Risk Officer NOC

The Risk Officer supports risk management activities in regional and country offices, providing advice and specialized support in risk assessment, risk management, compliance with policies and procedures, and contributing to operational effectiveness and resource optimization at WFP.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to embedding risk management in planning and decision-making through the regular updating of risk registers, development and monitoring of key risk appetite metrics and risk indicators, including progress towards implementing the risk mitigation actions.
• Participate and/or facilitate during regular and ad hoc risk assessments in regional, country and field offices with relevant managers to identify policy and procedure gaps resulting from emerging operational condition; identify and assess risks; contribute to the development and design of mitigation actions; assess effectiveness of internal controls.
• Contribute to the discussion with functional experts, including in Risk Committees and other committees, on identifying trends and emerging issues; preparation of guidance material and checklists in conformity with WFP policies and rules on periodic risk and/or control assessments; linking risk, oversight and evaluation information.
• Serve as liaison with GHQ oversight including OIG, Ethics, Legal and Evaluations ensuring operational efficiency and compliance.
• Review and analyse risk management activities, exposures and mitigation actions in draft Country Strategic Plan (CSP)/Interim CSP including budget revisions.
• Support timely risk and/or incident escalation, assist and advise CO management to ensure compliance with corporate escalation protocols.
• Handle fraud related complaints received through community feedback mechanisms and assess the materiality of fraud incidents, when delegated.
• Serve as CO management liaison with Officer of Inspector & Investigations for reporting, monitoring and control remediation measures.
• Maintain incident reporting and case tracking by ensuring timely follow-up and documentation, including monitoring trends and escalation timelines.
• Support engagement with donors and consolidate inputs related to donor risk-sharing arrangements, including risk assessments and mitigation strategies.
• Deliver strategic risk-related documentation and analysis to support senior management decision-making, donor engagement, and resource mobilization efforts.
• Conduct the annual Executive Director’s Assurance exercise (e.g., collect and review and clear inputs for the survey).
• Provide expert advice to CO management on complex risk and accountability issues, promote enhancement and/or establish adequate internal control systems with clear accountabilities and maintain an effective internal control environment to support operational efficiency.
• Promote accountability across functional units, manage the review/preparation of comprehensive periodic progress reports summarising the status of compliance of internal controls, key oversight themes, and using risk information (e.g., risk indicators, incidents) to highlight areas out of risk appetite and formulate sound recommendations on required actions in areas of vulnerability.
• Support managers to prepare, plan for and implement Internal Audit and External Audit exercises (e.g., collect and analyse essential documents, coordinate briefing meetings and follow-up on recommendations including maintaining a repository).
• Using the Three Lines Model, contribute to the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) by First Line colleagues for managing the risk and compliance process, including criteria for conducting and following up on risk management oversight missions, training materials and modules, etc., to minimize risk to the organization.
• As part of second-line, strengthen oversight role by conducting and/or coordinating management oversight missions.
• Promote and disseminate the revised anti-fraud and anti-corruption (AFAC) policy and WFP’s adherence to Zero Tolerance for Inaction, including supporting managers in their fact-finding reviews and fraud risk assessments.
• Support collection and analysis of data on fraud incidents, fraud risk metrics, and fraud risk appetite, providing training in AFAC standards.
• Coordinate Business Continuity Management activities by developing and maintaining the BCM Plan and booklets, as well as and responding to the activation of business continuity procedures.
• Assess information/training needs and prepare and deliver training programmes or information sessions for colleagues and partners in RO or CO to enhance understanding of risk management and compliance with WFP policies, rules, regulations and procedures.
• Other duties as required, including potentially serving as Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCI) focal point (e.g., supporting OCI avoidance plans and procedures).

Requirements

• Advanced or first University degree in business/public administration, finance, accounting, international development, audit or another relevant field.
• Minimum five years of relevant postgraduate professional experience in risk management, audit, monitoring and/or related fields, with a background and interest in international humanitarian development.
• 8 to 10 years of experience of total experience in a relevant field.
• Fluency (level C) in English language and Arabic.
• French is desirable.
• Progressively responsible experience in undertaking and/or contributing to risk management activities, including assessing and recommending effective internal controls and mitigation actions, in various organizations preferably those that use modern enterprise risk management frameworks, techniques and systems.
• Demonstrable experience in programme/project management.
• Has managed a team including participation in recruitment, contract management, performance management and capacity building of team members.
• Has conducted monitoring and reporting activities, demonstrating knowledge of results hierarchy, performance metrics and measurement.
• Has conducted risk analysis and contributed to the development of risk mitigation strategies.
• Has facilitated conversations with other units on impact, timing, or planning, using confident analytical, evaluative, and problem-solving skills as well as resourcefulness, initiative, good judgement, tact, diplomacy and strong oral and written English communication skill.
• Experience in writing for governing body and senior management audiences.

Skills

• Risk Management
• Internal Control Assessments
• Risk Mitigation
• Audit
• Monitoring and Reporting
• Enterprise Risk Management
• Programme Management
• Project Management
• Team Management
• Recruitment
• Contract Management
• Performance Management
• Capacity Building
• Risk Analysis
• Results Hierarchy
• Performance Metrics
• Risk Assessment
• Compliance Management
• Resource Optimization
• Report Writing

Languages

English, Arabic, French