Internal Audit and Compliance Officer

Role Overview

This position combines operational oversight of sub-grant management with hands-on internal audit work, giving the successful candidate a dual mandate to protect the organisation’s compliance posture while improving how partnership funds are tracked and reported. Day to day, you will review contracts and agreements, support grantees and partners on financial and narrative reporting expectations, maintain a live risk and compliance dashboard, and deliver internal audits that translate findings into actionable recommendations for leadership. Your work ensures that donor requirements are met, organisational policies are consistently applied, and that any control weaknesses are identified early and addressed collaboratively.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and maintain a risk and compliance dashboard covering programme activities and sub-grants, tracking deliverables across financial, administrative, and programmatic areas, and providing leadership with regular status updates on risk remediation.
• Review and support the development of contracts, addendums, and Memoranda of Understanding for joint programming and sub-granting, working with Legal and Procurement to ensure alignment with donor rules and internal policy.
• Administer the full lifecycle of sub-grant agreements, from planning and issuance to monitoring, amendments, and closure, ensuring grantees and partners understand their reporting obligations and any changes to budgets or work plans.
• Participate in partner meetings and joint programme capacity assessments, documenting grant management gaps and coordinating with Finance to address them through targeted technical assistance and training.
• Provide practical guidance and capacity-building support to sub-recipients on financial management, compliance practices, and narrative reporting, working alongside the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning team to review submitted reports for accuracy and timeliness.
• Execute internal audits in line with the approved risk-based audit plan, covering financial processes, operational controls, and compliance with donor regulations, while maintaining clear records of all audit activities and follow-up actions.
• Prepare structured audit reports that present findings, root causes, risk exposure, and prioritised recommendations, discussing results constructively with process owners and management to drive resolution of control weaknesses.
• Coordinate with external auditors to align assurance efforts, reduce duplication, and support the Audit and Compliance Subcommittee by preparing materials and acting as secretary when needed.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Commerce, or a closely related field; a master’s degree is an added advantage.
• Professional certification with active membership in CPA (K), CIA, ACCA, or an equivalent recognised body.
• At least 3–5 years of experience in donor compliance, audit, risk advisory, or project management within an organisation that manages grants and sub-grants.
• Familiarity with donor compliance frameworks, such as those from USAID, the Global Fund, EU institutions, or UN agencies, including practical understanding of allowable costs, reporting deadlines, and audit readiness.
• Proven experience overseeing sub-grants and joint programming initiatives, including budget oversight, partner coordination, and compliance monitoring.
• Strong analytical skills for interpreting both financial and non-financial data, with the ability to identify risks and propose practical, proportionate improvements.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce clear reports, facilitate training, and engage diplomatically with partners, colleagues, and external auditors.
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities and meet tight deadlines without compromising attention to detail, working both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Commitment to working effectively in diverse environments and collaborating across departments such as Legal, Finance, Operations, and Programme delivery.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Navision, and Microsoft Business Central is expected, along with strong skills in report and proposal writing.