Founded in 1952, the Cooperative Housing Foundation—now known simply as CHF International—serves more than 20 million people each year, empowering them to improve their lives and livelihoods for a better future.

CHF currently has programs in more than 25 countries around the world in Africa, Asia, Europe & the Caucasus, Latin America & the Caribbean and the Middle East. In Ghana, CHF works in expanding economic opportunities through microfinance, improving and upgrading slums, expanding access to water and sanitation and engaging the youth in urban service delivery.

CHF is a politically neutral, non-profit organization that prides itself on an approach which is accountable, efficient and effective.

Description Of Job

Location:  Accra with frequent travels to Sekondi
Job Title:  Senior Municipal Finance Officer
Reports To: Program Director
Duration: One Year Contract- Renewable on Annual Basis upon Satisfactory Performance till December 2015

CHF International is a development organization serving more than 20 million people worldwide each year. The organization’s mission is to be a catalyst for long-lasting positive change in low- and moderate-income communities around the world, helping them improve their social, economic, and environmental conditions.

CHF International has been awarded a four-year grant by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to implement IncluCity-(Improving Governance and Services for Ghana’s Urban Poor) Program, in Accra and Sekondi-Takoradi in Ghana.  The program will provide targeted capacity building leading to improve constructive participation of poor urban residents in governance, inclusive planning and budgeting anchored on strong municipal revenue generation.

CHF International is recruiting a Senior Municipal Finance Officer to provide technical assistance to the project’s Municipal Government Partners especially, Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly in exploring innovative approaches in increasing revenue generation for improved municipal service delivery to the urban poor.

The Municipal Finance Specialist to be based in Accra, will occasionally travel to Sekondi-Takoradi, working closely with and supporting the revenue enhancement activities of STMA and AMA.  He/she will work closely with other team members, and particularly with the STMA Project Coordinator, and reporting directly to the Program Director of IncluCity in Accra, in the conduct of daily duties.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

•  Serve as the lead project staff on municipal finance, providing support to the Program Director and Team in through technical assistance in program implementation with partners;
•  Assist STMA and AMA to develop and implement transformative Revenue Improvement Action Plans to increase internally generated revenues;
•  Assist the Program Director  in establishing and maintaining relations (including scheduling and facilitating needed high profile meetings) with relevant public and private sector partners in relation to IncluCity;
•  Assist AMA  and STMA to develop and implement public private investment packages to increase internally generated revenues;
•  Provide on-going financial management support to STMA Finance Staff towards balancing their books;
•  Assist STMA in Annual Fee Fixing Resolutions, with property valuation as an input;
•  Work with consultants to develop  and implement billing and accounting systems for STMA’s property tax and BOP systems;
•  Work with STMA on development of updated database for businesses as part of the BOP system;
•  Study global municipal finance practices, contextualize the lessons and influence IncluCity program’s framework for financial and technical assistance to both  Accra and Sekondi-Takoradi;
•  Monitor and provide support to STMA to operationalize the improved BOP and Property taxes;
•  Conduct annual profitability analysis of the property tax and BOP systems of STMA;
•  Work with advertisers and businesses to raise revenue for the installation and maintenance of Street Name Posts in STMA;
•  Work with STMA to develop and implement a waste resource strategy leading to increased internal revenues for STMA;
•  Provide on-going support to the Budgeting and Rating Departments of STMA and AMA to implementing the improved property tax and BOP systems;
•  Assist in recruiting relevant consultants and reviewing their documentation, related to municipal finance;
•  Prepare and submit monthly  reports on technical assistance to be provided;
•  Contribute to the development of monthly and annual program reports on the project;
•  Assist in the planning, coordination, and documentation of meetings, workshops, seminars and other activities of the project, related to municipal finance; and
•  Document all processes and out puts and lessons learnt on solid waste value chain interventions.

The duties listed above are not inclusive of all duties at CHF International.  CHF reserves the right to change and update the position descriptions at any time.

Qualification Required & Experience

•  Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, public administration, public finance, development studies (or related discipline) or other relevant field required. A professional qualification relating to municipal finance will be a plus;
•  Minimum of 6 years relevant experience in Municipal Financial Planning and budgeting,  public sector reform and finance in related field in either government or development sectors;
•  Experience in fiscal decentralization reforms, including financial management systems to support decentralized common fund management;
•  Demonstrated understanding of Ghana’s fiscal decentralization and municipal finance environment / system;
•  Experience  working  with  a  wide  range  of  stakeholders  including  donors, local  partners, private  and  public  sectors (particularly, metropolitan authorities and municipal services);
•  Demonstrated understanding and experience in Ghana’s local government system and property taxes and BOP systems;
•  Very good written and spoken English language proficiency;
•  High degree of computer literacy; MS Excel and MS Word and experience in GIS will be an added advantage;
•  Excellent organizational skills and ability to determine priorities and respect deadlines;
•  Strong organizational and interpersonal skills;
•  Ability to work in a team-oriented setting; and
•  Experience in working in Ghana

How To Apply For The Job

Please submit a detailed CV to:

 The Project Director
YES Project,
 CHF International/Ghana

or by email to:

aabagre@ghana.chfinternational.org

Closing Date: 20 August, 2012