviewers, filing and maintaining detailed due diligence records in a due diligence register, and establishing and maintaining a retrievable database of reviewed entities.

• Assist in the establishment and management of long-term agreements or other contractual instruments with specialised due diligence providers 

• Provide support and assistance, as required, to the oversight committees which review and oversee due diligence activities (e.g. vendor reviews, engagement assurance )

• Administer corporate intelligence service providers and tools to facilitate AML/CTF due diligence research.

Provide Due Diligence Advisory Services

• Advise internal and external stakeholders on the interpretation and application of the UNOPS due diligence policies (and in particular AML / CTF) and related documentation and procedures, and respond to other queries related to the UNOPS due diligence process.

• ​​Develop training and awareness-raising campaigns to promote knowledge of and compliance with due diligence policies and procedures within UNOPS.

Knowledge Management and Innovation

• Contribute to and maintain knowledge management systems and guidelines to ensure that UNOPS due diligence policies, procedures and resources are widely accessible to all UNOPS stakeholders.

Education: 

• A Master's degree in law, international relations, business administration, finance and accounting or other relevant fields 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.

Experience:

• At least five (5) years of professional experience in risk-based due diligence, or anti-fraud and anti-corruption, or risk management and mitigation, or compliance, or implementation of internal control systems, or other related fields is required.

• Experience in supporting the development of  anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism policies and internal standard operating procedures for International Financial Institutions (IFIs) or in the financial services industry is desirable

• Experience in developing policies and internal standard operating procedures is highly desirable. 

• Experience in investigative and auditing activities is an asset.

• Work experience in the UN system is an asset. 

• Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) designation is desirable.

• Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) or Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) certification is an asset.

Language requirements:

• Fluency in English (writing, reading and speaking) is required;

• Intermediate level of another UN language (preferably Spanish, French, and/or Arabic) is required.