Quality Assurance Specialist

Job no: 594582

Contract type: Fixed Term Appointment

Duty Station: Kyiv

Level: P-3

Location: Ukraine

Categories: Operations

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

For every child, the right to Care

How can you make a difference?

As Ukraine enters its fourth year of the escalation of the full-scale war, the humanitarian and child rights catastrophe continue. The war resulted in death, injuries, and mass displacement of people from the south and eastern parts of Ukraine to the west and to neighboring countries, as well as severe destruction and damage to homes and civilian infrastructure, including essential services for children such as schools, kindergartens, youth centers, integrated social services, water and sanitation and health facilities.

While there is still an urgent need to respond to the vast humanitarian needs in frontline areas, it is also critical to pivot to recovery priorities, to build back better and ensure that children are at the center of the recovery agenda.

UNICEF is engaging actively with government partners, Civil Society Organizations and the Sectoral Working Groups on the National Recovery Plan to ensure that children and youth have improved health, learning and protection outcomes in healthy and safe physical, family and community environments and that systems, policies and communities are built back better to ensure the rights and well-being of every child.

Purpose of the job: The Quality Assurance Specialist provides independent, high level assurance, advisory, and quality oversight across UNICEF Ukraine’s programme and operations functions. Working under the Risk & Compliance Manager, the Specialist ensures the effectiveness of internal controls, the integrity of data and processes, and the consistent application of UNICEF policies and regulatory frameworks. The role strengthens accountability, governance, and operational excellence, helping the Country Office operate efficiently, ethically, and in line with global standards.

Summary Of Key Functions/accountabilities

• Quality Assurance & Internal Control Strengthening
• Advisory, Risk Management & Assurance Support
• Awareness and capacity building of staff for effectiveness and efficiency
• Fraud Risk Management, Ethics & Integrity
• Quality Assurance & Internal Control Strengthening
• Lead the design and implementation of the annual Quality Assurance Plan, prioritizing high‑risk areas across programme and operations.
• Conduct in‑depth quality reviews, spot checks, compliance assessments, process walk‑throughs, and control testing across procurement, finance, HR, supply chain, administration, ICT, and programme operations.
• Support the Identification of control gaps, inefficiencies, and emerging risks; propose and follow up on corrective and preventive actions.
• Conduct data‑integrity reviews on VISION/SAP transactions, donor reports, performance monitoring data, and management dashboards.
• Partner with programme and operations teams to embed quality‑at‑source practices and reduce recurring errors.
• Review documentation and transactions for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with UNICEF policies and procedures.
• Support the assessment of internal work processes to ensure clarity of accountabilities and alignment with global policies and best practices.
• Periodically test compliance with the Table of Authority and adherence to delegated authorities.
• Lead HACT financial assurance activities conducted by UNICEF staff.
• Advisory, Risk Management & Assurance Support
• Analyze country office workflows and recommend process redesigns to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and compliance.
• Support the formulation of actionable recommendations to strengthen and reinforce accountabilities across programme and operations.
• Advise chiefs, section heads, and field offices on risk‑sensitive operational decisions.
• Provide technical support for HACT implementation in line with organizational policies, including the HACT Policy, Procedures, and DFAM Policy 5 – Cash Disbursements (Supplement 3: Cash Transfers).
• Provide Quality Assurance support during emergency response scale‑up, ensuring fast processes while maintaining compliance across procurement, distribution verification, cash transfers, stock management, and staff deployment.
• Advise management on systemic noncompliance issues and emerging compliance trends.
• Support internal and external audits, donor verifications, operational spot checks, and HQ/RO assurance exercises.
• Support the analysis of the cause and effect of policy changes on the office’s operations, anticipate impacts, and advise on new ways of doing business.
• Awareness and capacity building of staff for effectiveness and efficiency
• Deliver tailored trainings to staff and partners on internal controls, compliance requirements, data integrity, and quality standards.
• Develop and disseminate workflows, guidance notes, templates, and job aids to institutionalize best practices and support consistent implementation.
• Promote a culture of accountability, ethics, transparency, and continuous improvement across the office.
• Facilitate onboarding and refresher sessions to ensure new and existing staff are equipped with up‑to‑date knowledge on policies, procedures, and operational expectations.
• Fraud Risk Management, Ethics & Integrity
• Contribute to the operationalization of the global Anti‑Fraud Strategy at the country office level.
• Support evidence collection to respond to OIAI queries during the initial assessment of allegations or ongoing investigations.
• Identify lessons learned from investigations and recommend preventive or corrective measures.
• Support the Risk & Compliance Manager in delivering fraud‑risk training and orientations to partners and suppliers.
• Support the identification of red flags, conflict‑of‑interest situations, financial irregularities, and misconduct risks, ensuring timely escalation.
• Promote adherence to UNICEF’s Ethics, PSEA, Child Safeguarding, Anti‑Fraud/Corruption, and Data Protection policies.
• Undertake specific tasks as advised by the Supervisor, with due consideration to the level of technical expertise required for this position which shouldn’t be involved in the day-to day Programme and Operations activities.
  
  

Impact Of Results

The incumbent will contribute on the recommendation of the appropriate application and interpretation of rules, regulations, policies and procedures, as well as on work priorities, which affect the efficient programme delivery. This post will assist directly the Operations Manager carrying all quality assurance functions in the CO and FOs and work closely with the Implementing Partnership Specialist and in all HACT related activities

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum Requirements

• Education: An advanced university degree in Business Administration, Finance, Operations, Management, Accounting, Statistics, Financial Management, Strategic Management, Risk Management, Audit, Investigation, Internal Control and any other related fields. A Bachelor or equivalent (First Level University Degree) in a relevant area combined with 2 additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
• Work Experience: At least 5 (five) years of continuous professional work experience in Risk and Compliance, operations management, or another directly relevant area. Experience in financial management, particularly developing and implementing financial control systems, ERM, audits, internal control preferably with international organizations, NGOs and UN.
• Skills: financial management, financial control systems, internal control, international organizations.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.
  
  

Desirables

• Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language
• Statistics and Data Analysis or Accounting certifications are considered as assets.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.
  
  

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it.

UNICEF Competencies Required For This Post Are…

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others
• Nurtures, leads and manages people
  
  

For more information and to apply, please visit our website via the apply button below.