Job Vacancy For Consultant - Petroleum Economist

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in collaboration with the Ghana Oil and Gas for Inclusive Growth Programme is looking for an oil and gas industry expert with demonstrated experience in transfer pricing, cost accounting and cost engineering, cost assessments and cost audits of International Oil Companies (IOCs) in the upstream sector. The expert is to assist the GRA in carrying out audits of IOCs and also support capacity building in specialised cost auditing and cost engineering techniques for the staff of the Petroleum and Transfer Pricing Units of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

To be considered for this assignment, the consultant(s) will be required to submit an expression of interest indicating in clear terms and timelines the understanding of the assignment, and a detailed six-month work plan to execute the assignment plus a financial proposal. Assessment of EOI will be based on Consultant’s in-depth understanding of Ghana’s upstream revenue administration challenge and the proposed solution to addressing this challenge consistent with the scope and nature of the assignment, as well as the availability of funding to accommodate financial proposal.

Scope and tasks

The assignment shall include:
• Provision of technical expertise to the audit teams undertaking tax, operational and cost audits of international oil companies;
• Provision of onsite mentoring to staff of Petroleum Unit on upstream companies cost classification, engineering and accounting;
• Provision of training to staff of the Petroleum Unit on new developments and specialised audit techniques to avert tax evasion and/or tax avoidance;
• Provision of technical assistance to the staff of the transfer pricing unit in practical conduct of transfer pricing techniques of multinational companies in the oil and gas industry;
• Provision of technical assistance to staff of the transfer pricing and petroleum Units on cost standards and international benchmarks, cost systems and processes;
• Preparation of periodic technical notes and reports on the executed assignments and technical assistance provided to the Petroleum and Transfer Pricing Unit of GRA indicating the outputs and/or outcome of audits conducted with the audit teams of GRA;

Methodology

This project is being implemented in partnership with the government of Ghana’s revenue administration authority, as the GOGIG Programme is set to wrap up by June 2019.
The consultant shall be based on site within GRA and assist the Petroleum and Transfer Pricing Units and audit teams with specialised audits during board-room and desk-based audit of cost data gathered from international oil companies.
Additionally, the Consultant will be required to train staff of the GRA Petroleum and Transfer Pricing Units as well as members of the MAPERC during off-audit periods using a mix of hands-on and classroom training approaches.
Based on an agreed detailed approach and work plan with the GRA, the assignment will be delivered for a six-month period with clear tasks in relation to the deliverables of this assignment for limited input days but renewable for another six-month period based on the Consultant’s performance and availability of funding.
Consultant’s accommodation will be provided for but fees will be paid based on additional revenues identified or loss averted from technical inputs and training provided by Consultant(s) to the audit teams and MAPERC and subject to confirmation of satisfactory achievements of deliverables by the GRA and MAPERC.

About the role

The Consultant is expected to deliver the following outputs on commencement of the assignment:
• An inception report indicating initial engagements with the MAPERC and the relevant authorities at the Ghana Revenue Authority and highlight understanding in clear terms and timelines, a detailed the work plan for delivering assignments agreed with the GRA and MAPERC;

• Technical Assistance Report indicating technical inputs provided for specialised audits that have yielded the additional revenues identified or revenue loss averted;

• Report of mentorship and special training provided to the GRA and MAPERC during the period. The report should indicate clear training topics offered and skills provided. The report should also include an evaluation report of skills upgrade and feedback from GRA staff and MAPERC using the GOGIG training valuation or any standard training evaluation tool;

Requirements to succeed in this role

Qualification

At least a master’s degree in petroleum economics, economics & engineering or other related subjects

General experience required

• An extensive experience in the oil and gas industry working on cost-accounting, cost-engineering, and transfer pricing audits and/or similar positions;
• Good It literacy in Microsoft products, such as Word, Excel, Outlook, etc
• Publications of relevant materials in petroleum taxation and transfer pricing

Industry experience required

• Proven experience in the field of cost accounting and/or cost engineering in an independent oil company, cost audits, taxation, and transfer pricing issues;
• Proven experience and leadership in policy advocacy and policy dialogue;
• Expertise in the provision of technical assistance in cost management and cost controls;
• Ability to train and build technical skills and capabilities;
• Proven experience in working with an independent oil companies;

Facilitation and communication skills required

• Excellent written and spoken skills, in English
• Excellent interpersonal and networking skills
• Good facilitation and negotiation skills
• Superb skills in drafting papers/proposals, reports, training materials and guidelines