Non-Tax Revenue Collection Advisor (short-term)

Background:

Nathan is a leading provider of analytic and economic consultancy services worldwide. In the past decade, we have implemented more than 120 projects in more than 50 countries leveraging our global presence in Washington DC, London, and India. From improved transparency and deeper stakeholder engagement to more effective policies and more resilient businesses, we deliver results that impact economic growth, human development, and poverty reduction.

Nathan is implementing the USAID Zambia Revenue for Growth Project (R4G). R4G supports the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) in its efforts to improve domestic revenue mobilization and expand the fiscal space for public spending and investments in service delivery and poverty reduction. R4G engages both government and non-government stakeholders to build capacity in tax policy analysis, improve tax compliance and administration, and strengthen the tax culture in a manner that facilitates private sector growth and accountability relationships between taxpayers and the GRZ.

R4G is comprised of the following four Objectives:

• Objective 1: Improve Tax and Non-Tax Revenue Administration and Compliance;
• Objective 2: Strengthen Tax Policy;
• Objective 3: Enhance Public-Private Dialogue; and
• Objective 4: Enhance the GRZ’s capacity to address other emerging strategic issues.

KEY RESPOSIBILITIES:

In Zambia, Government ministries charge fees for various services they provide. Similarly, various quasi-government regulatory bodies levy fees for various licenses that they grant. Government regulatory bodies also collect penalty fees for offenses committed. The Fees and Fines Act provides for the amounts of fees and fines, expressed in terms of the fee units and penalty units. However, many fees charged by Government units are not cost reflective and there is currently no policy for the consistent adjustment of non-tax revenue to reflect the costs of collection. Lately, a number of Government services have been digitized, which can be paid through an online portal using debit/credit cards, mobile money or digital banking. However, most fees remain outdated and many services are provided through manual processes, which may result in the inefficient and ineffective provision of services. The GRZ believes there is a need to implement reforms and adopt best practices in the collection of Government fees to ensure improvement in public service delivery and enhancement of domestic resource mobilization.

To address this need, R4G is seeking a short-term Non-Tax Revenue Collection Advisor to conduct the following tasks:

1. Train GRZ staff on methods used to review non-tax revenue (fees and fines) and collection systems;
2. Support GRZ staff in reviewing collection systems for selected non-tax revenues in Zambia; and
3. Support GRZ staff in drafting a report on the status of collection systems for selected non-tax revenue, which will include findings and recommendations.

All support will be provided remotely unless otherwise agreed. This activity is projected to start in mid- to late August 2022 and be completed by September 25, 2022. The timing and payment of the deliverables will be agreed with the candidate selected for this position. The Non-Tax Revenue Collection Advisor will report to the R4G Chief of Party (COP) or his designee.

Nathan is seeking a short-term Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) Advisor to support R4G’s PPD activities under Objective 3 that are intended to build private sector and civil society capacity to contribute to an informed dialogue on taxation and ensure that public input informs decision-making on the mobilization and use of public resources.

Qualifications & SKILLS:

The Non-Tax Revenue Collection Advisor is expected to possess the following qualifications and skills:

• Master’s Degree in in economics accounting, IT systems or other relevant discipline or related discipline;
• 10+ years’ experience designing, implementing and/or assessing collection systems for non-tax (fees and fines) revenue, preferably while working for a government body;
• Experience in training government officials in assessing and improving non-tax (fees and fines) revenue collection systems;
• Experience in drafting reports detailing the efficiency and effectiveness of non-tax revenue collection systems, including recommendations for improvements;
• Demonstrated ability to interact effectively with senior government officials;
• Excellent oral and written English communication skills; and
• Knowledge of current non-tax revenues in Zambia preferred but not required.