Portfolio Manager: South Africa Cities

Clean Air Fund; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1 370 000 - 1 453 000; Full time

Job summary

An environmental organization focused on air quality is seeking a Portfolio Manager to support initiatives in Johannesburg, South Africa. The successful candidate will manage philanthropic projects, support strategic development, and oversee grant management. This role requires significant experience in project management and financial oversight, with an emphasis on air quality issues and community engagement. The organization values diversity and seeks applicants from under-represented groups.

Qualifications

• Alignment with Clean Air Fund's mission, values, and goals.
• Experience in project, programme, or grant management.
• Ability to interrogate grant budgets in financial management.

Responsibilities

• Manage and monitor philanthropic initiatives and programmes.
• Support the South Africa country office and Cities portfolio.
• Oversee a set of grants and manage various projects across the organization.

Skills

Project management

Financial management

Strategic thinking

Team collaboration

Experience in air quality or city governance

Job description

Closing date: 4th January 2026
Salary: ZAR1,370,250 - ZAR 1,452,465
Type of employment: Fixed term until end of December 2027

The Clean Air Fund is looking for a Portfolio Manager to join our team in Johannesburg, South Africa in a newly created role. This is an excellent opportunity to support the growth of a mission-driven organisation tackling one of the world’s biggest health challenges: air pollution.

In the role of Portfolio Manager you will help to deliver the Clean Air Fund’s mission through high quality support to core work areas. This includes the design, management and monitoring of philanthropic initiatives and programmes, project and grant management, as well as the design and management of partnerships and communication efforts. You will also input into the strategy development of their main work area.

The post holder works on projects across multiple teams and task managers in a matrix system and this role will support the South Africa country office and the South Africa Cities portfolio. Tasks will combine managing and supporting a set of grants, as well as managing and supporting a wide range of projects and workstreams across the breath of the organization. You would be responsible for managing your own workload, reporting to task managers who hold ultimate accountability and budgets for the portfolio.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Demonstrable alignment with CAF’s mission, values, and goals.
• Experience in project, programme, or grant management.
• Experience in financial management, including the ability to interrogate grant budgets.
• Experience in working on air quality or in an area relating to the cities strategy (across data, campaign and community engagement, and city governance)
• Demonstrated ability to think and act strategically and to be outcome-focused, with experience in working in teams that design and execute strategies on complex issues.

At Clean Air Fund, we’re guided by purpose and grounded in evidence. Our culture combines clear structures and rigorous frameworks with space for fresh thinking and collaboration across diverse perspectives. We value curiosity, openness and a shared commitment to making a measurable difference.

As an employer, we are committed to ensuring the representation of people from all backgrounds regardless of their gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, disability status, returning parents, carers or any other aspect which makes them unique. We particularly welcome applicants from under-represented groups to apply and would encourage you to let us know if there are steps we can take to ensure that the recruitment process enables you to present yourself in a way that makes you comfortable. We are committed to ensuring the safety and protection of our employees from all forms of harm.

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide individual feedback at the shortlisting stage.