Senior Manager, Investigation (Fraud)

Lead UNOPS' fraud and corruption investigative portfolio, providing strategic direction, managing a dedicated team, and strengthening investigative performance, institutional accountability, and fraud risk management across the organization. Responsible for originating new policies, approaches, and standards for UNOPS' fraud and corruption investigative portfolio and leading the fraud investigations team.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the Fraud investigative portfolio, including monitoring caseloads, establishing priorities, determining investigative strategies and methodologies, and ensuring the timely delivery of investigation services.
• Manage and supervise the Fraud investigations team, including work planning, case allocation, performance management, coaching, quality assurance, and the professional development of investigators.
• Provide functional supervision and quality assurance for personnel responsible for donor reporting and external disclosures relating to fraud and corruption investigations.
• Foster a culture of professionalism, ethical conduct and adherence to IAIG investigative guidelines and international best practices, setting standards of professional conduct and performance across the Fraud investigations team.
• Lead and oversee complex fraud and corruption investigations, including defining investigation plans, directing investigative activities, managing interviews, assessing documentary, financial and electronic evidence, and ensuring investigations are conducted in accordance with UNOPS policies, applicable investigative standards and IAIG investigative guidelines.
• Review allegations within the Fraud portfolio, provide technical guidance to the IAIG intake function, advise on preliminary assessments, and recommend investigation, referral or closure, ensuring consistency and quality of case management.
• Prepare and review investigation reports, ensuring the quality, legal sufficiency, procedural integrity and consistency of investigation products, findings and recommendations.
• Provide oversight and technical guidance to the forensic audit team, including reviewing outputs, ensuring methodological soundness, and integrating forensic audit findings into fraud investigations, as appropriate.
• Oversee investigations involving allegations of procurement fraud, financial misconduct, embezzlement, collusion, bribery, conflicts of interest, and other violations of UNOPS regulations, rules and administrative instructions involving UNOPS personnel, consultants, implementing partners, and other affiliated individuals.
• Safeguard the impartiality, objectivity and independence of investigative processes, ensuring investigations are conducted without undue influence or conflicts of interest.
• Ensure the accuracy and reliability of investigative evidence, the credibility of analysis and findings, and the impartiality of conclusions reached across the Fraud investigative portfolio.
• Prepare and review investigation reports, ensuring they are timely, comprehensive, succinct and legally sound, with accurate evidence, credible analysis, impartial conclusions and recommendations consistent with applicable investigative standards.
• Contribute to the development, implementation and continuous improvement of IAIG investigative policies, procedures, methodologies and guidance relating to fraud and corruption investigations.
• Monitor and analyze investigation trends, identify systemic fraud and corruption risks, and recommend institutional measures to strengthen internal controls, accountability and fraud prevention.
• Advise the Director, Internal Audit & Investigations on institutional risks and appropriate mitigation measures identified through fraud and corruption investigations, supporting informed decision-making and institutional risk management.
• Advise the Director, Internal Audit & Investigations, senior management and other stakeholders on investigation strategy, institutional risks, corrective measures and policy matters relating to fraud, corruption and other financial or integrity-related misconduct.
• Provide authoritative technical expertise on complex investigative matters, supporting sound decision-making and the consistent interpretation and application of applicable investigative standards and institutional requirements.
• Promote organizational awareness and prevention of fraud and corruption through engagement with relevant stakeholders, including Finance, Procurement, Legal, People & Culture (HR), and external partners, identifying emerging risks, trends and lessons learned.
• Represent IAIG in engagements with UN entities, donors, implementing partners, national law enforcement authorities and other external stakeholders on fraud and corruption matters, exchanging information in accordance with applicable disclosure frameworks and legal guidance.
• Contribute to the development and introduction of innovation to ensure UNOPS is continually incorporating best practice approaches in fraud investigation.

Requirements

• An advanced university degree (Master’s equivalent) in law, accounting or other related disciplines with 7 years of relevant experience, OR, a first-level university degree in any of the above disciplines with 9 years of relevant experience.
• Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) or equivalent professional qualification from an internationally-recognized body is strongly desired.
• At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in professional investigatory work, law enforcement/criminal investigations or related fields.
• Experience with conducting, managing and overseeing international investigations is required.
• Experience with UN policies, procedures and operations is desirable.
• Fluent English is required.
• Fluent French is desirable.
• Fluent Spanish is desirable.

Skills

• Fraud Investigation
• Criminal Investigations
• International Investigations
• Fraud Risk Management
• Investigative Leadership
• Policy Development
• Team Management
• Certified Fraud Examiner
• Law Enforcement Experience
• UN Policies and Procedures

Languages

English, French, Spanish