Risk & Compliance Specialist, Addis Ababa

Description of assignment title

Risk & Compliance Specialist

Assignment country

Ethiopia

Duty stations

Addis Ababa

Work location

On UN premises

Expected start date

09/14/2026

Duration

6 months
(with possibility of extension)

Sustainable Development Goal

17. Partnerships for the goals

Host entity

UNICEF

Modality

Onsite

Type

National

Volunteer category

Expert UCoS from Apr2026

Work schedule

Full-time

Number of Assignments

1

Mission and objectives

UNICEF Ethiopia is implementing a 5-year country programme 2020-2025 which is fully aligned with the UNSDCF. UNICEF will work collaboratively within the UNSDCF on a joint strategy to strengthen national systems for data collection, analysis, monitoring and applying adjustments to promote equity. Evidence will be used to monitor the situation of children, tracking progress towards equity and scale, and to inform advocacy to adjust policies, strategies and budgets. Monitoring and corrective actions will be undertaken through UNICEF staff, partners and third-party monitoring, and through mechanisms for community feedback and accountability to affected populations.

Context

Ethiopia is situated in the Horn of Africa and is the second most populous country on the continent with a population of approximately 121 million, 46 percent of which are children under the age of 18. The population is projected to reach 145 million by 2030. Ethiopia borders six African countries: Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan, and covers 1,104,300 square kilometers. Approximately 85 percent of the population lives in rural areas. Ethiopia represents a melting pot of ancient cultures, with Middle Eastern and African cultures evident in the religious, ethnic, and language composition of its people. Although the country has made progress toward several Sustainable Development Goals, Ethiopia still faces major development challenges, including widespread poverty. The country faces security issues because of internal conflicts. It is also highly vulnerable to natural disasters and the effects of climate change, including severe drought and flooding, which lead to greater food insecurity, health risks, and poverty. UNICEF Ethiopia’s 2025-2030 Country Programme has an indicative budget of US$806.5 million and encompasses interventions in Health, Nutrition, Education, Child Protection, Climate, Energy and Environment, WASH, Social Policy, and Programme Effectiveness. The UNICEF Country Office is based in Addis Ababa, and there are eight zone offices in Semera, Bahir Dar, Gambella, Awasa, Jijiga, Mekelle, Oromiya, and Afar, and three satellite offices in Shire, Gode, and Nekemte. In this challenging context, the need for robust risk and compliance management support to the UNICEF ECO programme and operations units and the field offices in the areas of emergency response management and coordination has never been more pressing. To address this need, the Risk and Compliance Unit (RCU), under the leadership of the Deputy Representative for Operations, is recruiting a National UN Volunteer Expert to be based in Addis Ababa and will provide essential support to ECO’s Field Operations, Programme, and Operations in risk management and compliance support, fraud risk management support, oversight, and awareness creation/capacity building.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the Risk and Compliance Manager, the National UNV Expert will undertake the following tasks: Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Risk management support:
   • Provide support the office in the annual risk assessment process and support the monitoring, reliability of reports and their compliance with applicable rules and regulations.
   • Provide support in the monitoring of risk mitigation action plans including a mid-term review.
   • Provide support during the office peer reviews process, provide support to office management team in ensuring the risk management approach is embedded in any project/proposal, in office governance committees’ review of submissions and in any major decision made by the management.
2. Compliance support:
   • Provide support in the review of the office systems, procedures and processes for compliance with organizational rules and regulations.
   • Support the office in enforcing and strengthening internal controls to ensure that systems are in place to prevent, detect and report non-compliance. Support the process for the preparation of the annual Statement of Internal Control (SIC) by the office;
   • Review internal work processes in Programme and Operations to ensure that accountabilities are clear and placed at the adequate levels as per global policies and/or best practices;
   • Support the office to ensure smooth preparedness of internal and external audit, conduct a quality assurance and follow-up on the implementation of the recommendations and provides feedback to the management.
   • Support in the review the conformity of statutory and non-statutory committees, assess committee members have been trained/oriented on their roles and responsibility.
3. Fraud risk Management support
   • Support the management of the office in collecting evidence to respond to OIAI’s queries when initially assessing allegations of fraud and misconduct or during actual investigations;
   • Support the office, under the leadership of the Deputy Representative Operations, to ensure the implementation of the global anti-fraud strategy, suggest internal fraud prevention mechanisms and alert the management on any fraudulent issues as well as unethical behaviors detected.
4. Create awareness/capacity building
   • Support the implementation of a continuous learning and development plan for the Risk and Compliance function.
5. Any support needed from the regional office
   • On request, support the Regional Office in conducting reviews exercises in countries where Risk and Compliance positions are not established, or in supporting any other review in the area of expertise (Peer reviews, assessment…);
   • Participate to a network/community of risk and compliance specialists at both regional and global level for experience sharing, updated working documents as well as office rules and policies.

Eligibility criteria

Age

18 - 80

Required experience

7 years

Nationality

Candidate must be a national, legal resident or hold refugee status in the country of assignment.

Assignment requirements

Relevant experience

7 years

Languages

English, Level: Fluent, Required
Amharic, Level: Fluent, Desirable

Required education level

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and Financial Management, Operations Management, Strategic Management, Risk Management, Audit, Accounting, Investigation, Internal Control, Statistics and Data Analysis . Advanced degree (master’s degree or equivalent) will be an advantage for the above field of studies. Additional professional qualifications, such as Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), or other relevant certifications, are considered an asset.

Competencies and values

• Works collaboratively with others.
• Drive to achieve results for impact.
• Builds and maintains partnerships.
• Accountability
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Creativity
• Professionalism

Skills and experience

A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional experience in risk and compliance, internal audit, or another closely related field is required. Experience in financial management, including the development and implementation of financial control systems, enterprise risk management (ERM), audits, and internal control frameworks, is highly desirable. Experience working with international organizations, NGOs, and/or the United Nations system is an asset.

• Proven ability to conduct peer reviews, audits/investigations and develop comprehensive response plans.
• Experience working collaboratively with various stakeholders, including government agencies, I/NGOs.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively in diverse and dynamic environments.
• Emotional Intelligence
• Managing complexity and change

Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or local language (Amharic) is desirable.

Area(s) of expertise

Administration, Information technology and telecommunications, Economics, poverty reduction, livelihoods

Driving license

Other information

Volunteerism is understood as a wide range of activities undertaken of free will, for the general public good, for which monetary reward is not the principal motivating factor.

Living conditions and remarks

Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia and a prominent diplomatic hub in Africa, is experiencing rapid growth, with a current population estimated at 4 million. Situated on a plateau in the geographic center of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa lies at an altitude of approximately 2,600 meters above sea level. The city is surrounded by the Special Zone of Oromia and is home to people from various regions of Ethiopia. Addis Ababa boasts a high human development index and is renowned for its vibrant culture, strong fashion scene, and active civic and political engagement among its younger population. The security situation in Ethiopia is dynamic and could deteriorate without warning. Roads can be closed at any time, and communications may not be reliable. House prices and rental costs have been increasing in Addis Ababa at a rate far greater than the inflation rate of 23.2% in April 2024. The city experiences a relatively stable temperature throughout the year, though there are noticeable variations during the dry and rainy seasons. During the dry period, the difference between day and night temperatures is more pronounced. From November to February, temperatures can occasionally drop close to freezing. On the other hand, the highest temperatures, around 29/30 °C, are typically recorded from February to May, just before the onset of the rainy season. In terms of rainfall, Addis Ababa receives an annual average of 1165 millimeters. The driest months are November and December, with precipitation as low as 7 mm. The wettest period occurs in August, with rainfall reaching up to 290 mm. These climatic conditions contribute to Addis Ababa's unique environmental setting and its role as a dynamic cultural and political center in Africa. You may check the full benefits and allowances applicable to the duty station using the UVP calculator. Please see the Conditions of Service for UN Volunteers for more information and details.”

Inclusivity statement

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

Reasonable accommodation

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for UN Volunteers with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process and afterwards in your assignment.

Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements

In addition to duty station-specific vaccine requirements, appointments are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the appointment. It does not apply to UN Volunteers who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their contracts.

Scam warning

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

These vulnerabilities threaten overall child well-being, since children may be exposed to violence, exploitation and abuse, child marriage, child labor, and very low birth registration rates.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, misuse, and fraud.

• • Support management in providing staff with access to relevant training and that staff and other personnel understand key UNICEF policies including PSEA, Fraud and Ethics.

• Support management in providing staff with access to relevant training and that staff and other personnel understand key UNICEF policies including PSEA, Fraud and Ethics.