Audit and Regulatory Advisor - USAID Ghana Fiscal Accountability Strengthening Activity

Job Description

Research Triangle Institute (RTI) has over 30 years’ experience assisting governments, communities, and the private sector. As a not-for-profit, independent research institute based in North Carolina, USA, RTI has roughly 6,000 employees with global experience implementing international development projects. RTI’s Sustainable Growth & Resilience (SG&R) technical unit within the International Development Group brings together RTI experts and capabilities across food security, agriculture, energy, environment, water, governance, and economic opportunity. SG&R will leverage RTI’s experience designing and delivering multisectoral programming and technical solutions to respond to climate change, build resilience, and promote economic growth around the world.

The RTI Center for Governance promotes strong, stable societies by empowering people and strengthening institutions. Building on the RTI’s decades-long legacy of leading governance projects around the world, the Center works to increase transparency and accountability, mitigate corruption, and help government actors to better deliver on the needs of citizens. Boasting a global reach, the RTI Center for Governance includes partners, expertise, and learning from major initiatives spanning sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia. The Center leverages RTI’s longstanding local partnerships to bring together governments, civil society, the private sector, and communities to define problems and jointly create sustainable solutions in countries around the world.

Project Description

The purpose of the USAID Ghana Fiscal Accountability Strengthening Activity (FASA) is to promote the transparent, accountable, and inclusive management of public finances at the national and subnational levels, with a focus on achieving higher quality and more responsive public sector service delivery. The anticipated program will be based in Ghana and promote constructive behaviors against three main objectives:

1. Enhanced external audit and parliamentary scrutiny;
2. Improved accounting, financial reporting, and compliance to fiscal policy;
3. Strengthened control, predictability, and transparency in budget execution.

Position Description

RTI is seeking an Audit and Regulatory Advisor (Objective 1 Lead) for the USAID Ghana FASA project. The Objective 1 Lead will be responsible for oversight and management of activities pertaining to the objective of enhanced external audit and parliamentary scrutiny. This position will report to the Chief of Party (COP) and would be based in Accra. Ghana

Position is contingent upon award and funding.

• Oversee all FASA specialists and consultants delivering technical assistance, capacity building, and systems strengthening related to external audit and parliamentary scrutiny.
• Work with the Ghana Audit Service (GAS) and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to conduct participatory assessments of institutional strengthening needs related to staff, systems, and behavioral drivers of needs and associated change.
• Lead co-creation of technical assistance, capacity building and systems strengthening programs for GAS and PAC.
• Assess and suggest refinements to communications and interaction protocols among GAS, PAC, and the Internal Audit Agency (IAA).

• Work with GAS to strengthen its overall communications systems and practices, with particular attention to effectively interact with the public and the media.
• Identify and develop programs to support GAS and PAC in achieving provisions and targets of the Public Financial Management Act of 2016 and Ghana’s Five-Year PFM Strategy.
• Work with the COP and other Objective Leads, ensure technical and implementation coordination across Objectives.
• As defined by USAID and the FASA COP, coordinate with technical advisors operating under the auspices of other donor programs.
• Other duties as assigned by the COP.

• Bachelor’s Degree and 12 years of experience, Master’s degree and 10 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Five years’ substantive experience working with counterparts at various levels of government as well as other stakeholders in strengthening audit and parliamentary scrutiny functions and systems.
• Experience collaborating effectively with relevant governmental and non-governmental entities in Ghana.

• Experience with USAID, World Bank, EU, FCDO, GIZ, or another relevant international donor project strongly preferred.
• Experience engaging with the government and building capacity of government officials.
• Prior experience with Ghana’s Public audit Committee (PAC) strongly preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Proven ability to work under pressure, and with multiple concurrent demands.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work throughout Ghana.
• Fluency in oral and written English.
• Fluency in one or more local languages strongly preferred.

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