Risk, Governance and Compliance Intern at Save the Children

Risk, Governance and Compliance Intern at Save the Children – Save the Children Kenya Job Details

About the Role

Save the Children is recruiting a Risk, Governance and Compliance Intern for its Kenya operations based in Nairobi. This is a full-time position reporting to the Internal Controls and Compliance Coordinator. The intern will play a central role in strengthening the organisation’s compliance framework, supporting external audit processes, and embedding a culture of governance across Save the Children’s programmes and partner networks.

The role spans four core compliance areas: external audit coordination, donor compliance, partnership oversight, and internal systems management. You will work across finance and programme teams to ensure Save the Children meets all regulatory obligations and donor requirements while maintaining robust internal controls. NGO jobs in Kenya often require someone who can bridge technical compliance knowledge with stakeholder engagement — this position offers exactly that scope.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate all phases of external audits, including scheduling, document preparation, auditor communication, and field office accompaniment; track audit findings and ensure corrective actions are implemented across relevant departments.
• Compile donor regulations and compliance requirements for all Save the Children Kenya programme funders (including USAID, EC, ECHO, DFID, and UN bodies) and distribute to relevant staff to maintain awareness of changing guidelines.
• Conduct training sessions for budget holders, programme staff, and partners on donor compliance regulations; ensure understanding of compliance obligations at new award start-up meetings.
• Visit field offices and review internal processes (financial and non-financial) against Save the Children policies and donor guidelines; document findings and report to the Line Manager.
• Review award files, reports, and supporting documents ahead of donor audits to verify completeness and test compliance against donor requirements.
• Support fraud investigation cases as they arise, working under the supervision of the Line Manager.
• Manage document retention systems to ensure alignment with donor guidelines and establish secure archiving processes.
• Brief operations teams, finance, and partners on updates to donor regulations and coordinate implementation of policy changes across the organisation.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor of Commerce degree in Finance or equivalent qualification.
• Professional accounting certification: CPA Part II or ACCA II (or equivalent progress towards certification).
• Demonstrated experience or familiarity with auditing, grants/awards management, or donor compliance frameworks.
• Working knowledge of compliance regulations for major international donors: USAID, EC, ECHO, DFID, and UN bodies.
• Proficiency in accounting software and general computer applications; ability to use spreadsheets and databases to manage compliance data.
• Strong written and verbal English; ability to communicate complex compliance information clearly and concisely to non-specialist audiences.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to influence, negotiate, and coach colleagues and partners; demonstrated cultural awareness and ability to work in diverse, international environments.
• Willingness to travel to field locations on a regular basis (up to 50% of working time); flexibility to adjust work hours and practices in response to organisational emergencies.

What to Expect

• You will work closely with finance, programme, and senior management teams, giving you broad exposure to NGO operations and governance frameworks across multiple donor relationships.
• Regular field visits will keep your work grounded in real implementation contexts, allowing you to understand how policies translate into practice at the grassroots level.
• The Risk, Governance and Compliance Intern at Save the Children position in Nairobi is open to qualified candidates. Click Apply below to submit your application.