Please Note: This position is no longer accepting applications as the deadline has passed. Thank you for your interest.
Location: Makeni City, Sierra Leone
Organization: International Growth Centre (IGC) and Local Government Revenue Initiative (LoGRI)
Reporting To: Rosetta Wilson, Sierra Leone Project Lead, LoGRI
Background
Makeni City Council (MCC) recognizes property tax as its primary and most viable revenue source. To address the challenges in the current system of identifying and assessing properties for tax purposes and to enhance property tax revenue, IGC, LoGRI and MCC are initiating a comprehensive reform of MCC’s property tax system. This reform involves implementing a technologically advanced, fair, and progressive system for property assessment. The goal is to collect detailed information on properties within Makeni City to support a scalable and context-driven ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) solution.
Scope of Work
The Reform Assistant will support IGC and LoGRI with the effective execution of the MCC property tax reform project. This role involves coordinating administrative and technical tasks, training MCC administrative staff, and acting as a liaison between the project team and MCC administration. The position is full-time for the project’s duration, with working hours from Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, and occasional Saturdays during busy periods.
Deliverables and Responsibilities
Deliverables:
- Undergo training on key aspects of the reform, including valuation methodology, the Moptax system, help desk functions, and internal auditing processes.
- Assist in recruiting relevant staff for the project.
- Train MCC administrative staff on the valuation cycle, including equipment management for fieldwork.
- Develop guidance notes and standard operating procedures for the valuation cycle and internal audit processes.
- Set up and train staff for the enquiries and appeals (E&A) desk at MCC.
- Support initial enquiries and appeals from tax and license payers.
- Assist in automating the payment process.
- Prepare and execute the 2025 Rate Demand Notice (RDN) and Business License (BL) delivery, including printing RDNs and BLs.
- Liaise between the project team, MCC administration, and other relevant third parties.
- Contribute to the sustainable handover of the property tax reform to MCC administration.
- Provide administrative and technical support for MCC and other reform projects.
- Assist with data cleansing, if necessary.
- Perform other ad-hoc duties as directed by the Project Lead.
Responsibilities:
- Meet the defined deliverables.
- Attend relevant project team meetings.
- Troubleshoot and resolve daily issues at MCC.
Qualification and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in business administration, accounting and finance, statistics, IT (with data analysis/data mining exposure), or related fields.
- Minimum of 2 years of experience in a structured professional environment.
Preferred Skills
- Excellent computer and IT skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
- Strategic thinking and strong analytical capabilities.
- Strong monitoring and evaluation skills.
- Effective communication and problem-solving skills.
- Proactive decision-making and strong presentation skills.
- Experience with smartphones and technical knowledge.
- Ability to work in high-pressure environments.
- Experience in conducting training for large groups.
- Experience with fieldwork.
- Strong knowledge of reading maps.
- Commitment to full-time work for the project’s duration.
- Strong work ethic, team player, integrity, and high character.
Essential Traits
- Honesty and Impartiality: Maintain integrity and professionalism, avoid fabricating data or misrepresenting the project, and act impartially and objectively.
- Communication: Confidently express oneself, clearly formulate and delegate tasks, and identify with relevant stakeholders.
- Relationship Builder: Build trust, maintain confidentiality, and show respect to all stakeholders.
- Cultural Awareness: Be sensitive to the cultural expectations of Makeni City communities.
- Accuracy: Achieve the highest level of accuracy and apply fairness and consistency in tasks.
- Endurance: Work full days for the project’s duration.
- Loyalty: Adhere to supervisor and superior instructions.
Contract Duration
The contract is expected to run until March 31, 2025. Exact dates will be confirmed during recruitment. Please note that the role is presented as a ‘consultancy agreement’. Because of that, the contract will be set up by the in-country partner of IGC and LoGRI, and therefore no direct employment to either IGC or LoGRI is being offered.
Remuneration
A competitive remuneration package will be offered.
Application Process
Complete the online application using the link below by Sunday, August 11, 2024, 11:59 pm GMT (midnight).
Link: https://forms.gle/5jrQSJp1BEQWAYKF7
About LoGRI
Cities in the Global South need significant revenue to build infrastructure and provide local services. However, efforts to collect taxes, particularly on property, are often ineffective and inequitable. LoGRI supports governments in raising local revenue more fairly and in ways that promote trust, transparency, and accountability. We do this by:
- Partnering with governments to provide hands-on support and advice
- Conducting collaborative, applied research to inform reform projects
- Developing operational tools, including technology solutions
- Delivering skills training to develop local capacity
We also engage with regional and international stakeholders on local financing issues, to share insights and shape policy.
About The IGC
The IGC is a global research centre with a network of world-leading researchers, country teams across Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East, and a set of global policy initiatives. Based at LSE and in partnership with the University of Oxford, they are majority funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The aim of the IGC’s cities research is to harness the positive aspects of density, such as innovation and interaction between people and firms, while reducing its downsides of pollution, traffic, and disease. Within cities, the IGC works in firms and employment; housing, crime, and urban public services; municipal finance and urban governance; and urban land and transport. The first area of research is answering whether cities actually improve the productivity and welfare of people, particularly poor residents, and what can be done to increase economic opportunities for the poor. Their second area of research is on how city policies can effectively combat city-specific negative outcomes, such as traffic congestion, low housing supply, and disease. Finally, they provide quantitative and spatial models of cities to inform land use and transportation policy in developing cities