Director Compliance and Risk Management

Requisition ID: req38160
Job Title: Director Compliance and Risk Management
Sector: Compliance
Employment Category: Fixed Term
Employment Type: Full-Time
Open to Expatriates: Yes
Location: Amman, Jordan
Job Description
The Syria crisis is often described as the worst humanitarian catastrophe since the end of the Cold War. Today, 13.4 million people in Syria – more than half of the country's population – are in need of humanitarian assistance with needs increasingly being exacerbated by economic decline. Of these, 6.8 million are refugees and asylum-seekers who have fled the country. This is no short-term humanitarian episode. The devastating human consequences to huge numbers of people will endure for decades. The destruction of relationships, communities, livelihoods, homes and infrastructure will take years to repair.
IRC is offering a robust humanitarian response to the Syria crisis a rapidly expanding portfolio, supported by more than 1000+ staff in Syria Country Program. IRC is undertaking programs in Syria and the neighboring countries of Turkiye, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan in the fields of health, child protection, early childhood development, education, women’s protection and empowerment, non-food items and food distribution, cash assistance, water and sanitation, protection and rule of law, and livelihood programming. Our work in these challenging settings gives rise to some of the most pressing issues facing contemporary humanitarian action, including questions of access, security, funding and coordination.
Job Overview/Summary
The Director Compliance and Risk Management oversees ethics and compliance related functions across the country program. The core purpose of the role is to support and promote an ethical, safe and compliant work environment within the Syria Country Program. Specifically, the Director Compliance and Risk Management will ensure proactive prevention and risk mitigation initiatives are implemented, and will raise awareness and promote behaviors consistent with IRC’s Code of Conduct, and ensure at all times that IRC commitments to a safe and inclusive environment for all staff are upheld. S/he will be responsible for providing timely review of alleged wrongdoing and will work to minimize the organizations exposure to potential risk.
The Director Compliance and Risk Management is responsible for providing guidance, facilitating, and supporting the compliance of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) Syria country program and the implementing partners to local laws, IRC policies and procedures and donor guidelines, regulations, and contractual commitments.
Responsibilities

• Prevention: Create a safe and compliant environment
• Focal point for the local integration of IRC Organizational Policies and co-ordinate a training and awareness program for staff on ethics and compliance issues.
• Ensure compliance to applicable Syria, Turkish and Jordan laws as well as donor guidelines and regulations governing grants.
• Participate in project opening, review, and closure meetings for key donor grants. In close collaboration with the Grants team, lead the compliance section of project opening meetings as required.
• Using a range of innovative strategies promote a culture of ethical and compliant behaviors across all field bases, offices, and areas of operation.
• Work with the CD and HR to ensure IRCs policies which promote a safe and inclusive working environment are upheld and practiced.
• Promote a culture of reporting on employee relations, ethics and compliance concerns, providing appropriate feedback to staff, partners, and complainants, working closely to ensure support and follow up is provided.
• Support the Partnership Coordinator to ensure the transparent selection process of the partners, the reviews and evaluation of processes from a compliance perspective. Review the partners’ agreements or contracts, ensuring compliance to IRC policies and procedures.
• Misconduct Allegations and Investigations
• Work with IRC’s global Ethics and Compliance Unit (ECU) and Country leadership, to ensure that staff and partners are aware of the IRC’s reporting mechanisms.
• Provide timely support to the ECU on investigations as appropriate, in accordance with the IRC’s investigations process.
• Contribute to investigations on a case-by-case basis under the guidance of ECU (Sr Director of Investigations). This may include the following:

oBy agreement and in conjunction with ECU, support or undertake investigations of breaches of IRC Way including alleged fraud, waste, financial corruption, and safeguarding misconduct while ensuring objectivity, impartiality, and fairness throughout the investigative processes in accordance with generally recognized international investigative standards, and IRC Investigation Guidelines.
oPrepare investigation reports (in English) and ad hoc briefs pertaining to investigations in coordination with ECU.
oLiaise with ECU to ensure identification of impacted donors on allegations of misconduct.
oUndertake investigation assignments in the local area at the direction, and in coordination, with ECU, keeping country and regional management informed, when appropriate, consistent with any investigation confidentiality constraints

• Oversee and support the timely review and investigation of employee relation matters, providing technical guidance to the ER specialist as needed.
• Oversee the implementation of any corrective actions resulting from investigations within the Syria Country Program, and share updates on progress as needed.
• Internal Controls
• Conduct compliance reviews as appropriate, prepare reports for the SMT, design improvements plans and ensure that recommendations are implemented as agreed.
• Follow up with SMT/Department Heads and budget holders in ensuring preparedness for, and timely response to compliance audit requirements and recommendations.
• Develop and maintain the Syria Country Program Risk Mitigation Plan, and the Enterprise Risk Management plan and actively monitor the status of mitigation measures to be implemented by the Country Program as outlined in the ERM
• Assist SMT to determine effective and efficient solutions to operational issues that ensure compliance to IRC policies and donor regulation, to mitigate the risk of fraud or corruption and to facilitate the achievement of program objectives
• Assist SMT and their respective teams to implement SOPs as necessary, and/or develop enhanced SOPs for high-risk activities
• Others
• Work in collaboration with and support the Monitoring and Evaluation team on client responsiveness, ensuring issues are escalated from the client responsiveness mechanisms to the CD/ECU when appropriate.
• Support the Monitoring and Evaluation team to roll out training to all Client Feedback staff to ensure clear understanding of what to escalate and how to do so.
• Perform other tasks as requested by the CD as required.

Required Experience/qualification/Skills

• At least 7-9 years of progressively responsible professional experience in similar role
• Previous experience working with NGOS in the development/humanitarian sector, with knowledge of donor rules and regulations.

Demonstrated Skills And Competencies

• A commitment to IRC’s mission, vision, values and IRC Way – Professional Code of Conduct.
• Credible written, presentation and verbal communication skills; ability to convey information effectively and solid experience providing training and staff development
• Validated sense of professional discretion, integrity, and ability to handle complex situations diplomatically and to effective resolution.
• Excellent management and interpersonal skills and a solid ability to promote harmonious/cohesive teamwork, in a cross-cultural context.
• Validated ability to plan long-term, organize priorities and work under administrative and programmatic pressures with detail orientation and professional patience.
• Highly collaborative and resourceful; ability to establish positive working relationships with senior level management and all other partners to maximize cooperation and productivity.
• Curiosity, a desire to continually learn and develop and a sense of humor is a must.
• Analytical ability in creating effective solutions to complex matters while adhering to labor laws and internal policies.

Language/Travel

• English is required, while Arabic is desired.
• Travel: 40% to field sites in Syria and Turkiye as well as attending regional and global workshops and meetings.

Key Working Relationships
Position Reports to: Country Director
Position directly supervises: Senior Compliance Manager
Indirect Reporting (If applicable): N/A
Key Internal Contacts: Members of the Country Program Senior Management Team, Head of Teams (especially, the Grants and Program Coordinator, Deputy Country Director-Programs and the Deputy Director – Finance), Budget Holders and the Ethics and Compliance Unit.
Key External Contacts: Compliance Coordinators or similar at partner organizations
Professional Standards: IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and carries out policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Respect at Work Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.
Returning National Candidates: We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a citizen of the Country in which this position is based and are currently located outside of your home country and possess over two years of international work experience, the Middle East Region has introduced an attractive remuneration package. The package includes competitive compensation, return flight to post, shipping allowance, temporary housing and a relocation allowance. Certain restrictions may apply. IRC strives to attract, motivate and retain qualified national staff in our programs.
Accountability to Clients: IRC staff must adhere to the commitment of contributing to the sustainability and development of its (CR) Client Responsiveness Mechanisms, preserving the culture of prioritizing the needs of our clients and affected communities by systematically listening to their perspectives and using their feedback to make programmatic decisions and give them greater influence over program design and delivery.
Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.
Diversity and Inclusion: at IRC MENA, we are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. Organizations that are diverse in age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity, nationality, and perspective are validated to be better organizations. More importantly, creating a safe workspace environment.
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