HQAI is a young and rapidly growing NGO. Since 2016, more than 60 organisations worldwide have used HQAI’s services and we contracted 40 independent auditors from 18 different countries to create a significant auditing capacity.
HQAI’s business projections for the next five years are promising and we are looking to increase our global pool of registered auditors.
Are you an independent consultant? Do you have experience of quality assurance in the humanitarian & development sector or in quality/ethical standards? Do you have experience in financial auditing?
Read more about what it takes – and what it means – to join our team of independent auditors.
Auditors are the backbone of HQAI and are often our most visible representatives. We value their work and we are very attentive to the recruitment and training process of auditors. Auditors conduct third- party audits as per HQAI’s independent quality assurance procedures and the requirements of the applicable standards. Currently, HQAI works with the Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (CHS). Tools related to other standards may be developed in the future.
We operate with a pool of independent auditors who are registered with HQAI, which means that they have successfully completed HQAI-specific training. Our auditors are qualified professionals from different backgrounds and with different experiences as auditors and/or in the humanitarian and development sector. HQAI offers regular opportunities for trainings and joint auditor meetings (virtual and online) to foster exchange and mutual learning. In addition to this peer support, HQAI’s quality assurance team offers constant support during audits and beyond and conducts regular quality-controls to ensure each auditor remains up-to-speed.
Auditors working with HQAI are active members of the humanitarian and development eco-system. Through the audits, they have unique opportunities to thoroughly assess organisations of different sizes and types, in various contexts. Auditors travel to different countries and locations for onsite visits as part of the audit process. HQAI has security policies in place and offers its auditors a comprehensive travel and risk insurance. HQAI has policies & procedures for the prevention & protection of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, which all auditors are required to adhere to.
Qualities:
The attitude and performance of auditors strongly influences HQAI’s image and the professionalism of its services. A number of essential qualities are therefore critical in the selection process and are assessed regularly during the training path and beyond. HQAI auditors should be:
- Ethical, i.e. fair, truthful, sincere, honest and discreet
- Open-minded, i.e. willing to consider alternative ideas or points of view
- Diplomatic, i.e. tactful in dealing with people
- Perceptive and observant, i.e. instinctively aware of and able to understand situations
- Decisive, i.e. reaches timely conclusions based on logical reasoning and analysis
- Impartial and objective, i.e. ability to make unbiased audit observations and conclusions
- Professional, i.e. exhibiting a courteous, conscientious and generally business-like conduct in the workplace.
Experience: Auditors with HQAI should have
At least 10 years work experience in the humanitarian & development sector in strategic levels implementing quality or accountability management systems; or, as an auditor in ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 37001, ISAE 3000, institutional donors due diligence assessments and other relevant quality management system standards.
Have experience working in a variety of geographical locations and in different contexts.
In principle, auditors need to be able to prove their status as independent consultant. We request that candidates provide two credentials from previous recent employment positions or consulting assignments.
HQAI is currently developing its capacity to audit against new sets of standards and core donor due diligence criteria. Applications from consultants with proven financial auditing experience will be given priority. Experience with ECHO, DFID, DANIDA assessments would be a plus.
Becoming an HQAI auditor is a multistep process. Read more here.
How to apply
If you wish to register for the training, or have questions on the requirements, profiles or administrative issues, please reach out to HQAI’s Head of Quality Assurance:
Elissa Goucem
E-Mail: egoucem@hqai.org
Registrations are accepted until February 28th, 2022.
The final test of the HQAI e-learning must be taken before March 15, 2022.
Confirmation of the registration in the online training will be provided at the latest on March 30, 2022. The online auditor training will take place virtually from April 18th – 22nd, 2022.
More on the detailed steps and requirements here.
