Public Sector Ethics and Integrity Advisor

Job Description

KEY INFORMATION
Position:  Public Sector Ethics and Integrity Advisor  
Location:  Remote role with field missions in different locations in South Africa  
Position type: Part-time consultancy with an estimated level of effort of 50 days per year   
Duration: 1 year, renewable over the life of the project (2025-2030)  
Supervisor: SEIGG Project Director 


BACKGROUND
The SEIGG project will support the South African government in its efforts to enhance accountability, efficiency, and transparency in the public administration for inclusive and gender-responsive governance through TA and capacity building at national, provincial and municipal levels. This will be achieved through three intermediate outcomes: 

1100 - The improved prevention, protection and response against harassment, including sexual harassment, across public administrations in South Africa.

1200 - The strengthened oversight, management and professional conduct for ethics, integrity and disciplinary management matters in the public administration. 

1300 - The strengthened prevention, monitoring and detection of public procurement corruption with a focus on climate and energy sectors. 

At the central and provincial levels, SEIGG will work with key entities such as the PAEIDTAU and its Transformation and Workplace Environment Management (TWEM) Unit, the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer (OCPO) of National Treasury and Provincial Treasuries, and representatives from National and Provincial Departments involved in ethics, investigations and labor relations that process corruption, harassment and other disciplinary or malpractice cases. At the municipal level, SEIGG will expand the Policy on Prevention & Elimination of Harassment in Public Service (PPEH) and Lifestyle Audits (LSA), collaborating with TWEM, PAEIDTAU, the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), with pilot activities in eight municipalities. 

The SEIGG project is currently in the Project Implementation Plan (PIP) period, from February 27, 2025 to August 22, 2025. The implementation period will start with the PIP approval from Global Affairs Canada and the South African counterparts. 


DESCRIPTION OF THE POSITION
Reporting directly to the SEIGG project director, and working in close collaboration with the project coordinator in South Africa and each of the component leads, the Public Sector Ethics and Integrity Advisor will provide strategic, all-encompassing high-level advice in Ethics and Integrity to the PAEIDTAU and OCPO. 


KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
The Public Sector Ethics and Integrity Advisor will: 

• Participate in bi-weekly team update and coordination meetings with the SEIGG project management and implementation teams. 
• Provide high-level advice to the project leads (IO 1100, 1200 and 1300) on ethics and integrity matters related to: 
• the development of minimum standards and guidelines on reporting mechanisms and channels when witnessing cases of unethical behavior. 
• The development of regulations and Lifestyle Investigation professional standards related to Lifestyle Audits, adapted to the municipal level. 
• Guiding the team leads and the PAEIDTAU on the development of an Integrated Ethics Management Framework for the whole of South Africa’s public service, integrating the prevention of harassment in the workplace, the implementation of lifestyle audits at the national, provincial, and municipal levels, and the streamlining of effective discipline management practices to consolidate and align ethics and integrity-related interventions. 
• Development of  strategies in relation to the management of ethics in the post-employment phase from the public administration. 
• Development of procurement risk assessment frameworks for selected departments and providing advice on capacity building interventions. 
• Support any other task which may be deemed necessary by the SEIGG Project Director. 

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Advanced degree in law, public administration, ethics, human resource management, or a related field. 
• Minimum 10 years of experience in ethics, integrity, or compliance roles. 
• At least 2 years of direct experience working in the area of public sector ethics in developing and middle-income countries, preferably in Sub-Saharan Africa. 
• Demonstrated experience of at least 3 years in the specific areas listed below: 
• Experience working in, or with, an ethics watchdog institution, or non-governmental organization 
• Experience working on the legal or regulatory oversight of public organizations 
• Experience in conflict-of-interest management or oversight 
• Experience introducing or implementing institutional reform in the public sector 
• Experience with the implementation of lifestyle audits within the public sector will be considered a strong asset. 
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and analytical skills. 
• Professional fluency in English is essential; French will be considered a strong asset. 

APPLICATION PROCESS 
Candidates are encouraged to apply by September 12, 2025/as soon as possible by submitting a presentation letter and their CV on Cowater International’s employment portal.  Please include your all-inclusive daily rate for this mandate in the application letter. 

For your application to be considered, please upload your documents as followed: Candidate Last Name, First Name, date, Title of the Position. 

We thank all applicants, however only those shortlisted will be contacted. 

About the Organization

ABOUT US
Founded in 1985, Cowater International is a leading global development consulting company. Headquartered in Ottawa and with corporate hubs in Auckland, Berlin, Brussels, Helsinki, London, Madrid, Manila, Nairobi, Singapore and Stockholm, Cowater International has successfully delivered a portfolio of over 2,500 projects and assignments in more than 95 countries. We work with governments, private sector actors and communities implementing projects that support socio-economic development, institutional strengthening, environmental improvements and advance equal opportunities for all. We are a diverse and experienced team committed to building a better tomorrow for the people we serve. Our adaptive approach to management has led to our yearly award-winning work and recognition as one of Canada's Best Managed Companies since 2017. 

We thank you for your interest in building a better tomorrow with Cowater International.