Compliance Officer at VSF Germany

Overall responsibility

• The Compliance Officer verifies that the implementation of projects, its procurement, recruitment, financial practice and reporting is in line with rules and regulations of the specific donor, the country laws of implementation, the organizations own rules and regulations and other determining factors which may be of importance.
• Training of staff on compliance regulations as outlined above is a major factor of the position. VSF G believes on good guidance and knowledge transfer to capacitate its staff in understanding and following set rules and regulations.
• For this reason, the Nairobi based position needs to work in close collaboration with the heads of departments (Programs; Finance; HR & Administration; Logistics; Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning), its implementing partners and the country offices where VSF G is working in.
• The Compliance officer works under leadership of the Internal Auditor
• The Compliance Officer provides guidance and support on statutory compliance in the countries VSF Germany is implementing Projects.
• Together with the Internal Auditor and M&E staff, the Compliance Officer will analyze cost effectiveness and efficiency of our projects

Compliance Officer Job Specific responsibilities

• Working closely with project team members and VSF G field offices to:
• Review donor and partner agreements ensuring the financial terms and conditions are compatible with VSF Germany’s systems and guidelines (procurement rules and financial guidelines like co-financing, exchange rates, interest and budget rules) and are favorable to quality implementation and reporting.
• Ensure all project expenditures and contracts are in compliance with terms and conditions of donor agreements by conducting regular desk and field reviews Identify ways to maximize efficiencies within and across projects.
• Provide training and ongoing support to relevant stakeholders including VSF G project team members, VSF field offices and partners on understanding donor rules and regulations and other best practices related to grant management.
• Participate in developing budget guidelines with a focus on appropriate costing models, alignment with proposed activity and staffing plans as well as maximizing cost effectiveness. Track, document and disseminate donor reporting trends, quality assurance issues and feedback from donors;
• Support the development and implementation of standardized package for quality management of grants including standard KPIs, budget and reporting guidelines, procurement and asset management plans, compliance training, project start-up and closing procedures, etc.

Skills, experience, qualifications for Compliance Job

• University degree in social or development studies or law
• Progressive work experience in grant management , quality assurance and finance/audit is an added advantage
• Good command of English (both oral and written)-knowledge of German, Amharic, Arabic is an added advantage
• Hands on experience reviewing complex contracts and agreements
• Experience of managing grants/contracts from institutional donors such as BMZ, ECHO, DFID, USAID, EC and UN agencies funding with ability to provide clear guidance on donor policies and procedures to other staff;
• Experience of setting up and managing donor compliance monitoring systems, developing and implementing relevant tools
• Coaching & mentoring skills for building project staff capacity on quality grant management
• Understanding of project management cycle
• Good ability in working in a cross-cultural environment Enthusiasm to train staff and interact with them
• Excellent computer skills using Microsoft Office, Internet and databases
• At least five years of working experience in at least two countries in the greater Horn of Africa.