Internal Controls Compliance - Intern at Save the Children

ROLE PURPOSE: 

• S/He will work alongside the audit team to carry out audits, reviews and promoting a culture of compliance throughout SC Kenya programme and its partners.
• Under the direction of the Risk, Governance and Compliance Manager, he/she will support in overseeing adherence to internal policies and procedures and donor compliance regulations, ensuring that any non-conformities are documented, investigated, and resolved.

SCOPE OF ROLE:
Reports to: Risk, Governance and Compliance Manager
Staff reporting to this post: N/A
Dimensions: 

• Save the Children has been operational in Kenya since the 1950s, supporting children through both development and humanitarian relief programs. These initiatives are delivered directly and in collaboration with local partners. Our current programming focuses on child protection, child rights governance, education, health, HIV/AIDS, livelihoods, nutrition, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH).
• In 2012, as part of a global reorganization, Save the Children unified the operations of Save the Children UK, Canada, and Finland into a single entity in Kenya. In February 2014, we completed a second transition by merging with the British INGO Merlin, integrating their health and nutrition programs into our portfolio. Today, Save the Children maintains an operational presence in Nandi, Kajiado, Dadaab Refugee Camp, Kakuma Refugee Camp, Garissa, Mandera, Turkana, and Wajir, and works through partners in many other regions across the country. We employ approximately 230 staff, including members of the Global team who are hosted and hired in Kenya, but support Save the Children International (SCI) global operations. In 2025, our annual operating budget was approximately USD 20 million.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
Internal Control Compliance:

• Maintain the audit action tracker up-to-date and follow up on outstanding actions with the respective teams. Provide analysis trends of audit actions to the Head of Department.
• Support external audits of SCI projects/operations when required. Review responses to external audit reports and follow up for closure.
• Support with coordinating the entire process of external audits and if need be, accompany the auditors to field offices.
• Identification of documents required by the auditor.
• Sharing with the area offices the audit timelines and requirements.
• Liaise with programmes and departments in providing management comments to issues raised by the auditors.
• Clarify and share questioned transactions from auditors for cross department responses.
• Support in coordinating entry and exit meetings with the auditors.
• Archiving and document retrieval.

Internal Control function:

• Document audit findings and report to the line manager.
• Review award files, reports and documents prior to any in country donor audit, making sure that everything is present and that all main compliance points have been tested.
• Track and communicate audit findings and recommendations to the Line Manager for sharing with SMT on a quarterly basis and follow up with relevant department to ensure corrective actions are taken.
• Visit field offices and review internal processes (financial and non- financial) according to Save the Children regulations.
• Participate in evaluation the risk of compliance with government of Kenya laws and regulations relating to our business.
• Participate in ensuring adequate controls are in place to safeguard assets. 

Donor Compliance
Under supervision of the Line Manager, support on project audits in liaison with Awards, Finance staff and the relevant project managers ensuring donor compliance with responsibilities including:

• Summarizing regulations and requirements for all Save the Children Kenya programme donors and all other major institutional donors and circulating to relevant staff.
• Support in training budget holders, other departments, staff and partners in the relevant donor regulations, and promote awareness of the importance of adherence to all guidelines.
• Take part in new start-up award meetings to ensure that budget holders understand donor compliance regulations.
• Ensure Save the Children Kenya programme is complying with all applicable, reporting requirements and regulations.

Partnership Compliance

• Visit field offices and partners to review source documents and processes according to donor guidelines.
• Document findings and report to Line Manager for review and approval.
• Share approved review reports with budget holders and track implementation of proposed recommendations. 
• Support audit team in partnership assessment process.

External Risk and Quality Assurance:

• Support the Head of Department in effective monitoring of the policy and regulatory environment in all areas of operation and collaborate with relevant function/department leads to develop effective response and mitigation measures.

BEHAVIOURS
Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE 

• Bachelor of Commerce degree in Finance or equivalent. 
• Professional qualifications in Accounting (CPA part II or ACCA II).
• Familiar with Auditing, Awards (Grants) management or donor compliance.
• Basic knowledge of compliance regulations for all major donors; USAID, EC, ECHO, DFID, UN bodies.
• Strong working computer skills especially in accounting packages.
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching.
• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• Strong results orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mind-sets.
• Excellent time management and planning capacity.
• Ability to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner.
• Ability and willingness to change work practices and hours, and work with incoming surge teams, in the event of emergencies.
• Excellent communication skills, initiative, the ability to meet tight deadlines and work independently is essential.
• Ability to establish and maintain conducive collegial relations and perform effectively as a member of a team.
• Fluency in English, both verbal and written, required.
• Have basic report writing skills.
• Computer literacy and excellent documentation skills.
• Willingness to undertake high amount of travel to field locations (up to 50%).
• Commitment to Save the Children values.

Additional job responsibilities

• The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities 

• The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Health and Safety

• The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.