Compliance Specialist (Advisor)

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• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture.
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply;
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination　　
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

Organizational Setting

FAO Afghanistan is investing across all 34 provinces of Afghanistan in resilience reinforcing actions that focus on protecting agriculture livelihoods and local ecosystems, boosting local production of nutritious foods and cash-incomes, and safeguarding critical agriculture sectoral development gains achieved over the past couple of decades through revitalizing rural markets and economy. In particular, FAO provides a combination of humanitarian and basic needs/non-humanitarian assistance to female and male farmers and herders across Afghanistan in the agriculture, livestock, irrigation and natural resources sub-sectors through its projects and programs, as described in the 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) and the United Nations Strategic Framework for Afghanistan (UNSFA) 2023-2027, specifically under UNSFA Priority 2 Economic Opportunities and Resilient Livelihoods.

Reporting Lines

The Compliance Specialist (Advisor) reports to the FAOR/Deputy FAOR. In the execution of his/her duties, s/he will work closely with the relevant business owners (Office of the Inspector General (OIG), Office of Strategy, Programme and Budget (OSP) Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) team, Logistics Services Division (CSL), Human Resources Division (CSH) etc) and will be supported, as required, by the OER Compliance Team at headquarters.

Technical Focus

Strengthen the Complaints and Feedback Mechanism for FAOAF. The Compliance Specialist will work as an Advisor on establishing a fully functional centralized Call Center based in Kabul. The Call Centre will focus on both proactive and reactive measures in terms of addressing and responding to beneficiaries and other stakeholders concerns related to FAO Afghanistan activities in all the provinces.
 

Tasks And Responsibilities

•    Coordinate the preparation of corporate internal tools such as the Risk Log, Internal Control Questionnaire, Fraud Prevention Plan and other relevant data with the corresponding personnel in the country office. Monitor and update this  and other corporate dashboard information periodically, no less than every six months, as appropriate;
•    Advise and recommend to the FAOR, the appropriate strategies to strengthen controls and mitigate potential risks for adequate compliance with FAO operational rules, regulations, codes and internal policies and procedures, and monitoring the effectiveness of controls.
•    Support the establishment of processes and procedures for adequate compliance with resources partner's agreed fiduciary requirements, such as anti-terrorism clauses, due diligence review, and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA).  
•    Coordinate and oversee the Call Centre, which includes PSEA, ensuring that personnel involved are properly trained and follow the appropriate rules and standards 
•    Liaise and coordinate with the different workstreams within the Office and sub-offices (Programme, Operations, Finance, Administration, Procurement, Logistics etc) to identify critical risks; develop and disseminate control checklists and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to strengthen internal control as appropriate and ensure integration of risk management, compliance, and quality assurance actions into operations and programme activities.
•    Support the FAOR with regard to reporting to Office of Inspector General (OIG) in line with FAO policies and procedures, ensure timely follow-up.
•    Support FAOR with regard to reporting to donor on compliance related matters in line with FAO policies and related agreements.
•    Support the implementation and monitoring of audit-related Management Action Plans in line with FAOR requests (and act as the focal point for internal and external audit and investigation missions).
•    Advise and recommend the measures necessary to ensure compliance with FAO’s policy framework and responsibilities on PSEA and Accountability to Affected People (e.g beneficiary selection and registration, activities of implementing partners and service providers, monitoring, verification, and reconciliation of assistance received by beneficiaries, management of FAO monitors, Third-Party monitors, feedback mechanisms, and call centers, etc. depending on office structure).
•    Lead due diligence reviews of Implementing Partners and build up local capacity for this.
•    Contribute to capacity building of the local office (s) to mitigate risk and ensure compliance, in collaboration with the relevant business owners.
•    Participate in UN Country team compliance/risk management technical working groups, as appropriate.
•    Participate in the OER compliance focal point network for exchange of experiences, challenges and good practices on compliance and internal control issues and contribute, as appropriate, to the promotion of online guidance and good practices in this area.
•    Participate in the selection process and supervise the team as may be required.
•    Perform other related duties as required

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    Advanced university degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in business/public administration, economics or any other discipline relevant to the work of the Organization; Consultants with bachelor`s degree need two additional years of relevant professional experience
•    Five years of relevant experience public and/or private sectors related to programming, planning and technical cooperation, including evaluation, audit, compliance and control functions, especially in countries that are vulnerable to disaster or other emergency risks. 
•    Excellent written and spoken English with full proficiency (level C). Knowledge of a second FAO language will be an asset.

Fao Core Competencies

• •    Results Focus
• •    Teamwork
• •    Communication
• •    Building Effective Relationships
• •    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

•    Excellent experience in designing database for Complaints Feedback Mechanism.
•    Excellent communication, writing and presentation skills in English.
•    Excellent knowledge of MS Office and analytical skills, including quantitative analysis, use of BI tools, Excel and MS Access.
•    Ability to work cohesively within a diverse team.
•    Excellent time management and ability to plan and prioritize and ensure timely deliverables.
•    Strong team player and ability to work under minimum supervision.
•    Demonstrated capacity to plan, advise and guide planning processes on monitoring related issues.
•    Demonstrated ability to implement a variety of analytical methodologies and techniques.
•    Demonstrated ability to liaise with multiple agencies and effectively building an understanding and partnership with other UN agencies, I/NGOs, and governmental organizations and other stakeholders.
 

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency

Additional Information

• FAO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing)
• Please note that FAO will only consider academic credentials or degrees obtained from an educational institution recognized in the IAU/UNESCO list
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/ 
• For more information, visit the FAO employment website
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

How To Apply

• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
•  We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp

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