Consultant- Senior Specialist, Asset Recovery, Ghana

About the Basel Institute on Governance

The Basel Institute on Governance is a hands-on centre of competence dedicated to promoting good governance and countering corruption for a more peaceful, just and sustainable world. Established in 2003 in Basel, Switzerland, the Institute works with partners worldwide to advance knowledge, practice and policy on anti-corruption, asset recovery and business integrity. With field operations worldwide, it has some 150 staff covering 32 nationalities. The Basel Institute is an Associated Institute of the University of Basel.

The International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) is a specialised centre at the Basel Institute that works together with partner countries to strengthen their capacities to recover illicit assets. We place particular emphasis on hands-on mentoring on investigation methods and confiscation and prosecution strategies, as well as international cooperation. The aim is two-fold: to build capacity and effectively progress cases to the stage of recovery. We also develop and deliver tailor-made training; support legislative and institutional reform processes; and work with other international organisations to advance innovation and global policy dialogue on asset recovery.

Project

With funding from the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), ICAR will be working with Ghana’s anti-corruption and economic crime authorities to strengthen the investigation and prosecution of corruption cases, and support legal and policy reform to strengthen Ghana’s asset recovery regime. ICAR will also deliver bespoke training courses to support programme partners to address specific asset recovery related priorities. The programme is anticipated to be implemented over a three-year period.

Assignment

The Senior Specialist, Asset Recovery will provide case-based assistance to Ghana’s anti-corruption and economic crime authorities to maximise the potential for asset recovery. The Senior Specialist will provide this support on a fly-in-fly-out basis, coordinating their technical assistance to Ghana’s anti-corruption and economic crime authorities with a full-time in-country Senior Specialist, Financial Investigations.

Activities and timeline

It is anticipated that ICAR’s programme of support will commence in Ghana in June 2025. We therefore wish to deploy the Senior Specialist in September 2025. Over the programme period, the consultancy covers up to 180 working days (approximately 60 days working days per year), with the majority of the working days to be utilised in country in Ghana, working with counterpart agencies in person. He/she is expected to do the following:

• Support the development of prosecution strategies for complex corruption-related proceedings through practical mentoring and advice.
• Support efforts to obtain judicial orders for the restraint, seizure and confiscation of proceeds of crime.
• Facilitate international cooperation and evidence gathering by establishing and enhancing channels for international communication and by assisting partner agencies in the drafting of mutual legal assistance requests.
• Design and deliver training tailored to the local law enforcement context with an emphasis on prosecuting corruption and other financial crimes, international mutual legal assistance and asset recovery procedures.
• Promote and embed a strong emphasis on the identification, restraint and confiscation of proceeds of crime as a priority in corruption cases.
• Facilitate domestic agency coordination and collaboration and promote prosecutor-informed joint investigation processes.
• Review legislative frameworks concerning corruption, financial crime and the recovery of proceeds of crime and identify areas for potential amendment.
• Identify opportunities for enhanced uptake, awareness, training, legislative reform and application of non-conviction-based forfeiture (NCBF)powers by the relevant Government of Ghana anti-corruption partner agencies.
• Analyse agency-specific processes and procedures regarding prosecutions and asset recovery proceedings and identify areas for development.
• Engage with local and international partners to establish and maintain relationships for the benefit of enhancing asset recovery capabilities in the target country.
• Support the development of work plans and training calendars.
• Submit progress reports in line with ICAR HQ and donor requirements.

Reporting

The Senior Specialist, Asset Recovery will report to the Head, Africa ICAR.

Qualifications

• A minimum of 10 years of experience conducting legal proceedings for complex financial crime, with a focus on corruption and money laundering prosecutions and/or procedures relating to the restraint and recovery of proceeds of crime.
• Familiarity with non-conviction based forfeiture models.
• Knowledge and experience regarding mutual legal assistance processes and the development of international relationships to facilitate the sharing of intelligence and evidence.
• In-depth understanding of different institutional set-ups and models for asset recovery.
• Demonstrable experience in the design and delivery of training modules within a criminal justice setting.
• Experience providing technical assistance to medium or low-income countries highly desirable.
• Excellent communication, advocacy and interpersonal skills with the ability to contribute to policy discussions with national and international stakeholders.
• Track record in management and leadership and/or change management desirable.
• Demonstrable experience and understanding of the political and socio-economic context of West Africa, with specific insight into Ghana. Experience of living and working in the region is a distinct advantage.
• Excellent written and spoken English including technical capability to prepare concise and comprehensive written reports, presentations and to deliver verbal briefings.