INTERNAL/EXTERNAL VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Internal Audit Manager

CARE is an international NGO with local staff and community partners in more than 90 countries. We create local solutions to poverty and inequality and we seek dignity for everyone every day and during times of crisis. These solutions have a broad range, from clean water to access to education; from microfinance to ensuring that everyone has nutritious food; from agriculture and climate change to disaster response. CARE puts women and girls at the center of everything we do because they have proven to be the best hope for creating lasting change in the world. Our staff live where they work, which makes us effective at understanding the challenges they face. We’ve been doing this for over 70 years, since World War II. It started with the world’s first CARE Package® of food for the post-war hungry in Europe. Our work today is as important as ever, we believe that poverty and inequality are historic injustices that we can end within a generation, for good. If you share our core beliefs: poverty is an injustice; poverty is solvable; and together, we have the power to end it, join us.

Date of Announcement: July 27, 2022

Vacancy No.: 114/22 

 Salary: $2010

No of positions:1                   

Duty Base: Addis Ababa

Closing Date: Ten days for the date of announcement

 I. Job Summary

The purpose of Internal Audit (IA) Manager position is to provide overall leadership, management and supervision of CARE Ethiopia’s internal audit, risk, and compliance management functions.  S/he is required to ensure timely, appropriate and informed planning, organization, coordination of the audit and/or risk management for the Country Office; direct and control the functions of Internal Audit Unit. She/he is required to consistently ensure that compliance matters are appropriately considered and made part of the audit and assurance undertaking of the Unit.

She/he is responsible for assessing existing risks using up to date risk assessment methodology/tools; assist and advise Leadership Team about current and emerging risk exposures and means of/strategies for prevention and mitigations. She/he is required to lead the review and appraisal of the internal control system within the country office to give reasonable assurance on adherence to acceptable standards, policies, procedures, and legal requirements.

The Internal Audit Manager is a key advisor to the Country Director and the Country Office Senior Leadership Team. S/he is expected to conduct independent and objective analysis, and to provide strategic and technical counsel on audits, risk management and compliance to ensure the effective stewardship of CARE Ethiopia’s resources. S/he also is required to assist all levels of CARE country office-wide by functioning as an independent appraiser of operations, participating in task forces and committees as needed, and by providing analyses, recommendations, and comments to improve operations, policies and procedures, and systems.

The IA Manager is responsible for managing domestic and overseas audits and monitoring auditees’ implementation of recommendaitons/follow up actions as noted in audit reports. She/he lliaise with CO Senior Management team to identify and remediate organizational gaps identified during audits and assessments as well as ensuring internal processes and policies relating to compliance are instituted, understood, and maintained.

As part of Internal Audit’s Senior Management Team, this position performs tasks aimed at continuously improving audit methodology and processes and aligning activities to support the achievement of CARE entity strategy.

S/he will also be responsible in managing and monitoring the department’s operating budget; the leadership and management of the IA Team.

II. Responsibilities and Tasks

1. Risk and Compliance Management (25%)

·       Leads the Country Office Risk Management Plan and Implementation. These include risk Identification, analysis and evaluation, treating/responding, monitoring, coordinating and maintaining up to date risk register (ROAR).

·       Undertake the comprehensive compliance activity of the Country Office. Based on same, conduct focused compliance review on topics of concern.

·       Identify potential areas of compliance vulnerability and risk; develop / implement corrective action plans for resolution of problematic issues; and provide guidance and advice on how to prevent or address similar situations in the future.

·       Ensure the design and implementation of internal control and governance systems/process to achieve the CO internal control objectives.

·       Organize and conduct trainings and/or education programs for internal policies, donor requirements and applicable government laws and regulation changes and topics identified as potential risk areas.

·       Ensure that issues of internal control are considered during all work and in the development of new policies and procedures.

·       Ensure CI Procurement, Property Management, Finance/Grant, administration policies and procedures are understood and complied.

·       Use various means to conduct internal and external research to better understand areas to be audited and to identify risks and opportunities, industry trends, and benchmarks. Ensure the role out of the result of such researches/studies in the overall management of the country office.

2. Internal Audit Engagement (15%)

·       Develop and maintain the Internal Audit Procedures/SoPs to ensure that best practice is taken account of and that the audits address specific areas of risk management.

·       Determine audit program to be used, techniques to be applied, sampling techniques to be used and sample size to be covered. Ensure that such audit methodologies are consistently applied at all internal audit undertakings.

·       Prepare the country office annual internal audit plan (risk-based audit plan) for approval by the Country Director/Executive Team.

·       Lead the implementation of the approved internal audit plan in line with agreed audit procedures, liaising with the relevant region, country office team/office and/or Partner staffs.

·       Monitor and ensure the timely implementation of audit recommendations with the auditee.

·       Analyze and identify common concerns across various audit findings (internal or external), risk assessments/due diligence, financial monitoring, and organization-wide issues; propose appropriate systems improvements accordingly.

·       Report to the Country Director and the Executive Team (Directors) ensuring that the management is aware of the key findings and the actions being taken to resolve any areas of concern.

·       Ensure that the IA unit performs monthly and annual examinations to ensure that financial and administrative system and practices are adhered to the accepted standards.

·       Lead ad hoc investigation audits as required by the Country Director.

·       Organize and conduct trainings on Internal Controls, Compliances, Risk Management, Audit Recommendation Implementation techniques.

·       Prepare internal audit reports and submit to management at regular intervals based on the execution of the annual audit plan.

·       Provide post-internal audit feedback to staff on lessons learned and opportunities for improvement in future audits.

·       Prepares and shares with the Country Director the quarterly reports on the COs significant risks, compliance and management issues and makes recommendations for appropriate action.

3. External Audit Coordination (15%)

·       Coordinate and interacts with external audit firms performing external audits of the CO financial statements/statutory audit.

·       Support the Regional Risk and Compliance, CARE USA Internal Audit and other external audit engagement and monitor Country Office compliance obligations with the CARE USA policies and statutory obligations with government.

·       Ensure that the unit performs audits in a professional manner and in accordance to International Auditing Standards.

·       Coordinate entrance and exit audit meetings.

·       Follow up or/and assist in implementation of the external auditors’ recommendations.

4. Fraud Management (15%)

·       Ensure that CARE International Policy on Fraud and Corruption (Awareness, Prevention, Reporting and Response) is understood and complied throughout the country office.

·       Ensure fraud incidents are timely reported to the senior leadership team, Donors, CMPs, Award Management Solution and Regional Office. Support CO to manage communication with donors and CMPs.

·       Lead the conduct and reporting of Fraud Investigation as per the Fraud Investigation Standard Operating Procedures.

·       Follow up on the investigations, implementation of investigators recommendations and Semi – Annual Review.

·       Ensure that the Senior Management is immediately notified of concerns or reports of violations relating to accounting, internal controls, auditing, regulatory, or financial matters; violations relating to members of senior management; or violations of any of the policies that are designed to ensure that CARE operates in an ethical manner;

·       Evaluate situations that increase probability of fraud occurrence

5. Leadership and Management (15%)

·       Lead the Risk and compliance team ensuring an effective and efficient Risk management and coordination and management of resources.

·       Manage the team towards high standards of performance through clear roles and responsibilities and on-going feedback and appraisals. Pro-actively address performance issues through timely constructive feedback and coaching.

·       Orients, trains, and coaches and mentors internal audit staff in technical implementation and production of quality and timely audit reports.

·       Complete all performance management activities including performance planning, monitoring, and appraisals (90-day, 6-month, and annual).

·       Manage the hiring process for Internal Audit team members. 

·       Recommend or initiate personnel actions such as merit increases and other salary adjustments, promotions, transfers, terminations, and disciplinary actions including performance improvement plans for the IA Unit. 

6. Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and Capacity Building (10%)

·       Keeps abreast of CI policies and procedures, current developments in accounting and auditing professions, and changes in local, state, and federal laws, as applicable.

·       Ensure that the CO IA Team is undertaking CPD programs.

·       Maintain expertise in audit-related subject matters such as internal controls, business process improvement, country office and domestic operations, donors’ regulations, fraud auditing and investigation, and control self-assessment.

·       Maintain expertise in audit-related subject matters such as internal controls, business process improvement, country office and domestic operations, regulations, fraud auditing and investigation, and control self-assessment.

·       Share learnings from audits of various organizational areas (Finance, HR, Procurement, BSM, Program, etc.) across the Country Office.

·       Develop training and education programs for internal policies, donor requirements and applicable government laws and regulations changes and topics identified as potential risk areas.

7. Others (5%)

·       Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.

III. Competencies

·       Excellence: Sets high standards of performance for self and/or others; successfully completes assignments; sets standards of excellence rather than having standards imposed; ensures interactions and transactions are ethical and convey integrity.

·       Integrity: Maintains social, ethical, and organizational norms; firmly adheres to codes of conduct and ethical principles inherent to CARE.

·       Communicating with Impact: Diplomatically, logically and clearly conveying information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the recipient / audience and helps them understand and retain their message.

·       Facilitating Change: Supports and manages the change process at CARE Ethiopia by developing a culture affirmative of change; encouraging others to seek and act upon opportunities for different and innovative approaches to addressing problems and opportunities; critically analyzing evolving and fluid situations; facilitating the implementation and acceptance of change within the workplace; actively engaging with resistance to change.

·       Strengthening Partnership: Identifying and utilizing opportunities within and outside of CARE Ethiopia to develop effective strategic relationships between one’s area and other areas/departments/units or external organizations to achieve CARE’s objectives.

·       Management Excellence: Makes the connection between values and performance. Influences the performance of others, and ultimately, the performance of the organization. Sets direction, coaches & develops, promotes staff wellness & safety, practices & promotes compliance, models gender equity & diversity, communicates effectively.

·       Developing Teams: Using appropriate methods and a flexible interpersonal style to help build a cohesive team; facilitates the completion of team goals.

 Job Requirements

IV. Qualifications (Know-How)
Education/Training

Required

·       Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent) in Accounting/finance, or related area from a recognized institution;

·       A full professional qualification such as ACCA, CPA, CIMA, ICSA etc. or its equivalent is a' MUST.

·       Must be a National Board of Accounting and/or Auditing Member/ACCA/CPA
Desired:

·       A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience

Required

·       Minimum 7 years of experience in auditing, compliance with working knowledge of classical compliance techniques and tools including problem solving, corrective action and auditing.

Desired

·       Experience working at senior level in international NGO is desired;

·       Very good experience in applying audit and compliance principles to NGO settings;
Technical Skills

Required:

·       Extensive knowledge of Risk Management (Audit, Compliance, Finance and Procurement)

·       Proven ability to achieve and maintain a compliant organizational culture by partnering to provide practical standards of compliance that can be implemented and adhered to.

·       Knowledgeable and experience working in financial management system (ERPs); knowledge of PeopleSoft will be an added advantage.

·       Ability to work and communicate with a range of stakeholders (in country and out side country; with multidisciplinary team).

·       Operational experience including planning, development and implementation of operational activities.

·       Demonstrated experience with donor rules and regulations in relation to risk management and mitigation.

·       Proficient in Computer with knowledge in Microsoft Office Suite, Internet usage.

·       Excellent written and oral communication skills, with a fluent writing style and good knowledge and practical use of both English.

 How to Apply

·       If you are interested to be part of our dynamic team, exciting work environment and contribute to CARE Ethiopia’s mission and vision, please send your CV (not more than 3 pages) and cover letter (not more than one page) through CLICK HERE

·       Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

·       Passionate and dedicated candidates who meet the requirement are strongly encouraged to apply, especially women!

·       CARE seeks to improve the lives of the most marginalized, particularly women and girls. Our diversity is our strength. We encourage people from all backgrounds and experiences to apply.