Senior Officer - Grants Management

International Water Management Institute (IWMI); Pretoria; On-site; ZAR 300,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

A global research institute is seeking a Senior Officer - Grants Management in Pretoria, South Africa. The role involves overseeing partnership grants, monitoring project activities, and ensuring compliance with policies. Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree in a relevant field and possess at least five years of experience in grant management. This position offers a competitive salary and benefits, and applications are open until August 10, 2025.

Benefits

Health insurance

Life insurance

Long-term disability coverage

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in project finance and grant management in SADC countries.
• Experience monitoring partner activities and deliverables.
• Fluency in English for effective communication.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the administration of partnership grants.
• Track partner progress and ensure timely project implementation.
• Engage with partners to facilitate information exchange.

Skills

Financial tracking

Project management

Communication skills

Administrative coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, business administration

Tools

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems

Project management software

Job description

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a CGIAR Research Center, is on the lookout for a talented & impact driven individual to join our team in Pretoria, South Africa, as a Senior Officer - Grants Management.

Under the supervision of the Project Leader/s for the Water & Soil Accelerator/AICCRA and WE4F Secretariat projects, the Senior Officer - Grants Management is responsible for tracking partner progress and monitoring partner deliverables to support efficient project implementation. The role involves engaging with partners and teams to align services, maintaining the flow of information, and organizing visits and activities with collaborators. The Senior Officer - Grants Management ensures the timely and quality delivery of partner activities by maintaining organised records, escalating issues, and upholding due diligence processes in operational activities.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Grants Management,

• Oversee the administration of partnership grants throughout their lifecycle—from application setup to close-out—with a focus on performance and financial management
• Develop, update, and maintain grant manuals, templates, and forms to ensure partner applications/scopes of work/workplans are supported and compliant with IWMI policies and procedures
• Provide grant/finance management training to contracted partners, advising them on relevant IWMI policies and ensuring they are well-equipped for effective implementation
• Monitor and review partner progress reports, process payments promptly, and assess or implement grant modifications as needed
• Maintain accurate and organized partner documentation (both electronically and in hard copy) while coordinating with IWMI HQ on due diligence, anti-corruption efforts, financial systems, and fund requests for local operations
• Support the procurement process for partners and local vendors, and assist in preparing contractual deliverables and reporting as required
  
  

Project Partner Administration and Coordination,

• Track partner progress on project activities, work plans, budgets, and schedules while advising partners on potential operational delivery challenges and risks to ensure timely implementation.
• Engage and coordinate with partners and internal teams to facilitate the exchange of information and align services for seamless execution of partner related activities
• Document partner meetings with minutes, track follow-up actions, collect and organize data, prepare and edit presentations, and verify reports to ensure accurate and timely project administration
• Monitor partner deliverables and expenditures to ensure alignment with contractual agreements, escalating any potential issues to the project manager as needed
  
  

Engagement & Collaboration,

• Communicate with corporate services and administrative teams to ensure the alignment of operational services
• Maintain the flow of information to ensure that the Project Leader and team members can disseminate relevant updates to stakeholders in a timely and appropriate manner
• Organize visits and activities with partners, such as environmental and social safeguard screenings, field visits, and partner progress checks, to ensure a productive and impactful experience for all parties involved
• Communicate with partner offices to schedule meetings, plan project activities, and track progress, including monitoring expenditures and periodic update meetings to ensure the successful implementation of the project
  
  

Delivery of Timely and Quality Services,

• Identify and escalate potential issues that affect the timely delivery of operational support services, and implement corrective actions to maintain adherence to project timelines
• Ensure that project information is up-to-date and accessible to relevant stakeholders
• Ensure that the implementation of project operations activities follows due diligence processes
  
  

Requirements

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

Essential,

• Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, business administration, or a relevant field
• At least 05 years of experience in project finance and grant management in Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries
• Experience tracking project activities and maintaining work plans
• Experience implementing administrative activities related to the monitoring of partner activities and deliverables.
• Experience consolidating reports and documenting meetings
  
  

Desirable,

• Experience working in an international, not-for-profit organization or a management consulting firm is an advantage
  
  

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

Essential

• Proficiency in financial tracking, payment processing, and expenditure reconciliation
• Ability to coordinate with external partners, providing support and follow-ups
• Ability to spot operational delays early and initiate corrective steps
• Fluency in English is essential to communicate in writing and speaking.
  
  

Desirable,

• Knowledge of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and project management software
  
  

Benefits

This is a nationally recruited position and only South African nationals will be considered. IWMI offers a competitive salary and benefits package, inclusive of health insurance, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, and long-term disability coverage. The duration of the contract will initially be for a period of two (02) years with the possibility of extension.

HOW TO APPLY: Apply for the position by following the application instructions at www.iwmi.org/jobs. We will be accepting applications through 24:00 (IST) on August 10, 2025 (applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis). Your application must include a CV, cover letter, and three (3) references, which may be contacted if you are shortlisted. Receipt of all applications will be acknowledged, but only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

IWMI believes that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. We offer a multi-cultural, multi-color, multi-generational and multi-disciplinary working environment. We are consciously creating an inclusive organization that reflects our global character and our commitment to gender equity. We, therefore, encourage applicants from all cultures, races, ethnicities, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, and gender identities.