Program Internal Auditor

Program Internal Auditor – USAID Integrated Nutrition

Location: Kathmandu

Background

Helen Keller’s Internal Audit Department brings a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance processes. It is an internal resource that provides independent, objective assurance and consulting to our many offices around the world to continuously improve Helen Keller’s operations in support of our mission. The function also provides objective assurance of the effectiveness of the Helen Keller risk management framework. It is meant to be preventive and proactive, with a strong training component emphasizing accountability.

Helen Keller collaborates with the Government of Nepal (GoN) in implementing the USAID Integrated Nutrition Program, to improve the nutritional status of women, adolescents, and children in Nepal.

Role

The position holder is responsible for planning and implementing audits of the USAID Integrated Nutrition program to assess and ensure adherence to Helen Keller’s policies and procedures and compliance with donor regulations, internal program implementation requirements as well as local laws and regulations as it applies to the program. The program is managed by Helen Keller from the Kathmandu country headquarters along with 4 provincial offices, overseeing consortium partners and local NGO subrecipients in districts across the 7 provinces. This position requires regular field trips to provinces and districts to perform audits of implementing partners and locations.

Functional Relationships

The position holder is a member of the Global Internal Audit team, reporting functionally to the Director of Internal Audit (based in the US), and administratively to the Country Director of Nepal. The position holder works closely with colleagues on the USAID Integrated Nutrition program, to constantly monitor audit effectiveness and tailor audits around the high-risk areas in the program.

Specific Responsibilities

• In consultation with the Global IA team, develop and implement an annual audit plan for INA program, including sub-recipients and partners, adopting a risk-based methodology.
• Review the design and effectiveness of internal controls in the USAID Integrated Nutrition program, with respect to compliance, operating efficiencies, reporting and the safeguarding of assets.
• Document all internal audit work in Audit Board, an internal audit software, maintaining adequate working papers, and ensuring that all work steps are completed in the system.
• Prepare consistent, concise, and informative audit reports to effectively communicate findings to the PMT.
• Provide recommendations to address audit findings, and strengthen internal guidelines, policies, procedures, and work processes.
• Follow up on USAID Integrated Nutrition internal audit findings monthly, using Audit Board software, and seek explanations for open/unresolved findings.
• On a quarterly basis, analyze the findings to identify patterns and risk areas for management to address.
• Coordinate with the Global IA team to conduct investigations of identified irregularities or violations and complaints of fraud, waste, or abuse, received by the USAID Integrated Nutrition program.
• Any other work as assigned by the Global Internal Audit Team

Required Qualifications/Competencies

Education

• Master’s degree in accounting, finance, or related field; with a minimum of 6-8 years directly related prior work experience including at least two years in a similar position/organization; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• CA/CIA/ACCA certification is an advantage.

Skills

• Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills,
• Knowledge of the auditing standards, COSO internal control framework, risk and control assessment.
• Very good oral and written English language skills, including the ability to write well-structured audit reports.
• Highly computer literate, including knowledge of Microsoft Office suite (Word; PowerPoint; Outlook), and strong Excel skills.
• Experience working with an audit management software is a plus.

Experience

• A minimum experience of 5 years, with 3 of them in internal audit.
• Experience with large NGO or accounting firm a big plus.

Job requirements

• Ability in prioritizing workload, assuming personal responsibility for assigned work through completion.
• Strong interpersonal skills and experience working effectively in teams and cross-cultural settings. Collaborative, flexible, and solution oriented.
• Ability to travel up to 30% of the time to implementation areas, occasionally at short notice.
• Ability and willingness to maintain strict confidentiality about Helen Keller information and internal audit work.

In the spirit of our founder and namesake, Helen Keller is dedicated to building an inclusive workforce where diversity is fully valued.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, caste, age, disability, or any other status that has no bearing on the ability of an individual to perform the functions of the job. The deadline for the submission is until December 1, 2024.