Director Internal Oversight Services

The Director of Internal Oversight Services leads the Department of Internal Oversight Services (DIOS) at UNRWA, ensuring effective internal audit, evaluation, and investigation functions. The role involves strategic leadership, risk management, and oversight to safeguard UNRWA's resources and ensure compliance with professional standards and ethics.

Responsibilities

• Sets clear work objectives for the Department of Internal Oversight Services (DIOS) and ensures timely and effective use of performance reviews and feedback mechanisms; ensures regular communications and solves interpersonal or technical conflicts; establishes and supports a learning environment to include staff development fundamentals, managerial competencies and technical expertise; ensures the Department's conformance with appropriate oversight professional standards and codes of ethics; provides leadership and technical guidance to and ensures optimal cohesion of, and synergy creation within, DIOS.
• Develops, organizes and directs implementation of a long-term strategy and a risk-based internal audit and evaluation plan in line with the Agency's strategic objectives and its Strategic Plan.
• Leads, supports and supervises audit investigations and evaluations, ensuring optimal relations within DIOS and between DIOS and the rest of the Agency, including with senior management and the Advisory Committee on Internal Oversight.
• Directs the development of, and follow-up to high-quality reports and recommendations on internal audit and evaluations and any investigation performed; monitors the actions taken by management to implement the recommendations, and reviews and reports on the adequacy and effectiveness of implementation.
• Directs the internal audit activity to add value to UNRWA by providing independent and objective assurance and advice on, and contributing to, the effectiveness and efficiency of governance, risk management and control processes. Acts as the Chief Audit Executive of UNRWA in line with the Global Standards on Internal Audit issued by the Institute of Internal Auditors.
• Oversees the maintenance of UNRWA's capacity to safeguard its financial and other resources; proactively assesses fraud risk and recommends preventive measures in high-risk areas; leads the conduct of investigations into suspected accounting, financial and operational irregularities including, but not limited to: fraud and corruption; sexual exploitation and abuse; harassment including sexual harassment; abuse of authority; breach of neutrality, or failure to observe regulations, rules and other administrative issuances, policies and procedures.
• Directs independent strategic evaluations throughout the organization; aligns the Agency's evaluation programme with the priorities of the Strategic Plan and the Agency's programme of work; issues normative guidelines for the conduct of programme or project evaluations for use by programmes and fields and provides technical guidance to the decentralized evaluations.
• Represents UNRWA at oversight-related meetings within the UN common system, professional organizations, and host and donor country representatives; collaborates with other UN system agencies on oversight-related matters of mutual interest.
• Reports regularly and as required to the Commissioner-General, the Advisory Committee on Internal Oversight (ACIO) and UNRWA's Advisory Commission on the Department's activities, including the orientation and scope of such activities; serves as the Secretariat of the ACIO, ensuring that the ACIO's functions are maximized in the Agency's interests, including through providing strategic input and guidance to its work.
• Coordinates with Field and Headquarters Directors effective responses to complaints by staff, beneficiaries and other parties; implements Agency policies for the protection of whistleblowers.

Requirements

• An advanced university (Master's or Equivalent) from an accredited educational institution in public or business administration, auditing, finance, economics, social sciences, law or other related area is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Professional certification/qualification in at least one of the three oversight functions of audit, evaluation or investigation (e.g. CIA, CPA, CA, CFE, CISA, CGAP, CRMA or similar) from an officially recognized oversight body or professional association is required.
• At least 15 years of progressively responsible relevant combined national and international professional experience in an oversight function is required.
• At least eight years of relevant professional experience at supervisory level is required.
• Unless already serving as an international staff member in the UN Common System, at least two continuous years of relevant international experience should be outside UNRWA, and outside the country(s) of citizenship is required.
• Experience with risk management in large organizations is desirable.
• Knowledge of UN financial rules, regulations and procedures, as well as knowledge of audit, investigation and evaluation guidelines is desirable.
• Indicate your current involvement in any outside activities, as it is required, including but not limited to employment, independent contractor/freelance consultant, board member, expert group, lobby, public speaking/writing, teaching, conferences, training, press statement, voluntary work, political activity, fundraising/donation for non-UNRWA entity, running for public office, role in political party or organizations, owning business, work for government/NGO/private company/charity, UNRWA partner/vendor, full/part-time, paid or not.

Skills

• Internal Audit
• Evaluation
• Investigation
• Risk Management
• UN Financial Rules
• Audit Guidelines
• Investigation Guidelines
• Evaluation Guidelines
• Strategic Leadership
• Oversight Functions
• Supervision Experience
• Professional Certification in Auditing
• Professional Certification in Evaluation
• Professional Certification in Investigation
• Public Administration
• Business Administration
• Finance
• Economics
• Law
• Social Sciences

Languages

English, Arabic, French