Internal Control & Compliance Officer

Internal Control & Compliance Officer

Location

Beirut, Lebanon.

Reports To

Treasurer/the Board.

About ABAAD

ABAAD–Resource Center for Gender Equality is a UN ECOSOC-accredited, nonprofit, non-political, non-confessional organization established in 2011 to achieve gender equality as an essential condition for sustainable peace, democracy, and social and economic development in the MENA region.

Purpose & Function

The Internal Control & Compliance Officer's primary purpose is to develop, oversee, and monitor accounting transactions, policies, and procedures and ensure compliance with GAAP. In addition, she/he ensures ABAAD's financial integrity and systems are transparent, standardized, and accountable, and the accounting transactions are safe from potentially unethical or illegal activities.

Key Responsibilities

1. Review existing compliance processes and accounting and financial controls and make any necessary revisions or additions to ensure proper internal controls are in place.
2. Verify and double-check all payment orders, checks, and cash orders with supporting documents before proceeding with any payment.
3. Ensure that all payments and transactions are attached to the appropriate supporting documentation, have adequate signatures and that the authorized persons only sign after they understand the justifications and implications of each transaction they sign.
4. Monitor the implementation of internal controls and check the soundness and integrity of daily accounting transactions and processes.
5. Review daily transactions to ensure financial processes are sound and match GAAP, laws, the sector, and ABAAD's standards.
6. Conduct random spot checks and regular internal audits and reviews to assess the compliance of all financial transactions.
7. Ensure adequate control and transactional tests and controls are in place across all programs. 
8. Track and follow up on control issues to ensure root-cause analysis and remedial actions are adopted.
9. Apply three types of internal controls:
   1. Detective controls by highlighting any significant issues in ABAAD's accounting processes that may involve issues such as legal compliance, quality control, reconciliations, daily cash counts, and fraud prevention.
   2. Corrective controls aim to resolve any errors or shortcomings discovered by detective controls and ensure they do not happen again.
   3. Preventive controls to proactively avoid errors and irregularities from happening in the first place by reinforcing proper accounting and safety measures in the financial system and repairing weaknesses before they become problematic.
10. Work with finance and human resources departments to evaluate and update policies, procedures, and other documentation to ensure compliance.
11. Work closely with the finance department to ensure a high standard and accurate documentation of financial, accounting, HR, procurement, and logistics records and documentation.
12. Adapt internal systems to meet necessary standards of reporting and anti-fraud management.
13. Assess departments, programs, and team members' financial-related activities, identify, develop, and conduct training, and address needs to fill compliance gaps.
14. Follow up on new accounting and external audit procedures and standards changes and ensure that ABAAD always complies with them.
15. Change regulations, standard compliance practices, and other procedures that may impact ABAAD's internal control policies.
16. Assist actively in preparing external audits and serve as a liaison officer with external auditing agencies.
17. Conduct risk reviews and monitor risk reduction.
18. Document the results of internal control testing, communicate control gaps, and advise a course of action to help ABAAD adopt better control measures.
19. Record and analyze all incidents and report to the management or the Board when necessary.
20. Manage the planning, preparation, and review of reports, and submit monthly, quarterly, and annual internal control reports.

Education Requirements

• A relevant university degree, preferably a master's degree, in Accounting, Economics, Finance, Business, Business/Administration, Auditing, Management, Information Systems, or a related field.
• Relevant diplomas and certifications such as Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Certification in Control Self-Assessment (CCSA), and Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA).

Skills & Qualifications Required

• At least five years of experience in accounting, internal control, auditing, management, legal compliance, or relevant fields, preferably in a similar position at local or international NGOs or UN agencies.
• Excellent knowledge of finance, accounting, GAAP, FASB, and SOX policies, procedures, standards, and controls.
• Strong understanding of information security, IT controls, information systems audits, controls in financial risk assessment, and related audits.
• Ability to work within a team environment, build strong relationships and maintain rapport with cross-functional programs, finance teams, and external auditors and consultants.
• Ability to identify risk for further analysis, anticipate internal control-related problems and provide creative solutions.
• Strong assessment, analytical, strategic thinking, planning, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.
• Has a high degree of objectivity that would enable her/him to adequately assess, cross-examine and highlight inconsistencies and sort out any irregularities.
• Ability and experience to collaborate, coordinate, monitor, and follow up.
• Knowledge of gender and gender equality issues is preferred.
• Willingness to abide by ABAAD's Code of Conduct and PSEA Policy.