Head of Assurance
Team: Operations
Salary: £57,000 - £59,000 (GBP)
Location: London, United Kingdom
Closing: 12:00pm, 4th September 2023 BST
For more information and to apply click here.
The key purpose of the role is to oversee and manage the assurance function, focusing on provision of internal risk management and due diligence for members, while ensuring compliance to regulations, including legal and donor requirements.
The role provides an assurance service to the senior management and wider team, including Hubs. Internally, the role is responsible for ensuring risk policies and processes are in line with our vision and values, as well as regulation. At a network level, the role will work with colleagues to develop risk models and frameworks involving strategic, programmatic and operations risks. The role is required to bring innovation to our assurance function and to challenge the status quo.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
Strategic Leadership and Team Management
• Build, manage and lead the assurance team, as part of the wider support functions of Start Network enabling team members to perform to their strengths and to develop
• Provide leadership and professional advice to drive a strategic approach to the operations and risk function, and act as an internal advisor to different parts of the charity, including senior leaders
• Provide reports and advice to the Senior Management Team, and Board Committees as needed
• Management of the budget-related Assurance Function Risk Management Framework and Organisational Compliance
• Maintain and improve a robust risk management strategy and framework that integrates with our existing strategy and plans
• Promote a risk management culture that aligns our approach to risk with our mission, vision and values, balancing risk, reward, and opportunity, including design and delivery of training
• Ensure effective controls and mitigation measures are in place, including ongoing compliance with the charity’s Compliance Plan and Code of Conduct, updating relevant policies
• Lead on disaster recovery planning and critical incident management planning and processes, making improvements based on learning
• Together with CFOO be the main contact point with the Risk and Compliance Committee, which oversees operational functions including compliance, legal, risk and internal audit
• Lead any investigations for complaints / whistleblowing / safeguarding including carrying out investigations and Board reporting
• Ensure the organisation has all necessary insurance cover in place etc.
• Oversee and support the Assurance Advisor in coordinating internal audit and responsible for overseeing the implementation and reporting of internal audit recommendations across the organisation
• Ensure the Operations function are managing safety and security risk for staff international travel and provide sign-off for travel to high-risk environments against
travel risk assessments
Compliance in Humanitarian Work
• Support the design of risk and compliance infrastructure for our humanitarian work, such as a financing mechanism that pools risk and a network of Hubs
• Oversee the Due Diligence Manager and Assurance Advisor to improve the processes, tools and guidance for due diligence compliance
• Support on response to due diligence requests from external partners
• Support the Due Diligence Manager to design and implement non-membership due diligence and vetting framework
• Ensure Resource Mobilisation meets institutional donor reporting and compliance requirements
Legal Oversight
• Responsible for keeping updated on legal requirements for charities
• Oversee the Assurance Advisor, who in collaboration with external counsel, delivers
legal advice, including drafting and reviewing contracts and agreements