Senior Internal Control

The Policy Innovation Centre (PIC) is the first national institutionalised behavioural initiative in Africa supporting government and stakeholders to make behaviourally informed decisions and generate evidence for impact driven interventions in critical thematic areas (Governance, Health, Gender & Social Inclusion, Education, Digital & Financial Inclusion). The PIC is positioned to support the delivery of better policies and innovative solutions for high impact interventions across Africa. The PIC is an initiative of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG), a leading think tank in Africa redefining evidence based policy advocacy.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Position: Senior Internal Control & Compliance Officer

Job Location: Abuja (FCT)

Employment Type: Contract

Job Description

The Internal Control Officer will ensure compliance with organisational policies, donor regulations, and internal control procedures. He/she will assess financial and operational processes, identify control gaps, and recommend improvements to strengthen accountability and risk management. The role also supports audit exercises, monitors implementation of recommendations, and promotes transparency and efficiency across all departments.

Job Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and continuously improve internal control systems, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance with organisational and donor requirements.
• Conduct periodic reviews of financial and operational processes to identify risks, control gaps, and areas for improvement.
• Ensure internal control frameworks are effectively integrated into all programmatic and administrative functions.
• Conduct regular risk assessments across departments to identify vulnerabilities and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Monitor high-risk transactions and ensure adherence to internal policies and donor guidelines.
• Support management in developing and implementing risk mitigation plans and tracking their progress.
• Ensure compliance with internal policies, donor regulations, and statutory requirements.
• Coordinate internal control reviews and support both internal and external audit exercises.
• Prepare audit responses and monitor the implementation of audit recommendations.
• Provide training and guidance to staff on internal control policies, compliance standards, and ethical practices.
• Promote a culture of accountability, transparency, and risk awareness across the organisation.
• Support departmental heads in developing corrective action plans to address identified gaps.

• Review financial and operational workflows to enhance efficiency and control.

• Recommend automation or system upgrades that improve compliance monitoring and reporting accuracy.

• Collaborate with the finance and operations teams to ensure adequate segregation of duties and approval hierarchies.
• Promote adherence to the organisation's Code of Conduct and Anti-Fraud Policy.
• Manage and document reported irregularities in line with whistleblowing procedures.

Qualifications/Job Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5–7 years of progressive experience in internal control, audit, risk management, or compliance within NGOs, development agencies, or similar organisations.
• Strong knowledge of internal control systems, risk assessment methodologies, and financial management principles.
• Proven experience with donor-funded projects and familiarity with major donor regulations.
• Demonstrated ability to identify control gaps, assess risks, and recommend practical mitigation measures.
• Experience supporting or leading internal and external audit processes.
• Proficiency in accounting and financial software and advanced Excel skills.
• Strong analytical, investigative, and report-writing skills with attention to detail.
• High level of integrity, professional ethics, and commitment to promoting transparency and accountability.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Professional development opportunities.
• A supportive and collaborative working environment.

Note

• Please send your CV on no more than 2 A4 pages (Minimum font size 10) AND an accompanying covering letter of no more than 2 pages (Minimum font size 10) answering the following questions to
• What is your motivation for wanting to join the PIC?

• What are the top three key attributes you would bring to the PIC?

• Only qualified candidates will be contacted.

• PIC may be unable to notify every applicant of the result of their application. If you have therefore not been contacted within 8 weeks of the closing date, then you should assume that your application has been unsuccessful. However, we may retain your data and contact you for future openings that match your skills and competencies.
• Equal employment opportunity statement: PIC is an equal employment employer. We do not engage in practices that discriminate against any person employed or seeking employment based on race, colour, religion, gender, disability, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status, genetic information or any other status or characteristic protected under applicable laws.