Programme Oversight and Compliance Officer

This job description is a direct response to UNDP’s improved business model in Rwanda. It envisions a new office structure adapted to current and future needs of the country, underpinning its advisory and programmatic offer while at the same time delivering solid implementation support. It also promotes a more collaborative approach to work across the office and with external partners. The new structure defines the skillsets required to position UNDP in the new country context, adding substantive value through thought leadership and innovation, mobilizing strategic resources and ensuring projects are implemented in a smooth, efficient and transparent manner. This also entails engaging on the most pressing and transformational development challenges of the country.

Through its portfolio, the CO has tailored localized integral solutions to specific sustainable development issues and is crafting methodologies and toolboxes to deploy and escalate them across the country. This strategy requires excellent programme management and an organizational structure that reinforces the entire programming life cycle including planning, implementation, oversight, monitoring and evaluation, communications, and efficient operations. The new structure will strengthen UNDP´s role as a learning organization ‘fit-for-purpose’ to deliver on Agenda 2030. It is designed to provide the foundation for the whole public policy life cycle with a special emphasis at sub-national level that, as an engagement strategy, is expected to allow new areas of joint work and resource mobilization.

UNDP Rwanda is entering a pivotal strategic phase with the implementation of its new Country Programme Document (CPD) for 2025-2029. This programme is fully aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2025-2029 and is designed to advance Rwanda’s National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) and Vision 2050. The CPD emphasizes two transformative pillars: Environment and Economic Transformation, focusing on nature-positive and climate-resilient solutions, and Transformational Governance, aimed at fostering sustainable development and inclusive decision-making processes.
the CPD adopts an integrated and inclusive approach aimed at fostering equitable economic growth, building resilience, and empowering marginalized populations—particularly women, youth, and informal workers. It also seeks to strengthen governance systems to ensure sustainable development. A critical enabler of these objectives is the robust provision of oversight and compliance services. These services ensure effective resource management, results-oriented oversight, and the mitigation of financial risks in a high-risk operational environment such as UNDP Rwanda, which has been identified as a high-risk office by the Office of Audit and Investigations (OAI).
In this context, the Programme Oversight and Compliance Officer plays a pivotal role in facilitating effective decision-making, managing risks, and projecting the outcomes of UNDP’s support programmes externally. The position is central to enhancing forward planning and ensuring compliance with corporate tools and processes, such as the Results-Oriented Annual Report (ROAR), Integrated Work Plan (IWP), audit follow-ups, risk logs, multiyear financial projections, delivery tracking, and soft pipeline population

Under the overall supervision of the Head of PMSU, the UNV will undertake the following tasks:

1) Risk Management Analysis and Advice

• Lead the implementation of enterprise risk management policies, including risk assess-ments, mitigation plans, and escalation processes.
• Ensure quality assurance in designing and implementing internal control frameworks (ICF) and oversight processes for the country office.
• Identify, assess, and manage contextual, programmatic, operational, and business risks by analyzing complex data, identifying trends, and providing actionable recommendations.
• Evaluate information from diverse sources, including regulatory bodies, law enforcement, and geographic systems, to develop comprehensive risk profiles.
• Highlight key risks and mitigation measures for proposed development and peacebuilding interventions.
• Provide strategic advice on audits, ensuring compliance with UNDP rules and effective preparation, follow-up, and implementation of audit recommendations, including HACT, NIM, DIM, and Board of Auditors audits.
• Advise on compliance with corporate Social and Environmental Standards and ensure safe-guards are effectively integrated at the country level.
• Prepare risk analysis reports with recommendations for management actions and process improvements.
• Develop risk-informed standard operating procedures (SOPs) and promote automation of business processes to enhance efficiency and accountability.
• Oversee programmatic and institutional risk management practices and lead the identifica-tion and implementation of solutions to enhance operational resilience.

2) Strengthened implementation quality of Programmes and Projects

• Develop and oversee the implementation of a risk management strategy for the country of-fice (CO) in alignment with the corporate Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) policy.
• Ensure the integration of risk management practices into programme and project man-agement through tools and platforms such as HACT, ICF, PCAT, SES, procurement planning, and PSDD.
• Support the full application and monitoring of the SES policy, including implementation plans, stakeholder response mechanisms, and grievance redress systems to manage SES risks, with escalation to senior management as required.
• Provide advisory services on high-risk and Vertical Fund projects, ensuring robust manage-ment arrangements, financial and procurement compliance, and alignment with enterprise risk management policies.
• Ensure compliance with corporate policies and standards throughout project and pro-gramme cycles, from design to closure, including oversight of cash transfer processes and partner agreements.
• Provide oversight to HACT processes, providing guidance on cash transfers, audit follow-ups, and related compliance measures to strengthen financial and operational accountabil-ity.
• Advise on programme planning, resource allocation, and consolidated budget planning, while monitoring pipeline management and financial sustainability.
• Coordinate risk management discussions and harmonize tools and practices across UNDP, the broader UN system, and other partners, fostering collaboration and capacity building.
• Ensure adherence to Anti-Money Laundering/Counter Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) policies and operational guides in coordination with programme teams.
• Facilitate knowledge-sharing initiatives, including evidence-based discussions, development of sustainable risk management practices, and dissemination of best practices within UNDP and its partners.

3) Oversight, compliance and assurance

• Lead and coordinate client-focused advice and quality assurance for programme and oper-ations activities, ensuring compliance with corporate standards and policies.
• Ensure quality assurance during project design, implementation, and closure, including the development of internal guidance, SOPs, and capacity-building initiatives to uphold corpo-rate programme standards.
• Oversee financial exception monitoring, conduct preliminary analyses of anomalies or unu-sual transactions, and recommend corrective actions as needed.
• Act as a focal point for coordinating responses to corporate requests, policy updates, and emerging priorities, ensuring effective communication and alignment.
• Facilitate knowledge transfer, capacity building, and learning within the CO and with im-plementing partners to enhance programme and operational performance.

4) Capacity Development and Knowledge Facilitation

• Contributes to development and delivery of modular training packages to strengthen COs’ and partners’ capacities in the programmatic and operational oversight and implementa-tion of the CO portfolios.
• Provides on-the-job demand-based capacity development support to CO staff in pro-gramme/project and operational management as needed.
• Conducts analysis of data and case evidence to distill relevant lessons on policy implemen-tation to promote advocacy for further policy changes as needed.
• Contributes to country office capacity building efforts including the planning and delivery of workshops and learning events on programme and project management, including identi-fying best practices and knowledge exchange opportunities across the region.
• Participates in and brings CO perspectives into the implementation of policy and strategic initiatives at the regional and HQ level in their respective areas of responsibility to support the key results, outcomes, and outputs of the UNDP Strategic Plan.
• Contributes to partner capacity building initiatives, as and when required.

Expected Outputs:

• Implementation and integration of enterprise risk management policies, tools, and proce-dures across the CO, including risk assessments, mitigation strategies, and escalation mechanisms to ensure operational and programmatic resilience.
• Assurance of compliance with corporate standards and policies throughout project and programme lifecycles, including the design, implementation, monitoring, and closure stag-es.
• Effective preparation, follow-up, and implementation of audit recommendations, including those related to HACT, NIM, DIM, SES, and other oversight frameworks.
• Development and oversight of risk-informed strategies and practices to ensure high-quality programme and project delivery, with a focus on SES compliance, financial sustainability, and alignment with UNDP standards.
• Delivery of tailored training, workshops, and on-the-job support to CO staff, implementing partners, and stakeholders to enhance skills in programme management, operational over-sight, and compliance.
• Facilitation of knowledge transfer and dissemination of best practices within the CO, and with partners, contributing to a community of practice and continuous learning.
• Ensure UNDP Rwanda's up-to-date compliance with NIM Audit Actions, HACT quality assur-ance plans, and Quantum project management platforms.
• Ensure the timely completion of planned evaluations and implementation of evaluation management response actions.