Risk & Compliance Manager - 2025857

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Risk & Compliance Manager leads World Relief Sudan's countrywide risk management, compliance, internal control, audit assurance, partner due diligence, Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), complaints and feedback, and safeguarding compliance systems.

ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Country Risk Management and Internal Controls

• Maintain the country risk register, including risk assessment, ownership, mitigation actions, deadlines, and escalation.
• Establish risk-based internal control and compliance monitoring across departments, Area Offices, projects, and partners.
• Advise the Country Director and Senior Management Team on significant risks, control weaknesses, risk acceptance, and mitigation priorities.
• Track material risks and control failures until management action is completed and verified.

2. Audit and Compliance Assurance

• Develop and implement an annual risk-based audit and compliance review plan approved by the Country Director and Senior Management Team.
• Coordinate internal, external, donor, and partner audits and direct risk-based spot checks, field verification, and compliance reviews.
• Issue clear findings and recommendations, maintain the findings tracker, and independently verify corrective action before closure.
• Preserve appropriate independence by avoiding operational ownership of activities the department may review.

3. Partner Due Diligence and Monitoring

• Lead due diligence and risk rating for prospective and existing sub-partners, covering governance, integrity, sanctions, conflicts of interest, safeguarding, CFM, financial, operational, and reputational risk.
• Coordinate specialist input from relevant departments and recommend approval conditions, capacity strengthening, monitoring frequency, or escalation.
• Direct risk-based partner monitoring and track corrective actions throughout the partnership lifecycle.

4. Donor and Organizational Compliance

• Maintain a system for material donor, legal, contractual, and organizational compliance requirements.
• Advise teams on donor rules, World Relief policies, partnership obligations, and internal controls.
• Review high-risk project and partner records without assuming the operational responsibilities of the owning department.
• Monitor implementation, amendment, close-out, and record-retention risks and escalate material gaps.

5. AAP and Complaints and Feedback Mechanism

• Serve formally as the World Relief Sudan Country Accountability Focal Point and maintain the required relationship with Home Office Accountability & Safeguarding.
• Oversee WRS commitments to AAP, including participation, accessible information, inclusive feedback, timely response, and organizational learning.
• Work with Programs to integrate AAP across the project cycle and with MEAL to monitor accessibility, effectiveness, trends, and learning.
• Ensure complaints are received, categorized, acknowledged, referred, tracked, documented, and closed through a safe and confidential CFM.
• Convene the Local Complaints Response Team for Category 3 complaints, while Programs remain responsible for operational corrective actions.
• Submit required de-identified reports and ensure feedback informs program adaptation and risk mitigation.

6. Safeguarding, Sensitive Complaints, and Code of Conduct

• Ensure Category 4 concerns, including SEAH, child safeguarding, fraud, corruption, serious misconduct, threats, or Code of Conduct violations, are escalated to Home Office within 24-48 hours.
• Stop local inquiry when Category 4 indicators arise and protect confidentiality, safety, informed consent, need-to-know access, and non-retaliation.
• Do not conduct or direct local investigations of WRS staff misconduct or Category 4 matters unless formally authorized under an approved Home Office process.
• Coordinate prevention, awareness, referral, protective measures, and follow-up with the Country Director, Home Office, HR, Finance, and other authorized functions.
• Ensure Category 2-3 records remain separate from Category 4 referrals and are stored according to data-protection requirements.

7. Leadership, Capacity Building, and Reporting

• Supervise Risk & Compliance Officers and provide countrywide technical leadership for risk, compliance, partner assurance, AAP, CFM, and safeguarding compliance.
• Implement training and coaching on internal controls, donor compliance, partner assurance, CFM, safeguarding, PSEAH, Code of Conduct, anti-fraud, confidentiality, and reporting obligations.
• Maintain separate registers for risks, audits and findings, partner due diligence, complaints, safeguarding compliance, and training.
• Report quarterly to the Country Director and Senior Management Team on performance, trends, overdue actions, and emerging risks.
• Maintain an approved alternate Accountability Focal Point for absence or conflicts of interest.

8. Mission, Vision, Values, and Culture

• Serve as a professional role model for WRS in ethics, impartiality, accountability, and service.
• Promote compassion, integrity, excellence, responsible stewardship, and early reporting of risks and concerns.
• Complete other duties reasonably assigned by the Country Director.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• This position directly supervises Risk & Compliance Officers. The Manager sets workplans and priorities, assigns and reviews work, provides regular coaching and feedback, approves leave and attendance in accordance with WRS procedures, completes performance reviews, addresses performance or conduct concerns with HR support, and promotes staff development, wellbeing, accountability, and succession planning.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Committed to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief
• Education: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Law, Public Administration, Development Studies, Risk Management, or a related field.
• Experience: Minimum 7-10 years of progressive experience in risk management, compliance, audit, internal controls, partner assurance, accountability, or program quality, including significant management responsibility and at least 3-5 years in an INGO context.
• Technical Expertise: Demonstrated ability to maintain risk registers, lead risk-based audits and partner due diligence, assess internal controls, manage corrective actions, and interpret major donor requirements.
• Accountability and Safeguarding: Strong knowledge of AAP, CFM, CHS, safeguarding, PSEAH, Code of Conduct, confidentiality, data protection, complaint escalation, and survivor-centred approaches.
• Leadership: Proven ability to lead assurance functions, preserve independence, manage conflicts of interest, advise senior leaders, and balance oversight with practical support.
• Integrity: Demonstrated reputation for integrity, objectivity, discretion, sound judgment, and professional handling of confidential information.
• Computer Skills: Strong ability to use Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and approved systems for registers, trackers, reports, case referrals, and evidence files.
• Language: Fluency in written and oral English and Arabic required.
• Mobility: Willingness and ability to travel regularly to Area Offices, project sites, partners, and remote or insecure field locations.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Professional certification such as CPA, ACCA, CIA, CFE, CRMA, or equivalent.
• Formal training in CFM, safeguarding, PSEAH, investigations management, CHS, data protection, or partner due diligence.
• Experience with major humanitarian donor frameworks and work in Sudan or a similar context.