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. The mission of this assignment is to strengthen UNICEF's risk assurance and compliance activities in Ethiopia by providing complementary expertise, support, and monitoring related to the management of risk, including but not limited to the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of risk management practices at a process, systems, and entity level.

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. 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 Ethiopia’s 2020-2025 country programme has a total budget of US$599 million and covers six programmatic areas: child protection; health; learning and development; nutrition; social policy, evaluation, and research; and water, sanitation, and hygiene. The Country Office has a total workforce of 509 members of staff at various grade levels. 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. 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. 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 an international UN Volunteer Specialist 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 international UN Volunteer Specialist will undertake the following tasks: Summary of key functions/accountabilities: (i) Risk management : • Assist the office in the annual risk assessment process and assist in the monitoring, reliability of reports and their compliance with applicable rules and regulations. • Assist in the monitoring of risk mitigation action plans including a mid-term review. • Assist during the office peer reviews process, and support the team in ensuring the risk management approach is embedded in any project/proposal, in office governance committees’ review of submissions. (ii) Compliance : • Assist in the review of the office systems, procedures and processes for compliance with organizational rules and regulations. • Assist the office in enforcing and strengthening internal controls to ensure that systems are in place to prevent, detect and report non-compliance. Assist the process of the preparation of the annual Statement of Internal Control (SIC) by the office; • Assist in reviewing 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; • Assist the office to ensure smooth preparedness of internal and external audit, assist in quality assurance and follow-up on the implementation of the recommendations and provides feedback to the management. • Assist in the review of conformity of statutory and non-statutory committees, assess committee members have been trained/oriented on their roles and responsibility. (iii) Fraud risk Management: • Assist the team in collecting evidence to respond to OIAI’s queries when initially assessing allegations of fraud and misconduct or during actual investigations; • Assist the office, 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. (iv) Awareness/capacity building • Assist the implementation of a continuous learning and development plan for the Risk and Compliance function. • Assist in providing staff with access to relevant training and that staff and other personnel understand key UNICEF policies including PSEA, Fraud and Ethics. (v) Any support needed • 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.

Competencies and values

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

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.