Risk Management Advisor (Head of RMU)
Job Description
Job description
Background
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Organizational Context
Under the overall leadership of the Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia (DSRSG/RC/HC), the Integrated Office (IO) works to enhance quality control, promote transparency, and ensure value for money by providing expert advice, risk management, oversight, and enhanced coordination of UN operations in Somalia. The IO hosts the Pooled Fund Secretariat (Enablers III) which provides support to the Somalia Joint Fund and the wider international community including on:
– The implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, the National Development Plan (NDP-9) and Agenda 2030 commitments
– Coordinating work on the humanitarian-development-peacebuilding nexus and cross-cutting issues that assist those most in need: durable solutions for displacement affected populations, environment and climate, youth, gender, and resilience.
– Providing efficient and proven solutions through system-wide services such as risk management; accountability to affected populations; regional coordination offices; and tailored thematic and policy advice to UN agencies and Government.
– Improving coherence, coordination and complementarity of UN programming, good offices, and advocacy in line with Agenda 2030 and the UN Somalia Cooperation Framework.
The UN Somalia Risk Management Unit (RMU), part of the Enablers III pooled fund project within the IO, is agile, flexible, and responsive to the evolving needs of its diverse clients including UN system organizations, donor partners, government, and NGOs. The RMU has an adaptive management and risk mitigation approach. It continuously assesses and manages risks involved in the implementation of programmes through coordinating forums, offering expertise and advice, and managing tools that contribute to evidence-based decision making. The RMU aims to enable robust risk management systems, enhance accountability, strengthen the use of country systems and support localization of aid delivery in coordination with development and humanitarian stakeholders.
Under the overall supervision of the DSRSG/RC/HC, reporting to the Head of the IO on a day-to-day basis, the Chief of the RMU will support risk informed decision making. The incumbent will supervise international and national professional personnel focusing on different aspects, as outlined above and in the functions stipulated in the following parts of these terms of reference.
Job Purpose
RMU’s overall objective is “Humanitarian, development and peacebuilding interventions in Somalia that are strengthened by risk informed decision making”. Chief of RMU will perform the following functions:
• Risk analysis and management support
• Enhanced risk management capacity of aid stakeholders
• Risk informed delivery of funds through country systems
• Enhanced information sharing between aid stakeholders
• Enhanced collaborative risk management across aid stakeholders
• Leverage synergies of best practices on risk management across UN RMUs
• Provision of advisory services that contribute to integrated efforts to address anti-corruption
• Supervise and manage RMU personnel.
Duties and Responsibilities
1) Programme interventions are strengthened by risk informed decision making
Contributes to decision-making, management, and implementation of programmes funded by UN Agencies, Funds, and Programmes (AFPs).
2) Risk analysis and management support
Undertakes strategic, programmatic, project and partner risk assessments and analysis, including due diligence on behalf of the UN AFPs.
Provides risk management advice and related technical assistance as required.
Provides advice on risk related matters including recommended treatment measures.
Coordinates the development of adaptive risk management strategies, in collaboration with stakeholders.
Supports and monitors the implementation of adaptive risk management strategies, including through the risk management dashboard, including regular review of risks (nature, likelihood, impact on fund).
Drives the implementation and maintenance of RMU-managed analytical systems and prepares timely, accurate and audience-specific reports to the UNCT and other partners.
Promotes the application of advanced risk analytics to measure and monitor risk exposures and programme requirements.
Develops, implements, and maintains policies and guidelines to identify, monitor, mitigate, and report risk related to use of UN managed funds.
Ensures the development of protocols, procedures, and techniques on information and system protection.
Develops lessons learned and best practice knowledge products, based on the implementation of the risk management strategy.
Remains up to date with new and innovative developments in risk management.
3) Enhance risk management capacity of UN system and local partners with robust risk management approaches and skills
Leads team in organizing and conducting risk capacity building to promote a risk culture across the organization.
Coordinates the development and enhancement of class-based and online risk management course in the context of Managing Project Risk and other technical assistance to support capacity building.
Advises and provides hands on capacity building of national and state government officials and civil society on matters related to risk management.
4) Enhance information sharing and collaboration
Promote information sharing across peacebuilding, development and humanitarian (nexus) stakeholders through existing systems and collaborative forums.
Identifies and engages relevant stakeholders to facilitate targeted deep dives, bespoke reviews, and any additional directives from senior leadership.
Establishes and strengthens partnerships with key internal and external stakeholders including UN, donors, government, and civil society.
Promotes risk management discussions across Somalia-led aid architecture groups.
5) Risk informed delivery of funds through country systems
Coordinates and monitors the UN efforts to disburse funds through the Somalia country systems at the federal and member states level.
Advises and coordinates assurance activities and assessments to be undertaken by the UN of the financial management systems and recommends actions to be put in place in accordance with the risk profile.
6) Anti- Corruption and Fraud
Contributes to UN work on anti-corruption and public financial management, public service management and domestic revenue generation, including through IFIs.
7) Leverage best risk management practice across UN RMUs
Represents the UN in country-level and global Risk Management policy discussions and promotes the replication of the risk management practices and tools in other UN operations.
8) Supervise and manage the RMU personnel and consultants
Provides leadership and support to staff in the RMU.
Supervises the performance of reporting personnel, providing clear direction and regular monitoring and feedback on performance.
Ensures the ongoing learning and development of reporting staff and supports career development of the RMU personnel.
9) Perform other duties as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the office.
Skills and qualifications
Core Competencies:
Achieve Results: LEVEL 4: Prioritize team workflow, mobilize resources, drive scalable results/strategic impact
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 4: Easily navigate complexity, encourage/enable radical innovation, has foresight
Learn Continuously: LEVEL 4: Create systems and processes that enable learning and development for all
Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 4: Proactively initiate/lead organizational change, champion new systems/processes
Act with Determination: LEVEL 4: Able to make difficult decisions in challenging situations, inspire confidence
Engage and Partner: LEVEL 4: Construct strategic multi-partner alliances in high stake situations, foster co-creation
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 4: Create ethical culture, identify/address barriers to inclusion
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:
Finance: Anti-fraud and anti-bribery and corruption: • Understand the policy and best practice relating to anti-bribery and corruption controls and ensures these are implemented and widely understood within the organization. • Understand the fraud risks faced by public bodies and can effectively analyse data to support fraud identification and fraud risk management. • Understand the fraud risks faced by public and non-governmental institutions and can conduct fraud risk assessments and response plans.
Business Management: Risk Management: • Ability to identify and organize actions around mitigating and proactively managing risks
Business Development: Knowledge Facilitation: • Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally.
Partnership Management: Emerging Partnerships: • Ability to engage with emerging partners, develop and manage a strategy and develop approaches to developing and managing these new strategic partnerships
Finance: Due Diligence Management: • Ability to conduct a comprehensive appraisal of an organization or opportunity to be undertaken, especially to establish its capacity and evaluate the potential opportunity and its related risks, knowledge of respective methodology and tools.
Finance: Financial Risk Management: • Ensure financial resilience through proactive risk assessment, controls implementation, and mitigating action. • Understand risk and reward about collaborative and commercial projects. • Provide a culture of positive risk management.
Required Skills and Experience Education:
Advanced University degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Risk Management, Counter Fraud / Corruption, Investigation, Security, Finance, Accounting, , or related field is required. Or
A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience:
A minimum of ten years (with Master’s) or twelve years (with Bachelor’s degree) of operational risk analysis and management experience within programmes / projects of which a minimum of three years is international experience is required.
Knowledge of international standards on risk management (ISO31000, The Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO), Enterprise Risk Management) is required.
Proven experience and qualification in the design, implementation and evaluation of capacity building programmes and initiatives is required.
Strong written and verbal communication skills with proven ability in communicating with senior managers is required.
Proven experience in establishing and maintaining partnership across aid stakeholders is required.
Ability to assess and challenge findings is required.
Possess a proven track record in developing risk management framework and coordinating risk measurement models is required.
Practitioner level experience in developing risk framework and undertaking risk assessments is required.
Experience in financial and fiduciary risk management, anti-money laundering or similar areas is desirable.
Experience with the United Nations or other international organizations in crisis settings is desirable.
Result-oriented, attention to detail, and work on own initiative with high-quality output is required.
Ability to communicate in written, oral and spoken forms in English is a requirement.
Language
Fluency in English is required.
Working Knowledge of another UN language will be an asset.
Please note that continuance of appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.
How to apply
Disclaimer
Important information for US Permanent Residents (‘Green Card’ holders)
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
Applicant information about UNDP rosters
Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
Non-discrimination
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
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