Swisscontact is an independent non-profit development organisation established in 1959 by representatives of the Swiss private sector and civil society. Our development work focuses on private sector-led, sustainable economic development with improved quality of life for all in developing and emerging countries. A key focus is to strengthen the skills of individuals and foster the competitiveness of businesses.

The organisation is currently active in over 130 projects in 41 countries with around 1100 employees. It is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland.

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Senior Compliance Officer to join our team in Zurich, Switzerland . This role is pivotal in shaping the further development of our compliance and audit function and enhancing our impact across 40 countries.

Your role will be to actively accompany and promote this process. You will work closely with business administration teams in our regions, operations, business development and HR to ensure that our compliance and audit processes and tools are up-to date. In this role, you will directly report to the Director Finance and Technology at Swisscontact.

We are looking for a new team member for our Zurich office by 1 March 2026 , or by agreement.

Your responsibilities

• Further develop and maintain the global risk management and internal control system (ICS)
• Coordinate the overall internal audit plan and conduct/participate in some internal audits in international subsidiaries
• Coordinate the group audits and external audits abroad in collaboration with our Group Auditor
• Carrying out operational risk management, establishing the internal control system and implementing internal controls
• Prepare and implement management responses to group auditors
• Lead compliance projects, e.g. the rollout of due diligence processes for donors and partner institutions
• Establish and implement a globally applicable data protection standard (Swiss Data Protection Law), take over the role as a Swiss Data Protection Officer
• Design and deliver training sessions on compliance policies and internal guidelines
• Support projects by advising on compliance and risk management aspects, as needed

Your profile

• University degree in business, law, finance, compliance, audit or a related field
• At least 7 years in compliance, risk management, or internal audit at an international level – ideally within NGOs, development cooperation, or international/multinational organisations
• Strong expertise in governance, risk management, compliance, and internal audit – both nationally and internationally
• Experience in enterprise risk management (ERM) and ICS: implementation, development, and operational execution
• Analytical and conceptual strength combined with a proactive, results-oriented hands-on approach
• Excellent communication skills and confidence when interacting with different departments and committee levels
• Well understanding of Swiss legislation and regulations related to compliance and risk management relevant for Swisscontact (e.g. Swiss Data Protection Law, Swiss GAAP FER, ZEWO)
• Good understanding of e-compliance, ERPs and AI-tools is an advantage
• Proficiency in English and German, knowledge of French and/or Spanish is a plus

Swisscontact offers attractive working conditions in an international and multicultural context. We see our work as a joint effort in an agile organizational culture: mutual respect, trust and teamwork.

We look forward to receiving your online application by 11 January 2026 , with the following documents: cover letter, resume, certificates, and references Please apply exclusively via the online application portal on our website . For further information please visit www.swisscontact.org .