Konteh was first appointed to Cabinet as Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Development by President Ernest Bai Koroma shortly after his election on 17 September 2007.

Konteh is currently a candidate for the leadership of the All People's Congress (APC party) ahead of the 2023 Sierra Leone presidential and parliamentary elections.

In-between life and work, Konteh continued to educate himself in short courses and certificates in Small Scale Industries Promotion; Public Relations; Non-violent CONFLICT PREVENTION THROUGH EARLY WARNING AND EARLY RESPONSE; conflict resolution, peacebuilding and reconciliation jointly awarded by the Kroc Institute, University of Notre Dame and Catholic Relief Services conducted at the University of Notre Dame in the United States of America.

Konteh's professional career started with the Wesleyan Church of Sierra Leone (WCSL) where he served as associate director of Planning and Development from 1992 to 1993.

Between May 2000 and July 2002, Konteh was the Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, for the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Babadorie, Freetown.

Konteh joined the Catholic Relief Services - Sierra Leone (CRS-SL) in August 2000 as Programme Manager, Monitoring and Evaluation; Justice and Peace.

[11][12][13] In June 2014, Konteh was relieved of his duty as Chief Minister,[14] detained for some time, released on bail and prosecuted for various alleged offences.

Honourable Justice John Rosolu Bankole Thompson who headed Commission Number 2 of the three Commissions of Inquiry blasted the Bio regime for misusing the COI in a manner that was "not reasonable or permissible" and also "not cognizable" under the COI legal framework that President Bio had sent for approval to Parliament[17] After a lengthy appeals court process, on February 9, 2023, the Appeals Court of Sierra Leone vindicated Dr. Richard Konteh and issued him a "Certificate of Discharge," clearing him of all adverse findings contained in the infamous Justice Biobele Commission of Inquiry (COI) report and the associated "White Paper."

In 2020 it was announced that the All People's Congress (APC) would hold their convention to elect a new leader that will challenge president Julius Maada Bio of the SLPP who is facing re-election for a second five-year term in 2023.

Konteh announced his candidacy for the leadership of the All People's Congress (APC party) ahead of the 2023 Sierra Leone presidential and parliamentary elections.

Several reports have raised concerns regarding irregularities in the voting process, with some observers characterizing the event as resembling a coronation rather than a conventional competitive election.