African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP)
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Role Overview
AFIDEP is seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Grants Manager to lead the effective management of the Institute's grants portfolio, from pre-award due diligence through to award close-out. The Grants Manager will work closely with the Finance and Programmes teams to ensure that all grants are managed in full compliance with donor requirements and AFIDEP's policies. He/she will play a key role in strengthening the Institute's systems for grants and sub-grants management.
The successful candidate will be a meticulous, results-oriented professional who combines deep technical expertise in grants and contracts management with strong donor compliance knowledge. The Grants Manager will serve as a key link between AFIDEP and its donors, ensuring that grants are managed with rigour, transparency, and accountability to donors, the Board, and stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities
Grants Strategy
**Grants Portfolio Planning: **Contribute to institutional planning by tracking the grants pipeline, funding gaps and renewal timelines across all projects and country offices.
**Proposal Budgeting: **Develop and review budgets and budget narratives for new funding proposals, in collaboration with programme teams.
**Financial Feasibility Review: **Review donor solicitations and draft agreements to assess financial feasibility, flag unfavourable terms, and advise on cost structures and indirect cost recovery rates.
**Cost Recovery Planning: **Support the application of AFIDEP's cost allocation and indirect cost recovery methodology across new and existing grants.
Grants & Donor Compliance Management
**Award Set-up & Activation: **Lead the review and activation of new awards, ensuring donor terms and conditions are understood and translated into internal budgets and compliance checklists.
**Donor Compliance: **Maintain up-to-date knowledge of the compliance requirements of bilateral, multilateral and private foundation donors, and ensure grant implementation adheres to these at all times.
**Grant Close-out: **Coordinate timely and compliant close-out of completed awards, including final financial reporting, asset disposition and documentation archiving.
**Donor & Partner Relations: **Serve as a key point of contact for donors on grants administration matters, managing financial queries and facilitating donor financial reviews.
Financial Monitoring & Reporting
**Budget Monitoring: **Track grant expenditure against approved budgets, flag variances, and work with project teams to ensure spending remains on track and within donor rules.
**Donor Financial Reporting: **Coordinate the preparation and timely submission of accurate financial reports to donors, in compliance with donor requirements and applicable accounting standards (IFRS).
**Management Reporting: **Provide the Finance and Programme leadership with timely, actionable analysis of grants portfolio performance, burn rates and compliance risks.
**Audit Support: **Support internal and external audits related to grants and contracts, maintaining audit-ready documentation and helping implement audit recommendations.
Sub-Grants & Partner Management
**Due Diligence: **Lead financial and organisational due diligence assessments of prospective sub-grantees and implementing partners.
**Sub-Agreement Management: **Draft and manage sub-grant and sub-contract agreements, ensuring donor flow-down clauses are correctly applied.
**Disbursement & Compliance Monitoring: **Track sub-grantee disbursements, review partner financial reports, and monitor compliance with agreed budgets and donor rules.
**Partner Capacity Building: **Build the financial management and compliance capacity of sub-grantees and partner institutions through training and ongoing support.
Risk Management & Systems Development
**Grants Risk Management: **Identify, assess and escalate financial and compliance risks across the grants portfolio, and maintain an up-to-date grants risk log.
**Internal Controls: **Support the design and consistent application of internal controls over grant income, expenditure and sub-grant disbursements.
**Grants Management Systems: **Maintain an accurate, up-to-date grants tracking system and ensure accessible records of all active and closed awards.
**Policy Development: **Contribute to the continuous review and improvement of AFIDEP's grants and sub-grants management policies and procedures.
Identify and escalate risks in grant implementation and contribute to the continuous improvement of AFIDEP's grants management policies and procedures.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Essential
A Master's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, International Development or a related field.
At least [5–7] years of relevant progressive experience in grants and contracts management, preferably within the NGO sector or donor-funded environment.
Strong working knowledge of the compliance requirements of major donors
Demonstrated experience managing sub-grants or sub-contracts to partner organisations.
Professional accounting or grants management qualification (e.g. CPA, ACCA, CIMA) is an added advantage.
Excellent analytical, organisational and financial management skills, with high attention to detail.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain compliance requirements clearly to non-specialists.
Proficiency in financial and grants management software and advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
A collaborative, proactive approach and the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines under minimal supervision.
Desirable
**Audit Management: **Experience supporting internal and external audit processes, including donor financial reviews and statutory audits across multiple jurisdictions.
**ICT Governance: **Familiarity with grants and financial data systems, with an appreciation of data security and system controls relevant to grants management.
**Staff Cost Management: **Familiarity with staff costing as it relates to grant-funded staffing, including donor rules on staff costs, benefits and compliance.
**Grant Management Systems: **Experience with grants management platforms
**Procurement Systems: **Familiarity with procurement policies and processes as they relate to donor compliance and grant-funded purchases in an NGO context.
Competencies
The following competencies are integral to success in this role:
**Strategic Thinking: **Ability to think and plan strategically across a complex, multi-donor grants portfolio; translate institutional and donor priorities into practical financial and compliance plans.
**Financial Acumen: **Deep technical mastery of financial management, accounting standards, and donor compliance requirements; ability to identify financial risks and develop practical solutions.
**Communication & Influence: **Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to present complex financial and compliance information clearly to diverse audiences, including donors, auditors and programme colleagues.
**Integrity & Accountability: **The highest standards of personal and professional ethics; a visible champion for financial transparency and institutional accountability.
**Problem-Solving: **Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities; ability to diagnose complex compliance and financial challenges and design pragmatic, sustainable solutions.
**Relationship Management: **Ability to build and maintain effective, trust-based relationships with donors, partners, auditors, and internal stakeholders.
**Adaptability: **Comfortable working in a dynamic, fast-paced environment; able to manage competing priorities and adapt approaches in response to evolving organisational needs.