Internal Auditor - North and South Sudan

Nairobi, with significant travel to Sudan
Contract duration - 1 year
Reports to - Head of Internal Audit

General Overview/Description of the Role

Stakeholders including; trustees, employees, donors and the public expect those charged with governance of the charity to manage the significant risks the charity is facing and to put adequate controls in place to deal with these. These risks encompass risks related to charitable operations, as well as risks related to compliance with laws and regulations and financial reporting.

Good governance, by its nature, demands effective systems of internal control and a charity's system of internal controls therefore has a key role in the management of risks that are significant to the fulfilment of its charitable objectives. A sound system of internal control contributes to safeguarding all stakeholders and the charities assets.

A charity's objectives, its internal organization and the environment in which it operates are continually evolving and as a result, the risks it faces are continually changing. A sound system of internal control therefore depends on a thorough and regular evaluation of the nature and extent of the risks to which the company is exposed.

Since quality programs from which beneficiaries will benefit are, in part, the reward for successful risk-taking by charities; the purpose of internal control is to help manage and control risk appropriately, rather than to eliminate it.

The purpose of internal audit within GOAL is to work with senior management to continually review and develop sufficient systems of internal control in order to manage the respective risks that the charity faces thereby protecting all stakeholders.

GOAL has been working in Sudan for over 30 years with bases in North and South Sudan focussing on primary health care programmes. Funding for these programmes is derived from a variety of donors including OFDA, ECHO, DfID, Irish Aid and GOAL public funds.

Responsibilities

- Review Internal Audit Plan for 2010 in North and South Sudan with CFO and Head of Internal audit, and decide on prioritisation of field sites based on risk assessment. The Plan will be reviewed and amended if necessary at half-year.
- To establish a risk-register in each location that is regularly updated.
- Management of in-country national Internal Auditor and their plans.
- Work with CFO and head of internal audit to develop a comprehensive standard audit programme for use in auditing field offices in North and South Sudan.
- Review GOAL's field reporting procedures and identify areas for improvement.
- Familiarisation with current structures, systems and procedures of the Finance Department in GOAL Dublin and its interaction with the finance function of field offices.
- Provide advice on improvements to GOAL finance systems and procedures where appropriate.
- Familiarisation with GOAL's relationship with major donors, including main donor guidelines and principles, (in co-ordination with GOAL's donor liaison officer).
- Execution of Audit Plan:
- Undertake internal audits in field offices as described in the plan.
- Provide recommendations to Country Director (CD), Field FC, Head of internal audit where necessary, on improvements to be made in systems and controls.
- Discuss findings of audit with CD and Field FC in advance of finalising Audit Report and incorporate their comments.
- Report to Head of internal Audit on findings in formal Audit Report. Follow up on recommendations made in the Report with CD and Field FC to ensure they have been implemented.
- Conduct any ad-hoc audit or financial investigation assignments at the request of the Audit Committee or Head of internal audit.
- A principal focus of the work will be to assess how efficient budget management and monitoring is within North and South Sudan.
- Another important focus will be to review systems of control around the use of cash in each field office.

Donor Compliance

Knowledge and understanding of the key areas of donor compliance. As a further remit to each field visit ensure appropriate systems are in place in all relevant areas; reporting, documentation, filing protocols, resources allocated to ensuring donor compliance, training of staff.

Subsidiary ongoing responsibilities:

(It is intended that these responsibilities will be minimal but if urgent need arises they may be prioritised)
- Assume the role of acting Field FC (i.e. provide cover) in situations where:
- there may be a time period between contract end and contract start of successive Field FCs, or
- a Field FC may require a prolonged leave of absence.
- Provide inputs / recommendations in ongoing review of GOAL's financial procedures and control structures.
- Assist in training of national staff in GOAL financial policies and procedures as required.
- Assume the role of emergency financial co-ordinator in a field where an emergency may occur.
- Undertake project management tasks if required in emergency circumstances.

This job description serves to give an overview of the role and is subject to change and more detail.

Note that this post may be filled before the advertised closing date.

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