Compliance Officer

Who we are

Urgent Action Fund-Africa (UAF-Africa) is a consciously feminist and women’s human rights pan- African Fund, registered in Kenya and Zimbabwe. Operating as a virtual organisation, the Fund boasts of strategic presence in Africa’s three sub-regions- East Africa: Nairobi- Kenya, Kampala-Uganda; Southern Africa: Harare- Zimbabwe, Lilongwe- Malawi, Antananarivo- Madagascar, Johannesburg, Pretoria & Cape Town- South Africa, Gaborone- Botswana; and Central Africa: Yaoundé & Douala - Cameroon. Recognising the need to move resources rapidly on a continent where opportunities and threats arise and decline quickly, UAF-Africa uses a Rapid Response Grant making mechanism to support unanticipated, time sensitive, innovative, and unique initiatives that promote women’s agency in democratic governance, economic, environmental and climate justice, natural resources governance and conflict transformation while protecting their personhood, integrity, and rights.

Position Overview

The position is responsible for performing compliance checks on the overall financial, programmes and grants systems and processes for the organisation by ensuring consistency with UAF-Africa’s standard operating procedures, policies and with donor rules and regulations. Key responsibilities include monitoring grant compliance, preventing fraud, managing sub-grants and ensuring operational accountability and transparency.

Specific Responsibilities

• Conduct financial, regulatory, operational audit, reviews and compliance testing of UAF-Africa’s policies and procedures to establish the reliability and integrity of financial and operating information.
• Analyse risks for each process and make recommendations on the systems, processes, operations, and procedures reviewed.
• Review and update the risk register and track the closure of action plans with support from Portfolio Heads.
• Assist in the development and implementation of different organisational policies and procedures, including grant-making, finance, procurement, ICT policies, procedures, and systems.
• Facilitate all donor systems reviews and due diligence exercises as required.
• Perform risk assessment with regard to partners’ financial compliance and report timely
• on the outcomes.
• Perform regular partner support visits and maintain an issues log to make follow-ups on
• issues identified during the visit and share the agreed action points with all concerned.
• Monitor the organisation’s compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and regulatory directives.
• Ensure compliance with donor requirements through timely, accurate financial reporting and the management of donor-specific audits.
• Draft, review, and monitor sub-grant agreements to ensure clear deliverables and compliance obligations.
• Review of various organisation contracts with donors, suppliers and partners to ensure compliance.
• Investigate occurrences of fraud, embezzlement, corruption, and indiscipline, and bring them to the attention of the Executive Director and the Board.
• Organize trainings and workshops for the Programme team on applicable donor rules and
• regulations and any new government policies and directives.
• Work with the management team to incorporate capacity building for staff in compliance processes, code of conduct and anti-fraud awareness as required.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree qualification in a related field.
• Management or Finance Degree with professional qualifications (ACCA/CPA/CFA), including membership to the relevant professional body.

Skills and Experience

• Minimum of 8 years’ relevant work experience in compliance, risk management, or auditing working in or with organisations in Africa, preferably women’s rights or social justice-oriented organisations.
• Proven track record of developing and implementing organisational policies, procedures, and internal controls.
• Strong analytical skills, knowledge of regulatory frameworks (AML/CFT), and ability to draft compliance policies.
• Experience in budgeting, financial analysis, and reporting, preferably in an NPO context.
• Excellent written and verbal communications in English.
• Strong problem-solving, critical thinking, presentation, planning and organisational skills.
• Ability to perform detailed work, frequently of a confidential nature and/or to handle a large volume of work systematically, optimally and accurately.
• Passionate about UAF-Africa’s mission, committed to teamwork, and achieving results, including a commitment to trust-based transformative grantmaking, community-led development, and grassroots movement building.
• Experience working in a virtual setup with seamless task coordination, managing multiple deadlines.
• Proven experience working effectively in a cross-cultural team.
• Flexible and willing to perform other tasks as assigned, in a fast-paced, team-oriented work environment.

UAF-Africa is a part of a global UAF-Sisterhood network, and staff are expected to occasionally work collaboratively with UAF-Sister Funds

Work Environment

This is a regional position that involves some national, regional and international travel. UAF-Africa is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in its hiring practices. To build the strongest possible workforce, UAF-Africa actively seeks a diverse applicant pool. The Fund is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. The position will be based in Nairobi, Kenya.

How to apply

How to Apply

Candidates interested in applying for this role need to register on the UAF-Africa website & apply for this role using the link below:

http://uafahrrec.peopleshr.com/

No phone calls, please.

We thank all applicants, but only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. To learn more about UAF-Africa and our programs, please visit our website at http://www.uaf-africa.org/.