Operational Assurance Officer

Operational Assurance Officer

Vacancy No.: S19071

Category of Contract: National

Position Type: National

Application Deadline: 10/11/2026

Job Posted On: 27/10/2026

Duty Station: Bunia

Country: CONGO, THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE

Grade: National Staff

Duty Station Status: N/A

Accompanied Status: N/A

Duration: 12 Months

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian network, with 191-member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. IFRC uses the Triple R – response, resilience and respect – to deliver on Strategy 2030. IFRC responds to disasters and crises, ensuring timely, coordinated and locally led humanitarian action. IFRC supports its members in building community resilience in the areas of climate and environment, health and wellbeing, and migration and displacement. IFRC promotes respect for our fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality, including in our work on values, power and inclusion. The IFRC focuses throughout on our core mandate – our raison d’être – of strategic and operational coordination, humanitarian diplomacy, National Society development, and accountability.

IFRC is led by its Secretary General and has its Headquarters in Geneva and five regional offices in Africa (Nairobi); the Americas (Panama); Asia Pacific (Kuala Lumpur); Europe (Budapest); and MENA (Beirut) as well as representation offices, service centres and delegations across the globe.

The IFRC has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of integrity (including but not limited to financial misconduct). IFRC also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is responding to an outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), a form of Ebola virus disease, in a complex operating environment characterised by population movement, insecurity, constraints on access to health services and significant risks of continued transmission and geographic spread. The absence of an approved vaccine or specific targeted treatment for the Bundibugyo strain reinforces the importance of early detection, effective infection prevention and control, appropriate clinical and supportive care, safe and dignified burials, and trusted community-based action.

IFRC is supporting the DRC Red Cross to deliver a locally led, community-centred response aligned with national outbreak priorities and coordinated with the Ministry of Health and key technical and humanitarian partners. The response brings together community-based surveillance, risk communication and community engagement, safe and dignified burials, infection prevention and control and WASH, mental health and psychosocial support, clinical care and continuity of essential health services. Through its extensive volunteer and community networks, the DRC Red Cross plays a critical role in strengthening community trust, supporting early detection and referral, promoting protective behaviours and helping communities access timely and appropriate services.

Alongside immediate outbreak control, IFRC's support seeks to strengthen the capacity, systems and operational readiness of the DRC Red Cross and reinforce its auxiliary role to public authorities. The response therefore combines technical and operational support, coordination, surge capacity, resource mobilisation and institutional strengthening, while continuously adapting priorities and interventions to the evolving epidemiological, operational and community context. This approach aims not only to contribute to interrupting transmission and reducing the humanitarian impact of BVD, but also to leave stronger National Society and community capacities for future epidemics and health emergencies.

Job Purpose

Reporting directly to the Operational Assurance Team Lead, the Operational Assurance Officer provides hands-on documentation, verification and follow-up support for the BVD operation in DRC. The Officer is one of up to four Operational Assurance Officers working under the Operational Assurance Team Lead, who is responsible for overall direction, work planning, allocation of coverage, quality oversight and coordination of the operational assurance function.

Within the branches, locations or activities assigned by the Lead, the Officer supports IFRC and DRC Red Cross counterparts to apply agreed risk mitigation measures and volunteer payment protocols. The role collects and checks activity and expenditure evidence, supports volunteer payment reconciliation, maintains records and action trackers, and prepares reporting inputs for review by the Operational Assurance Team Lead and the responsible technical and finance colleagues.

The Operational Assurance Team Officer provides practical support while preserving DRC Red Cross ownership, technical accountability and segregation of financial duties. The position has no staff-management responsibilities, does not set assurance policy or approve exceptions, and does not authorise payments or transfers, certify financial eligibility, or undertake independent audits or investigations. Unresolved issues and risks are referred promptly to the Lead; concerns requiring designated reporting channels are reported in accordance with applicable procedures.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Implement assigned operational assurance activities

• Carry out tasks assigned by the Operational Assurance Team Lead under the joint field implementation plan, applying approved checklists, evidence requirements and deadlines drawn from the 2026 volunteer payment agreement and applicable Project Funding Agreement provisions.
• Update the risk mitigation action tracker for assigned branches or activities, recording progress, missing evidence and matters requiring the Operational Assurance Team Lead’s guidance or specialist decisions.
• Maintain an up-to-date operational tracker for assigned branches or activities, linking approved plans, milestones, reported outputs, expenditure, reporting deadlines, identified risks and outstanding closure actions; flag inconsistencies and overdue decisions to the Operational Assurance Team Lead.
• Liaise with designated IFRC, DRC Red Cross, finance, technical and reporting focal points to obtain documents and clarify routine queries; refer unresolved bottlenecks to the Operational Assurance Team Lead without bypassing agreed controls.

Support timely and complete monthly reporting

• Follow the monthly reporting calendar established by the Operational Assurance Team Lead and complete assigned collection, checking and correction tasks in time for agreed submissions, including the 10th of the following month where specified.
• Collect, organise and submit supporting documents for assigned activities to the agreed consolidation point in Bunia. Assist IFRC and DRC Red Cross finance with source information for the WWPP 5.5 report and technical focal points with evidence of activities, results, variances and challenges.
• Use approved checklists to compare approved plans, physical implementation progress, reported results, activity records, volunteer days, expenditure, commitments, budget coding and supporting evidence. Record material variances, clarify them with responsible colleagues and refer technical and financial judgements through the Operational Assurance Team Lead.
• Prepare assigned reporting files for DRC Red Cross and IFRC reviews; follow up requested corrections and retain validation evidence. Update the Operational Assurance Team Lead, who coordinates the overall review and validation sequence.
• Apply approved checklists to assigned operational revisions, extensions, reporting inputs and closure packages, checking consistency between objectives, targets, activities, reported results, timelines, expenditure and supporting evidence; refer substantive issues to the Operational Assurance Team Lead and responsible specialists.
• Compile schedules and evidence for monthly budget reconciliations and follow-up of outstanding advances, unreported balances and reporting backlogs. Submit assigned readiness information to the Operational Assurance Team Lead without certifying financial eligibility or approving transfers.

Strengthen volunteer payment accuracy and end-to-end traceability

• Compile activity and volunteer information for assigned branches and assist joint review of volunteer lists; check that required Branch President approval is documented before submission for further review.
• Check that each assigned payment file links the volunteer’s identity and unique identifier to the approved activity, location, role, attendance, days and applicable rate, with activity reports and participation evidence required by the protocol.
• Perform checklist-based checks for duplicate names, identifiers and telephone numbers, inconsistent days or rates, missing documents and calculation errors; document findings and follow up corrections with designated counterparts under the Operational Assurance Team Lead’s guidance.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

• Compare assigned payment lists with mobile money statements or signed cash-payment sheets; record failed, partial, duplicate or unconfirmed payments and submit reconciliation schedules and outstanding queries for review.
• Compile evidence for finance review of applicable funding conditions, including the narrative-reporting condition accounting for at least 75% of funds used for previously planned activities and the new consolidated activity plan. Use approved volunteer payment tools and report data issues to the Operational Assurance Team Lead without establishing a parallel payroll.

Participate in joint monitoring and follow up assigned actions

• Participate in joint monitoring with DRC Red Cross and IFRC technical and finance colleagues under plans approved by the Operational Assurance Team Carry out assigned checks of activities, selected trainings, assets and post-distribution evidence using the agreed frequency, sampling and coverage.
• Support arrangements for assigned field visits and remote verification; record observations, evidence limitations and unresolved questions for the Lead’s review rather than treating incomplete evidence as confirmed compliance.
• During assigned monitoring and reporting checks, record relevant community-feedback, inclusion and safeguarding issues and refer them through the Operational Assurance Team Lead to the responsible CEA, PGI, PMER or technical focal points, without independently assessing or managing specialist cases
• Update assigned entries in the exceptions and corrective-action register, follow up agreed deadlines and submit closure evidence to the Operational Assurance Team Lead for review. Promptly report discrepancies, suspected irregularities and repeated delays to the Lead or designated channels as required; do not independently investigate or decide on suspension of funds.

Maintain accessible, secure and review-ready records

• Maintain assigned supporting-document registers using the references and filing structure established by the Operational Assurance Team Lead, linking activities and transactions to their evidence and review history.
• Keep assigned SharePoint records current, with version control and traceable observations and approvals. Follow authorised access arrangements and protect volunteer identity, contact, payment and other sensitive information under applicable data-protection requirements.
• Scan, file, retrieve and transfer original records as instructed, maintaining custody records. Provide documents for reconciliation with IFRC and DRC Red Cross accounting records, including ERP Next where agreed, and respond to audit or management-review requests through the Operational Assurance Team Lead and responsible finance teams.

Support counterparts and contribute to team delivery

• Work to the priorities, branch coverage and deadlines assigned by the Lead; collaborate with fellow Officers and submit own outputs for review. The Operational Assurance Team Lead retains responsibility for allocating work, supervising the team and overseeing quality.
• Maintain constructive, service-oriented relationships with DRC Red Cross counterparts and provide practical guidance on approved documentation, reconciliation, reporting and filing tools; refer training needs and procedural questions to the Operational Assurance Team
• Provide concise updates to the Operational Assurance Team Lead on assigned reporting files, payment status, missing documentation and outstanding actions. Document recurring documentation, reconciliation, reporting and systems issues and submit practical recommendations for improvements to approved templates, guidance, controls and working practices; do not change procedures independently.

Education

• Degree in accounting, finance, business administration, audit, risk management, programme management or a closely related discipline(Required)
• Professional qualification or specialized training in accounting, internal controls, risk management, audit or humanitarian partner financial management(Preffered)

Experience

Required

• At least three years of relevant experience in financial or programme support, expenditure documentation, payment reconciliation, internal controls or operational assurance. Staff supervision or team leadership experience is not required.
• Field experience supporting humanitarian operations or local partners in complex settings, including hands-on verification of activity evidence, payment records and expenditure supporting documents.
• Experience compiling monthly reporting inputs, checking supporting documents, assisting reconciliations and following up missing information or advances; practical experience checking volunteer, incentive or other field-payment records.

Preferred

• Experience in DRC, particularly eastern DRC, and familiarity with branch-level operations, mobile money payments or epidemic-response reporting.
• Experience with the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, IFRC partner-funding arrangements or National Society branch systems.

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

Required

• Working knowledge of expenditure documentation, basic internal controls and segregation of duties; ability to apply approved funding requirements and verification checklists and recognise issues requiring referral.
• Ability to organise assigned tasks, follow the Lead’s direction, check the accuracy of own outputs and work collaboratively with finance, technical and branch counterparts within defined responsibilities.
• Diplomacy and partnership skills to resolve documentation and control issues constructively while maintaining National Society ownership and clear accountability.
• Clear written and verbal communication; ability to compile accurate reporting inputs, document discrepancies objectively and prepare concise progress updates for the Lead’s review.
• Good organisation and deadline-management skills; ability to follow agreed schedules, maintain action trackers and alert the Lead promptly to reporting or payment bottlenecks.
• Strong Excel and reconciliation skills, including duplicate detection, variance analysis and tracking of large payment datasets; meticulous attention to evidence and accuracy.
• Ability to explain approved templates and documentation requirements clearly and provide practical, respectful support to branch counterparts.
• Proficiency in shared electronic filing, document registers and version control; ability to handle identity and financial records securely and work with remote field teams.
• Ability to prioritise under operational pressure, adapt to access constraints and undertake field travel in accordance with security requirements.
• Integrity, discretion and sound judgement; ability to document exceptions objectively and escalate concerns through appropriate channels.
• Good command of French and English

Competencies, Values and Comments

Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability

Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust