Compliance Coordinator

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 Turkey, 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 Compliance Coordinator will support the Country Director and senior staff to oversee ethics and compliance related functions across the country program. The core purpose of the role is to support and promote an ethical and compliant work environment within the Syria Country Program, through proactive prevention initiatives to raise awareness and promote behaviors consistent with IRC’s Code of Conduct; and to provide timely review of alleged wrongdoing inconsistent with IRC values and policies under the supervision of the ECU Investigation team.

The role will have a range of responsibilities, all aimed to promote a culture of integrity, ethics and compliance in the behavior of staff, incentive workers and volunteers and to coordinate consistent and effective follow up as needed when there are allegations of misconduct. The Compliance Coordinator 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

1. Prevention: Create a safe and compliant environment

• In coordination with and under the guidance and direction of the Country Director and the Global Ethics and Compliance Unit (ECU), act as 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 and subsequently as required.

• Conduct compliance reviews as appropriate, prepare reports for the SMT and ensure that recommendations are implemented.

• Follow up with Department Heads and budget holders in ensuring timely response to compliance audit requirements and recommendation.

• Partnership management – oversee 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.

• Provide on needs basis, capacity building and trainings to partners or sub recipients on contract compliance issues, and risk identification & management.

• Actively monitor the status of mitigation measures to be implemented by the Country Program related to its Enterprise Risk Management

• Using a range of innovative strategies promote a culture of ethical and compliant behaviors across all field bases, offices, and areas of operation.

• Promote a culture of reporting on ethics and compliance concerns, providing appropriate feedback to staff, partners, and complainants, working closely to ensure support and follow up is provided.

2. 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:

•By 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.

• Prepare investigation reports (in English) and ad hoc briefs pertaining to investigations in coordination with ECU.

• Liaise with ECU to ensure identification of impacted donors on allegations of misconduct.

• Undertake 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

3. Other

• Work in collaboration with and support the Monitoring and Evaluation/ Client Feedback team on client responsiveness, ensuring any issues are escalated from the client responsiveness mechanisms to the CD/ECU when appropriate.

• Support the Monitoring and Evaluation / Client Feedback senior staff to roll out training to all Client Feedback staff to ensure clear understanding of what to escalate and how to do so.

• Collaborate with the Human Resources Director to conduct refresher workshops on compliance orientation and ECU roles and responsibilities.

• Perform other tasks as requested by the CD as required.

Job Requirements

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: 30% to field sites in Syria and Turkey as well as attending regional and global workshops and meetings.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Country Director

Position directly supervises: N/A

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 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 where everyone, from any background, can do their best is the right thing to do. So, bring your whole self to work.

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Qualifications