ROLE PURPOSE: 

The Safeguarding, Risk and Compliance Coordinator will be responsible for strengthening risk management capacity within SCI Ukraine South Area Office (SAO) and with our partner organizations, undertaking risk assessments and risk management planning, strengthening critical internal controls in the South Area Office, providing informed and high-quality risk and compliance advisory to stakeholders, and coordinating fraud and data protection investigations. The Safeguarding, Risk and Compliance Coordinator will also support the South Area Office team with safeguarding expertise and guidance, proactively work to reduce safeguarding risk, and respond robustly, effectively and in a child-centered way to any suspected violations. He/she will ensure that safeguarding is embedded in every stage of the Area programs.

The candidate is expected to travel regularly to our partner organizations to monitor risk management practices, undertake spot checks, strengthen risk management capacity, assess risks and support in identification of appropriate mitigation measures, provide sound risk management advice, and follow up on any agreed action plans.

The candidate is expected to be conversant with the Ukrainian laws and regulations; SCI policies, standards & guidelines; donor regulations & requirements; and humanitarian standards.

This is a demanding role and operates in a complex and fast-moving context. The candidate is expected to work cross-functionally and with our partner organizations in the South Area Office.

In the event of an escalation in the ongoing humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal job description and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Strengthen Safeguarding, Risk & Compliance Capacity

Plan and coordinate activities that raise awareness and strengthen safeguarding and risk management capacity of SCI Ukraine staff and partner organizations in SAO, especially on key areas of risk. 

Key responsibilities include:

Strong familiarity about the SCI Safeguarding Framework, SCI Risk Framework, policies, tools and techniques. Orient new staff and partners to safeguarding, risk and compliance policies, standards, tools and processes. This includes any relevant risks and controls in place to mitigate them. Work closely with the Learning & Development Unit to monitor the level of compliance in the completion of mandatory compliance trainings. Coordinate fraud prevention training for SCI staff and partners. Collaborating with the Learning and Development Unit, assess the safeguarding, risk and compliance capacity gaps in SCI staff at the SAO. Develop and implement an annual capacity strengthening plan to address the gaps. Collaborating with the SAO Awards & Partnerships Unit, assess the safeguarding, risk and compliance capacity gaps among our partner organizations. Develop a custom approach for addressing capacity gaps with partner organizations. Prepare and facilitate safeguarding and risk management sessions during kick-off meetings. With support from Safeguarding Manager and Risk & Compliance Manager, raise general awareness about laws & regulations, policies, frameworks, tools, trends and issues about safeguarding, risk and compliance through various channels, including but not limited to SAO meetings, email, Microsoft Teams and other appropriate channels. Keep track of any capacity strengthening activities and its impact on minimizing risks and compliance violations in SAO, including with our partner organizations. Provide expertise for the partners to align with the minimum safeguarding standards with Save the Children. 

Risk Assessments & Risk Management Planning

Conduct risk assessments and develop risk management plans in coordination with Area Director, Safeguarding Manager, Risk & Compliance Manager, CO and AO Risk Committees, and other stakeholders. 

Key responsibilities include:

Provide expertise to humanitarian colleagues and local staff to identify, analyze and act to mitigate key safeguarding risks to children and adults in our programmes and programme areas, identifying groups who may be at higher risk ( adolescent girls, disabled children, children without appropriate care). Support the SAO Awards & Partnerships Unit in conducting the partner assessment (using the Partner Assessment Tool) and identify any safeguarding and risk management capacity gaps. Responsible to address safeguarding and risk management gaps identified by delivering safeguarding, fraud or other relevant training to staff members and partners as required.  Support the SAO Awards & Partnerships Unit in conducting the Proposal and Award Risk Tool and ensuring that risks identified for any new award opportunities are aligned with the CO and SAO Risk Registers. Collaborate with Area Director, Safeguarding Manager, Risk & Compliance Manager, Technical Advisors, MEAL and other relevant stakeholders and identify any risks for new award opportunities. Support the CO New Business Development Unit to reflect relevant risks in proposal narratives and annexes. Support the Programme Managers in validating risks identified during project design & proposal development phase and their relevance during project implementation. Facilitate the development of the risk register and support risk monitoring during the project implementation. With support from the Safeguarding Manager and Risk & Compliance Manager, facilitate risk assessments in SAO and with partner organizations and help develop risk management plans. Monitor the SAO risk management plan. Identify and ensure integration with other programme sectors, ensuring that safeguarding issues are raised and addressed in real-time in the Child Friendly Spaces, Digital Learning Centers. Support partners and SAO functional leads in escalating risks as required.

Internal Controls & Governance

Working closely with Safeguarding Manager, Risk & Compliance Manager, plan and coordinate spot checks in SAO functional units and partner organizations, and strengthen internal controls, including implementation of audit, management reviews and investigation recommendations. 

Key responsibilities include:

Working closely with the heads of functional units in SAO, ensure that key internal control mechanisms (especially for top risks) are known, applied and adhered to by staff and partner organizations. Support the Risk & Compliance Manager in the development of quarterly plans for conducting spot checks in SAO (including with partner organisations) based on the top risks identified. Support the spot checks in collaboration with subject matter experts from other functions, make recommendations and support the development of action plans to address gaps. Monitor and follow up on action plan implementation. Capture action items in the SAO Management Improvement Plan and follow up with relevant stakeholders on the timely implementation of recommendations from Global Assurance audit reports, other audits, management reviews and investigation recommendations. Update the relevant reporting systems on the progress that has been made. Review and attend key control meetings and provide risk and compliance input the SAO Award Review Meeting, etc. Actively participate in the SAO Risk Committee. Provide secretarial services for the Risk Committee to ensure key issues are recorded and action items are followed up. Support Area Director under the guidance of Safeguarding Manager in ensuring standards of safeguarding are met.

Safeguarding and Risk Management Advisory

In coordination with the Safeguarding Manager and Risk & Compliance Manager, provide high quality advisory on safeguarding, risk management and compliance (including on local laws & regulations, member/donor requirements, SCI policies & standards, and humanitarian standards). This requires consultation with other compliance functions in formulating these advisories. 

Key responsibilities include:

Stay abreast of all Ukrainian legal changes, SCI organizational changes, updates to policies and procedures, changes in donor requirements and changes to the humanitarian context and standards – especially what affects our work in SAO. Share best practices and support the development of innovative and practical solutions to challenges faced by the SAO staff and partner organizations. Provide general support and respond to safeguarding, risk and compliance inquiries from SAO functions and partner organizations. Produce high quality safeguarding, risk and compliance advisories and insightful reports to enable SAO functions and partner organizations make decisions based on sound advice. As a member of the SAO Management Team, provide sound advice to the SAO leadership during meetings. Support follow up on outstanding action items in the Management Improvement Plan.

Incident Reporting, Response & Investigations

Support the investigation of safeguarding, fraud & data protection cases. Once investigations are completed, follow up on the recommendations to be undertaken and escalate when meaningful progress is not being made. 

Key responsibilities include:

Work with Risk & Compliance, Human Resources, Safeguarding, Accountability, Supply Chain and other compliance focal points in assuring that staff, partners, suppliers and the people we serve are aware of the standards of integrity we hold ourselves to and the reporting channels they can use to report any incidents of violations. Work closely with MEAL to develop (or strengthen) adequate reporting mechanisms, especially with the children and communities we serve. Provide independent reporting of incidents on DATIX. Support the Safeguarding Manager and Risk & Compliance Manager (or other Lead Investigators) with safeguarding, fraud and data protection investigations in accordance with the SCI Investigations Frameworks (safeguarding, fraud). Ensure investigation tasks assigned are completed within the set target time. Ensure that the safeguarding focal points respond in real-time to safeguarding violations in an effective, robust and child/rights-centered way. Ensure that case information is kept confidential, documented and filed/stored appropriately. Conduct training on the use of DATIX to report incidents by staff.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (SCI Values in Practice):

Accountability:

Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values. Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved. Creates a managerial environment to lead, enable and maintain our culture of child safeguarding.

Ambition:

Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale

Collaboration:

Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to; builds and maintains effective relationships with colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters Works collaboratively to achieve shared goals and thrives on diversity of people and perspectives; knows when to lead and when to follow and how to ensure effective cross-boundary working. Communicates clearly and confidently with others to engage and influence; promotes dialogue and ensures timely and appropriate messages, building confidence and trust.  Invests time and energy to actively develop self and others to help realize their full potential, and to build the organization’s capability for the future. 

Creativity:

Applies the required technical and professional expertise to the highest standards; promotes and shares best practice within and outside the organization.  Develops and implements innovative solutions to adapt and succeed in ever-changing and uncertain global and working environments.  Takes effective, considered and timely decisions by gathering and evaluating relevant information from within or outside the organization. 

Integrity:

Honest, encourages openness and transparency, builds trust and confidence. Displays consistent excellent judgement.

QUALIFICATION:

At minimum, Bachelor’s degree in Social Studies, Development and/or Humanitarian Studies, Criminal Justice, Accounting, Law, or other fields relevant to the role.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

- years of relevant experience.  An unquestionably high level of integrity and ethics. Commitment to Save the Children values. Able to challenge decisions based on an independent assessment of control environment. Experience of working effectively, independently, and with minimal supervision. Strong personal organisational, self-management skills with the ability to take initiative and to meet tight deadlines. Strong relationship builder with a proven track record in forming strong partnerships and utilising collaborative approaches. Excellent communication skills. Fluent in written and spoken English and Ukrainian Ability to coordinate and work in teams and motivate others. Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.  Available to travel frequently to SCI Ukraine offices, partner offices and project locations. Computer fluency; highly competent using MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and able to learn how to use new applications quickly.

Desirable

Experience within an NGO or similar other organization working with vulnerable communities and children. Humanitarian and/or development programming experience. Experience in fraud awareness management. Knowledge of the local control and legal framework affecting humanitarian operations in Ukraine. Audit experience.