Programme Policy Officer Assurance Coordinator CST II, Nairobi Kenya The Republic

## Programme Policy Officer Assurance Coordinator CST II, Nairobi - Organization:WFP - World Food Programme DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability. The World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves. To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok. - WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. - WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment. - WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities. - A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe. - We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to theTerms and Conditionssection of this vacancy announcement). Background and Purpose WFP Kenya is increasingly using Cooperating Partners (CPs) as a delivery mechanism for programme implementation. As financial resources, programme responsibilities and operational exposure entrusted to CPs increase, the Country Office requires dedicated second-line assurance capacity to provide structured, risk-based and evidence-based challenge over the adequacy and effectiveness of CP governance, risk management and internal controls. The assignment is intended to strengthen assurance over the CP management lifecycle, support timely identification and mitigation of control weaknesses, improve audit readiness, safeguard WFP resources, and strengthen accountability for programme results in accordance with applicable WFP policies, procedures, donor requirements and agreed CP management arrangements. The assignment supports the objectives of the RBN Cooperating Partners Management Strategy, including more effective and efficient delivery, stronger accountability and transparency in resource management, clearer roles and responsibilities, standardized processes, monitoring, spot checks and effective internal controls. The Assurance Coordinator will operate as an independent second-line assurance function through the Risk and Compliance Unit. The role will provide objective assessment, constructive challenge, verification, reporting and escalation. It will not assume first-line management responsibilities or duplicate the operational mandate of the CP Management Unit or technical functions. The objective is to provide management with reasonable, evidence-based assurance that material CP-related risks are identified and appropriately managed; key controls are suitably designed and operating as intended; compliance obligations are being met; significant findings are addressed within agreed timelines; and the Country Office maintains adequate evidence to demonstrate effective oversight to internal and external oversight bodies. The assignment will apply a risk-based approach, with assurance effort proportionate to risk exposure, funding and materiality, donor sensitivity, geographic and operational complexity, prior findings, control maturity and other relevant risk indicators. The assurance scope will cover CP-related governance, risk management, compliance and internal controls across the CP management lifecycle, including, as applicable: - due diligence, capacity assessment and risk classification; - partner selection and governance arrangements; - financial and programme controls relevant to CP implementation; - segregation of duties and approval controls; - monitoring, spot checks, verification and supporting evidence; - implementation of agreed risk mitigation measures and management actions; - follow-up of audit, investigation, assurance and monitoring findings; - data quality, record retention and audit trail adequacy; - compliance with applicable WFP policies, procedures, CP management requirements and donor conditions; and - emerging or systemic CP-related risks identified through data analysis, field work, management reporting or oversight activity. The scope of individual reviews will be defined in an approved risk-based assurance work plan or review terms of reference. The coordinator will not provide assurance over matters for which the role has direct operational responsibility. Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities CP governance and internal controls - Assess the design and operating effectiveness of key CP governance and internal control arrangements, using documented criteria and sufficient appropriate evidence. - Identify control gaps, ineffective or inconsistently applied controls, segregation-of-duties weaknesses, recurring process failures and other control deficiencies. - Assess whether identified controls address the relevant risks and whether control owners can demonstrate that controls operated during the period under review. - Recommend practical corrective actions that address root causes and assignable control weaknesses. Risk assessment and due diligence oversight - Independently review CP due diligence, capacity assessments, risk ratings and mitigation measures for completeness, consistency, evidence and alignment with applicable requirements. - Maintain a consolidated view of high-risk CP engagements within the assigned portfolio, including material risk exposures, mitigation status and overdue actions. - Provide documented constructive challenge where risk assessments, ratings or mitigation plans are weak, incomplete, outdated or unsupported by evidence. - Escalate material changes in CP risk exposure through established governance channels. Risk-based assurance planning - Develop and maintain a documented, risk-based CP assurance plan for the assigned Area Office portfolio, subject to management approval through established governance arrangements. - Prioritize assurance activity using defined risk factors, including risk rating, funding/materiality, donor sensitivity, geography, operational complexity, prior audit or assurance history, control maturity and unresolved findings. - Maintain sufficient assurance coverage of high-risk engagements and periodically reassess the plan in response to significant changes in risk exposure. - Align CP assurance activities with the Country Office assurance plan, risk register, audit readiness priorities and relevant governance forums. Assurance reviews, testing and independent verification - Conduct assurance reviews, spot checks, walkthroughs, sample-based testing and independent verification for selected high-risk CP engagements or locations. - Define the objective, scope, criteria, sampling approach, evidence requirements and review period for each assurance exercise. - Assess evidence for