Risk and Compliance Advisor

The Vacancy

Are you a committed compliance and risk professional looking to apply your expertise to improve humanitarian action? Join Start Network — a growing, values-driven network transforming the way crises are anticipated and responded to globally.

WHAT IS START NETWORK?

Our purpose is to be a catalyst for system-level change that improves the efficiency, effectiveness

and ethics of humanitarian action. We do this by working as a network to develop, test & spread

new ways of collaborating and resourcing locally-led crisis response and anticipation.

Our current membership is made up of over 130 local, national and international NGOs based all

around the world. We also support 10 national and regional hubs made up of civil society

organisations and NGOs as our vehicle for devolving power, resources and accountability

THE ROLE

The Risk and Compliance Advisor forms a key part of the Assurance Team, which provides confidence to senior leadership and the Board that Start Network’s risk management and control environment is effective.

The postholder will support organisation‑wide risk management, compliance processes and member capacity strengthening. This role requires excellent communication skills, sound judgement, and the ability to navigate complex issues calmly and logically.

Risk Management: Support organisation‑wide risk identification, assessment and monitoring; maintain risk registers; embed risk processes in planning and decision‑making.

Investigations: Coordinate external investigations into fraud, corruption and anti-money laundering, including managing specialists.

Sanctions & Vetting: Support vetting processes and keep vetting data accurate and up to date.

Compliance: Deliver compliance spot checks, ensure donor due‑diligence commitments are met

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

We’re looking for someone with solid experience in risk, assurance and compliance, who can confidently support teams across a fast‑moving, values‑driven humanitarian network. You’ll bring strong analytical skills, excellent communication, and the ability to manage complex cases, including fraud and corruption matters. You’ll be comfortable working with diverse stakeholders, handling sensitive information, and supporting organisation‑wide risk processes.

You should be confident using data and digital tools, able to explain complex issues clearly, and proactive in strengthening risk management and compliance systems.

Experience in the humanitarian or nonprofit sector, professional risk qualifications, or experience in capacity strengthening are a bonus but not essential.

OUR VALUES

WE PUT PEOPLE FIRST: Communities come first in our decision-making and programming.

WE ARE BRAVE: We have great ambition and are willing to explore new things and take risks to achieve it

WE OPERATE COLLECTIVELY: We leverage the value of working as a network, sharing risk and resources, and learning together.

WE ARE INCLUSIVE: We see the value in diverse perspectives and work to remove the barriers that prevent voices from being heard.

WE ARE OPEN: We work transparently and with integrity, building mutual trust in all levels of our work, from governance to programming.

WE ARE ETHICAL: We behave and operate based on key principles of anti-racism, non-discrimination, and anti-colonialism. This is a work in progress.

OUR OFFER TO YOU

• Being a part of a network involved in bringing change to the humanitarian sector.
• Hybrid working with options to work from home and remotely to support your work/life balance
• Employee Assistance Programme through Smart Health (depends on the country based)
• Family friendly policies, e.g., flexible working, maternity policy, parental leave and more!
• 25 days’ holiday (if UK based) plus 2 company days over the End of Year period for all staff (depends on the country based)

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

Our roles are open to discussion about flexible working. For part-time working and job-shares, please get in touch with us before putting in an application.

Start Network is committed to protecting people, particularly children, at-risk adults and affected populations from any harm. We are also committed to safeguarding staff from any forms of bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and abuse of power as outlined in the Dignity at Work policy. Start Network embraces diversity, promotes equality of opportunity and eliminates unlawful discrimination. We are an equal opportunities employer and treat every application on merit alone. We particularly encourage applications from disabled, BAME, LGBTQ+ and non-binary candidates. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet our essential selection criteria set out in the Person Profile.

APPLICATION

Please contact the People and Culture Team if you have any questions or need support with your application. Please email P&C team. 

We use Be Applied, our online recruitment platform which uses anonymised applications and predictive, skill-based assessments which are blind- reviewed to reduce bias.

Closing date: 10th April 2026

Date for 1st Interview:  Week commencing 13th April (Subject to change)

Date for 2nd Interview: Week commencing 27th April   (Subject to change)

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications and we may review candidates on an ongoing basis, so please apply early where possible to avoid disappointment.

Any offer of employment will be conditional subject to relevant checks. Please refer to our privacy candidate privacy notice regarding treatment of your data. Start Network also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. The core of the scheme is that participating organisations share information about safeguarding-related misconduct (i.e., sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment) that a candidate has been found to have committed during employment, or incidents under investigation when the candidate left employment. For more information regarding this scheme, please visit our website. 

The Company

Start Network is made up of more than 90 non-governmental organisations across five continents, ranging from large international organisations to local and national NGOs. Our programmes allow members to deliver humanitarian action around the world.

Our mission is to create a new era of humanitarian action that will save even more lives. We aren’t driven by media headlines or political will, we’re here for the communities affected by and at risk of crises.

We are an organisation committed to doing things differently. For some roles, we need more technical humanitarian expertise, but for other roles, we are looking for relevant transferable skills, the right attitude, and a passion to bring change.