This role supports the Risk, Governance, and Compliance Manager at Save the Children Kenya Country Office by ensuring adherence to internal policies, donor regulations, and local laws. The position is critical for strengthening internal controls, conducting systematic internal audits, participating in investigations, coordinating external audits, and promoting compliance across the organization and its partners. A high level of travel (up to 50%) to field locations is required.
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
Internal Audit function:
- As per the Audit plan, and under guidance of the Risk, Governance and Compliance Manager, conduct systematic internal audits in line with SCI and donor policies and procedures.
- Visit field offices and review internal processes (financial and non-financial) according to Save the Children regulations.
- Document audit findings and report to the line manager.
- Maintain the audit action tracker up-to-date and follow up on outstanding actions with the respective teams. Provide analysis trends of audit actions to the Head of Department.
Internal Control function:
- Be the custodian of the Save the Children whistleblowing and Fraud policy; actively encourage reporting by staff of suspected deviation from the Save the Children values or set standards, fraud, unethical behaviour, negligence or criminal activity within the organisation.
- Participate in evaluating controls over financial management including systems audits.
- Participate in evaluating the risk of compliance with government of Kenya laws and regulations relating to our business.
- Participate in ensuring adequate controls are in place to safeguard assets.
Incident/Case Investigation
- Participate in fraud investigation cases that may arise under the supervision of the Line Manager.
- Ensure timely and effective reporting into SCI's Datix reporting system and adequate support towards closure of cases.
- Support Partnership team in addressing issues of fraud involving implementing partners.
External Audit Support
- Under supervision of the Line Manager, lead on project audits in liaison with Awards, Finance staff and the relevant project managers ensuring donor compliance with responsibilities including:
- Coordinating the entire process of audits and if necessary, accompany the auditors to field offices.
- Identification of documents required by the auditor.
- Sharing with the area offices the audit timelines and requirements.
- Liaise with programs and departments in providing management comments to issues raised by the auditors.
- Clarify and share questioned transactions from auditors for cross department responses.
- Coordinate entry and exit meetings with the auditors.
- Track and communicate audit findings and recommendations to the Line Manager for sharing with SMT on a quarterly basis and follow up with relevant department to ensure corrective actions are taken.
- Review award files, reports and documents prior to any in-country donor audit, making sure that everything is present and that all main compliance points have been tested.
Donor Compliance
- Summarizing regulations and requirements for all Save the Children Kenya program donors and all other major institutional donors and circulating to relevant staff.
- Train and support budget holders, other departments, staff and partners in the relevant donor regulations, promote awareness of the importance of adherence to all guidelines.
- Take part in proposal development and advise on donor compliance.
- Take part in new start-up award meetings to ensure that budget holders understand donor compliance regulations.
- Ensure Save the Children Kenya program is complying with all applicable, reporting requirements and regulations.
Partnership Compliance
- Visit field offices and partners to review source documents and processes according to donor guidelines.
- Document findings and report to budget holders and Line Manager.
Internal Systems Compliance
- Update the operations teams, finance and partners with changes in donor regulations.
- Make sure that document retention is in accordance with donor guidelines and a clear process is in place for regular secure storage.
Risk Management
- Participating in the Risk Management Committee meeting under the guidance of the Risk, Governance and Compliance Manager.
- Track and update the status of implementation for the agreed upon mitigations and actions.
SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (Our Values in Practice)
Accountability:
- Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modeling Save the Children values.
- Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.
Ambition:
- Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same.
- Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others.
- Future oriented, thinks strategically and on a global scale.
Collaboration:
- Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters.
- Values diversity sees it as a source of competitive strength.
- Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.
Creativity:
- Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions.
- Willing to take disciplined risks.
Integrity:
- Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor of Commerce degree in Finance or equivalent.
- Professional qualifications in Accounting (CPA part III or ACCA II).
- Recommended a minimum of 2 years' experience in Auditing, Awards (Grants) management or donor compliance.
- Proven knowledge of compliance regulations for all major donors; USAID, EC, ECHO, DFID, UN bodies.
- Strong working computer skills especially in accounting packages.
- Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching.
- Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
- Strong results orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mind-sets.
- Experience of solving complex issues through analysis, defining a clear way forward and ensuring buy in.
- Ability to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner.
- Ability and willingness to dramatically change work practices and hours, and work with incoming surge teams, in the event of emergencies.
- Fluency in English, both verbal and written, required.
- Have strong report writing skills.
- Willingness to undertake high amount of travel to field locations (up to 50%).
- Commitment to Save the Children values.
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