Senior Asset Recovery Specialist, Sub-Saharan Africa

Job Opening

Job title:                   Senior Asset Recovery Specialist

Place of work:           Sub-Saharan Africa, exact location TBD

Start date:                 September 2021 or shortly thereafter

Employment rate:     100%

Contract duration:     1 year (with potential for extension)

Reporting:                 Head of Programmes, ICAR

About the International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR)

ICAR is a specialist centre of the Basel Institute on Governance that works with countries around the world to strengthen their capacities to recover stolen assets. Particular emphasis is placed on hands-on mentoring to assist law enforcement practitioners to conduct financial investigations, develop suitable strategies for the prosecution of corruption offences, and to identify, restrain and confiscate proceeds of crime. ICAR also supports legislative and institutional reform processes, develops and delivers tailor-made training, and works with other international organisations to advance innovation and global policy dialogue on asset recovery.

ICAR programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa

The presence of ICAR experts in the Sub-Saharan Africa region dates back to 2014. Since then, we have been providing case-based mentoring, institutional strengthening, training, and legal and policy reform support to anti-corruption institutions in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda and, most recently, Zimbabwe, through various donor-funded programmes. The goal of these programmes is to strengthen asset recovery value chains, including through regional and international cooperation.

To build on the work done to date, and due to the expansion of selected programmes to include multiple agencies, we are looking for a full-time Senior Asset Recovery Specialist to strengthen these institutions’ capacity, with a particular focus on prosecution and asset recovery strategy and practice.

Responsibilities

The post holder will work in a team of two, together with an in-country Senior Investigation

Specialist, under the supervision of the ICAR Head of Programmes. Key responsibilities include:

• Supporting the development of prosecution strategies for complex corruption-related proceedings through practical mentoring and advice.
• Supporting efforts to obtain judicial orders for the restraint, seizure, and confiscation of proceeds of crime.
• Facilitating 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.
• Designing and delivering 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.
• Promoting and embedding a strong emphasis on the identification, restraint, and confiscation of proceeds of crime as a priority in corruption cases.
• Facilitating domestic agency coordination and collaboration and promoting prosecutor-informed joint investigation processes.
• Reviewing legislative frameworks concerning corruption, financial crime and the recovery of proceeds of crime and identifying areas for potential amendment.
• Analysing agency-specific processes and procedures regarding prosecutions and asset recovery proceedings and identifying areas for development.
• Engaging with local and international partners to establish and maintain relationships for the benefit of enhancing asset recovery capabilities in the target country.
• Supporting the development of workplans and training calendars.
• Submitting progress reports in line with ICAR HQ and donor requirements.

Qualifications

• At least 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.
• Experience with conviction and 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 and interpersonal skills with the ability to contribute to policy discussions with national and international stakeholders.
• Professional track record in management and leadership.
• Excellent speaking and writing fluency in English.

Remuneration package

The salary will be commensurate to experience and responsibility. Additional allowances for field staff may apply, including health allowance, accommodation allowance and one home leave flight per 12-month period. The position is entitled to 25 days of paid leave per 12- month period and 5 days of paid home leave per 12-month period.

Application

Please email your full application file, including a motivational letter in English and your detailed CV (merged into a single PDF file) by 23 July 2021 to [email protected]. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Equal opportunity employer

The Basel Institute is an equal opportunity employer. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.