Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer

Description

Title: Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer (CECO)

Department: Executive Leadership Team

Location: Washington DC

Reporting to: CEO & the Audit and Risk Committee

Direct reports: VP Risk and Global Assurance

Budget responsibility: Oversee departmental budget

Accountability.

Reports Directly to: Chief Executive Officer and the Joint Audit and Risk Committee of the Global Boards of Directors, with periodic reports to the full Boards of Directors.

Works Directly with: The CECO will be accountable to internal clients throughout the Relief International Alliance. The CECO will also work in collaboration with Relief International’s General Counsel.

Background.

The international humanitarian sector is faced with increasing regulatory requirements and scrutiny from donors, regulators and host country governments. This requires constant vigilance and ever evolving and adapting policies, processes, and practices to ensure cost-effective compliance while at the same time maintaining space for program performance and innovation.

Relief International is creating a new, stand-alone Ethics and Compliance Department that will support and monitor ethical compliance across Relief International’s various global operations.

The department will support all functional areas of Relief International, including executive and senior management, programs, program development, safeguarding, finance, and human resources.

The CECO will oversee the Global Assurance team, which leads on investigation of all reports of ethics violations including fraud, corruption, and Code of Conduct and Global Human Resources complaints, as well as responsible for overseeing Relief International’s Enterprise Risk Management.

In this role you will help the organization address complex problems – which will involve identifying, resolving, and preventing misconduct and/or unethical activities.

What we are looking for.

You will be globally strategic, solution-oriented executive who will work across and collaborate at all levels of the organization to contribute to Relief International’s mission.

Assess a host of dynamic ethical, contractual, and legal requirements and invite and manage divergent views, while managing multiple tasks and activities in a calm, resilient, collaborative, and professional manner, and be able to manage investigative matters with discretion and the utmost care of the individuals and organizations involved.

Your excellent written and oral communication skills will allow you to understand and distill data analysis, and have a proven ability to gain credibility, support and engagement from a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.

You will be a critical and strategic thinker while being able, and willing, to immerse yourself with details. Able to work both independently and when necessary, collaboratively within a cross-functional, cross-divisional, and multi-national environment assisting in the resolution of issues in a manner that conforms to the highest ethical practices while fostering and enhancing positive working relationships.

Bringing the utmost sensitivity and knowledge of cultural, political, and religious environments in the regions where we work and have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability.

Responsibilities.

Ethics and Compliance Leadership and System Building

• Maintain the highest level of professional and ethical standards, acting in compliance with both the letter and spirit of applicable laws and regulations.
• Provide sufficiently detailed reports, guidance and recommendations to the Boards of Directors, Executive Team, and senior team members on ethics and compliance matters related to all aspects of Relief International operations.

Lead a newly formed Ethics and Compliance Department and ensure implementation of Relief International’s ethics and compliance program designed to effectively prevent, detect, respond to, and mitigate illegal,

• unethical, or improper conduct and promote a culture of integrity and compliance.
• Provide support, advice and recommendations for complex problem-solving situations related to ethics and compliance, and to build consensus, identify strategic priorities and directions, and ensure successful outcomes.
• Undertake special initiatives and perform other duties and responsibilities as appropriate and requested by the Boards of Directors and/or the Joint Audit and Risk Committee.
• Work collaboratively with relevant departments to ensure efficient and effective compliance measures and prompt and successful resolution of audits and investigations of alleged noncompliance and/or ethical issues.
• Work with relevant departments to develop compliance communication and training programs as well as other efforts to promote an enterprise culture of integrity and compliance, both for new and existing employees.
• Partner with the General Counsel and Awards Management Unit to maintain up-to-date knowledge with funder and legal requirements for purposes of ensuring compliance. Maintain strong working relationships with major funders of Relief International, such as, but not limited to the U.S. Agency for International Development (“USAID”), the U.K. Foreign Commonwealth & Development Officer (“UK FCDO”), European Union (“EU”), United Nations, and other major funders and oversight bodies.
• Own Relief International’s system for ongoing Code of Conduct and Key Organizational Policies review and management.
• Other duties as assigned related to RI’s compliance with its current Administrative Agreement with USAID.

Incident Reporting and Management

• Oversee the Global Assurance department, reviewing and approving final determinations on reports of misconduct
• In coordination with the General Counsel, select, retain and manage external legal, accounting and other subject matter expert services for investigations into alleged noncompliant and/or unethical incidents. Act as a liaison with outside counsel and advisors
• Ensure all Teams Members are trained on Relief International policies in coordination with Human Resources
• Ensure all Relief International policies are effectively implemented
• Ensure Global Assurance Team and focal points are effectively assigning incidents and grading the severity of the incidents
• Ensure incidents are reported to the appropriate donors and regulatory authorities, as appropriate
• Ensure investigations conducted by Incident and Crisis Management Teams meet ‘best practice’ standards
• Timely reporting of all crises to the Board of Directors (crises must be reported within 24 hours of submission to the CECO)
• Ensure appropriate corrective actions are taken as a result of incidents
• Ensure timeliness of closure of incidents
• Presenting quarterly Global Incidents Report, including trend analysis, to the Board of Directors
• Ensure incident trend analysis is reflected in the global risk register per Relief International’s Enterprise Risk Framework
• Develop remedial plans to address risks arising from trend analysis
• Report on risk areas and remedial plans to the Board of Directors for approval
• Ensure implementation of remedial plans

Enterprise Risk Management (ERM)

• Accountable for the coordination of global activities on ERM, including training, system management, analysis, and reporting
• Act as a liaison between RI’s Senior Management Team, Joint Audit & Risk Committee (ARC) and the Boards on matters relating to ERM

Safeguarding

• Uphold and promote RI’s commitment to ensuring the safeguarding and safety of the vulnerable communities we serve.
• Consistent with RI’s safeguarding and protection policies, ensure all people who come into contact with Relief International are as safe as possible.
• Ensure that the entire program delivery team embody RI’s commitment to a positive and productive work environment which is free from harassment and bullying.

Equity and Diversity commitment

• Demonstrate sensitivity and understanding of systemic diversity and cultural differences.
• Ensure that gender equity is addressed in our staffing and programing.

Role Requirements.

You will bring the following skills and experience:

• Preferred but not required Juris Doctorate and an active, valid license to practice law with the ability to practice law in Washington, DC as an in-house attorney.
• Demonstrated and proven experience in international development, ideally with direct experience with both programmatic and compliance functions.
• Strong cultural sensitivity and experience in a global, geographically dispersed organization.
• Experience and knowledge of US Government grants and contracts and/or UK Government grants and contracts, sanctions and counterterrorism and anti-money laundering laws is essential. Specific experience with USAID, ECHO, and UK FCDO grants is a plus.
• Understanding of private international law and U.S. laws related to international business, such as sanctions, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the U.K. Bribery Act as well as relevant EU and French regulations.
• Good general knowledge of current events, particularly international affairs.
• Experience with ethics, compliance, sexual exploitation and abuse, and corporate transactions in an international and high-risk context.
• Previous foreign travel and willingness to travel.
• Demonstrable understanding of Risk & Assurance methodology and practice in an international humanitarian environment
• Experience with international investigations in a regulated environment.
• Knowledge of one or more foreign languages is a plus.
• Certifications such as Certified Risk and Compliance Manager Professional (CRCMP) are a plus.
• Demonstrated experience in crisis risk management in humanitarian environments, civilian-military cooperation, international humanitarian law, Saving Lives Together (SLT), as well as familiarity with ISO and OSHA safety and security standards.