SOS Children’s Villages in Kenya
Position Title: Internal Audit Manager
SOS Children’s Villages in Kenya is a member of the SOS Children’s Villages International (CVI) Federation.
SOS Children’s Villages in Kenya is a child-focused Non-Governmental Organization established in 1973 to provide care and support to children who have lost or are at risk of losing the care of their biological family.
The organization’s vision is “No child should grow up alone” and its programmes are driven by the mission of “building families for children in need, helping them shape their own futures and sharing in the development of their communities”.
In this regard, the organization works to reduce poverty; increase access to quality education and decent work; reduce inequalities and build strong institutions as laid out in SDGs 1, 4,8,10 and 16.
This is done through programmes that are geared towards addressing the political, economic, health and social root causes that lead to high levels of child vulnerability and put families at risk of breaking down.
The programmes focus on Alternative Care, Family Strengthening, Youth Empowerment and Advocacy.
SOS Children’s Villages in Kenya implements programmes in five (5) of Kenya’s 47 Counties namely Nairobi, Mombasa, Uasin Gishu, Kisumu and Meru.
We seek to recruit suitably qualified person to fill the following position:
Internal Audit Manager – National Office
1 Position
Job Summary: Reporting to the Board of Trustees / National Director, the Internal Audit Manager will be in charge of ensuring an independent systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of policies, procedures and standards designed to add value and improve operations of SOS Children’s Village in Kenya.
The incumbent will also be responsible for providing reasonable assurance that compliance with donor requirements, internal control, corporate governance and risk management systems are functioning as intended.
Key performance areas and main responsibilities
1. Governance / Board Support:
- Provide support to the Board in offering effective oversight in order to ensure systematic functioning of the organization:
- Schedule, prepare and avail accurate and timely reports, minutes and other documents for Board Audit Committee meetings
- Conduct periodic awareness/training sessions to sensitize senior management, staff on their roles in implementation of policy and risk management, promoting an internal audit culture across the organization.
- Regularly provide senior management and the board with an opinion on the adequacy, effectiveness and efficiency of the internal controls in the organization
- Regularly report to the Board on significant areas of non-compliance to organizational policy or internal controls
- Actively monitor and provide feedback to senior management and the board as appropriate on the timely implementation of management or board recommendations of fraud prevention measures.
- Carry out reviews to ascertain that a conflict of interest policy exists.
- Regular review the conflict of interest policy to ascertain its adequacy and also assess the compliance
- Foster effective engagement with the SOS Children’s Villages in Kenya Board Audit and Finance Committee on the performance of the Audit Function
2. Review of Organizational Policies:
- Keenly assess system gaps to inform development of new policies and review of the existing ones
- In charge of developing Internal Audit departmental policies and procedures
- Offer timely support to management team in the development and review of departmental policies and procedures for all organization’s functions.
- Ensure that all organization’s policies and procedures are adequately approved and ratified by senior management and the Board as appropriate.
- The incumbent will send periodic updates to senior management and the Board on the update on the status of all department policies and procedures.
3. Risk Management:
- Identify and effectively manage organizational risks in order to maximize achievement of organizational objectives
- Manage the process of identifying organization key risk areas including identification of emerging risks
- Oversee the process of conducting annual organization-wide risk assessments to measure the likelihood and impact of identified risks, i.e., developing parameters, methods, and tools for evaluating, categorizing, and prioritizing risks- likelihood, risk consequence, and thresholds to trigger management action.
- Assist in the development of the organization’s risk mitigation strategy/ plan, proposing appropriate controls including the scope of management and other individual accountability and a monitoring plan, to ensure the implementation of the strategy/ plan.
- Responsible for preparing and submitting quarterly reports to the Board on risk management issues including the risk register and on emerging risks.
- Send quarterly updates to senior management on the implementation of organizational risk management strategy/ plan.
4. Sub Grants Support:
- Ensure that funds advanced to all sub grantees are utilised efficiently and that there is value for money and accountability is provided for all funds advanced.
- Technically support the development and improvement of guidelines for the management of sub grant activities
- Support sensitization/training of sub grantees on the organization sub grant management guidelines, clearly explaining to them the standards of accountability expected of them.
- Responsible for developing and implementing plans for follow up of sub grantee audit report actions.
- In charge of the regular review and evaluate the adequacy of accountabilities presented by sub grantees.
- Send regular reports on activity areas that require improvement in terms of accountability for funds
- Confirm that the planned activities (service delivery, procurement, distribution, storage, infrastructural improvements, etc) are carried out efficiently and effectively confirming that there was value for money
- Identify gaps and weakness faced in the implementation of the sub grant activities by sub grantees
- Make recommendations to improve or address the gaps identified and follow up these to ensure audit actions are being implemented.
5. Auditing Activities:
- Ensure that internal audits are effectively carried out and audit recommendations are implemented for improved compliance and efficiency:
- Develop risk-based annual audit plans detailing the scope, nature and timing of the audit activities at the organization and other offsite auditees.
- Develop audit programs for audit assignments ensuring that all priority issues have been addressed
- Carry out internal audit tests in the audit program to assess compliance to the organization policies and procedures, documenting the results of each test
- Ensure quality audit standards are observed and maintained in the course of audit work
- Discuss interim audit findings with auditees for clarity and ownership.
- Write audit reports documenting areas of non-compliance
- Send audit reports to the ND, Management and Board as appropriate, for action
- Actively monitor and provide feedback to senior management and the Board, as appropriate on the timely implementation of management or Board recommendations following audit reports.
6. Budget Management:
- Oversee the department budget ensuring efficient usage and high standards of accountability.
- Oversee the development and management of the department budget to ensure availability of funds for planned Internal Audit activities
- Ensure that funds advanced to staff under supervision are accounted for in timely manner
- Ensure the efficient and frugal management of department of departmental budget.
- Receive periodic Internal Audit financial statements and budget updates from Finance department; taking appropriate corrective action in case of any variance from what has been planned
- Regularly review expense requests, aligning them to budget lines before giving approval
- Work closely with procurement function to contract for goods and services
- Ensure that Internal Audit financial information required by the organization is provided on time and to standard; ensuring that requirements for the allocation of resources are adhered to by all staff in the Internal Audit team at all times.
7. Management and Coordination of Team Activities:
- Lead the Internal Audit team in a manner that empowers them to deliver excellent service and high standards:
- Regularly communicate to the Internal Audit team the organization vision and the role of Internal Audit in assisting the achievement of that vision
- Set department targets for staff in the department as a basis for measuring performance during appraisal
- Carry out timely staff appraisal against set targets and identify areas of improvement
- In charge of monitoring and reviewing performance, in particular holding staff accountable for meeting success criteria and delivering any improvement goals which have been identified; taking decisive action against poor performance.
- Ensure that records held by the department like audit reports, copies of appraisal forms etc are well kept
- Ensure that staff are adequately trained and developed for their roles e.g., by analyzing staff training needs, organizing the delivery of training or coaching, coordinating the sharing of experience
- Organize regular departmental staff meetings to ensure proper and open communication of departmental plans and feedback from team members
- Ensure continuous professional development for the Audit Team either as individuals or as a team by facilitating their attendance at professional seminars and trainings.
Performs other reasonable tasks as assigned by the immediate supervisor.
Minimum Qualifications & Experience Required
- Must have a University Degree in Commerce, Accounting / Business Management / Finance. A post-graduate degree is preferred.
- Must be a qualified CPA or ACCA with an up-to-date membership status. Professional memberships in CIA/CISA/CFE are also required.
- Must have prior working experience of six (6) years. At least four years must be in Audit (Public or private institutions), three of which should be at a Managerial or senior supervisory level. Experience in accredited audit firms and/or in a Non-Governmental organization is preferred.
- Detailed knowledge of audit procedures, including planning, testing and sampling methods
- Working knowledge of computerized accounting and auditing systems
- Good Leadership skills
- Good report writing skills
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills – tactful in dealing with people
- Excellent analytical skills
- Good negotiation skills
- Ability to work under pressure
Child Protection Policy: At all times, avoid actions or behaviour that could be construed as poor or potentially abusive practice. Whatever decisions and actions taken should be with the best interest of the child in mind.
Data Protection Policy: At all times ensure that personal data of donors, sponsors, SOS Children’s Villages in Kenya beneficiaries and their families as well as co-workers is handled confidentially and in accordance with prevailing SOS-Kinderdorf International data protection laws.
How to Apply
If you believe your experience, competencies and qualifications match the job and role specifications described; send your application & updated CV (with details of at least 3 traceable referees one of which must be immediate former employer) to recruitment@soskenya.org addressed to the Human Resources Manager to reach us on or before 20th December 2022.
SOS Children’s Villages in Kenya holds strict child safeguarding principles and a zero-tolerance policy for conducts of sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse in the workplace, code of conduct and other places where the organization’s activities are rendered. Parallel to technical competence, recruitment, selection and hiring decisions, we give due emphasis to assessing candidates value congruence and thorough background checks, police clearance reference check processes.
SOS Children’s Villages is an equal opportunity employer and its Recruitment Policy addresses itself to the core values of best practice, diversity and equality.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted