ORGANISATION OVERVIEW

The Science for Africa Foundation (SFA Foundation) is a non-profit, public charity organisation that supports, strengthens and promotes science innovation in Africa. The goal of the SFA Foundation is to address the continent’s most pressing developmental needs by generating scientific knowledge that solves problems and informs decision-making.

We serve the African research ecosystem by funding excellent research and innovation ideas, enabling interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, building and reinforcing environments that are conducive for scientists to thrive, and producing quality research that generates new, locally relevant knowledge.

The SFA Foundation takes a holistic approach to the development of science. Our programmatic initiatives are crafted to cater to the entire science ecosystem and span across the value chain from early discovery sciences to translation sciences and target cross-cutting gaps.

Our commitment to strengthening the entire research ecosystem is reflected in the creation of major science and innovation programmes implemented through a well-established grant-making scheme, advocacy and promotion of scientific excellence, emphasis on intra-Africa collaboration and evidence-based policymaking mechanisms.

THE SFA FOUNDATION GRADUATE TRAINEE PROGRAMME

Are you passionate about science, and what enables the delivery of the same? Are you eager to learn and take on new challenges? Do you possess strong analytical and problem-solving skills and possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills coupled with the ability to work well in a team-oriented environment? Then explore the graduate trainee openings within SFA Foundation.

We invite talented and driven individuals to join our Graduate Trainee Programme for a fixed-term period of one year. Although the programme does not guarantee employment at SFA Foundation, it prepares trainees by giving them the necessary experience.

We are looking for motivated candidates who are eager to grow, innovate, and make an impact. Our Graduate Trainee Programme offers the perfect chance to launch your career. With hands-on training, mentorship, and real exposure, you will develop the expertise needed to excel in a dynamic, collaborative, and supportive environment.  

POSITION OVERVIEW

JOB PURPOSE

This position is designed as a developmental learning opportunity for a highly motivated graduate seeking exposure to business process management, policy and procedure coordination, quality management, document and records management, and project support within the SFA Foundation.

Under the guidance and supervision of the Business Optimisation Services team, the Graduate Trainee will support day-to-day coordination, documentation, analysis, follow-up, and administrative activities that enable BOS to deliver structured support to departments across the Foundation.

The role provides structured hands-on exposure to process mapping, process improvement, requirements documentation, policy and standard operating procedures (SOPs) coordination, quality review activities, service catalogue development, project documentation, and user acceptance testing support. The trainee will contribute to background research, meeting coordination, drafting, records updates, action tracking, and preparation of internal knowledge products that support operational excellence.

This position is intended for a candidate with a strong interest in business analysis, process improvement, organisational effectiveness, project coordination, and digital transformation who is eager to build foundational professional skills, apply analytical thinking in a guided environment, and progressively develop competencies in business optimisation.

SFA Foundation is committed to fostering a culture grounded in Respect, Accountability, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I), and Excellence. We seek individuals who embody these values in their work and interactions.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Learn and support the documentation of business processes by assisting in capturing process steps, roles, inputs, outputs, timelines, risks, controls, and improvement opportunities under close supervision.
• Assist in preparing process maps, swimlane diagrams, process narratives, RACI matrices, and related BPM documentation using approved BOS templates and standards.
• Support coordination of process review sessions, workshops, and validation meetings, including scheduling, preparing materials, taking notes, documenting feedback, and tracking action points.
• Support the maintenance of the organisational process inventory, document tracker, service catalogue tracker, and related BOS registers to ensure records are accurate, complete, and up to date.
• Assist in policy, SOP, framework, guideline, and template coordination activities, including updating registers, tracking review status, following up with document owners, and supporting version control.
• Learn how to review documents for completeness, consistency, alignment to approved templates, and basic quality checks before escalation to relevant owners or approvers.
• Support quality management activities by assisting in the preparation of checklists, review tools, quality logs, improvement trackers, lessons learnt summaries, and feedback analysis.
• Assist in gathering, organising, and synthesising information from departments to support business case development, requirements gathering, system enhancement requests, and process improvement initiatives.
• Support project coordination activities for BOS-supported initiatives, including meeting coordination, action tracking, issue logging, risk updates, document filing, and preparation of status update inputs.
• Participate in user acceptance testing support activities by assisting with test script preparation, test evidence compilation, issue logs, and user acceptance testing (UAT) summary documentation under guidance.
• Support the organisation and management of BOS information and records using approved internal repositories, naming conventions, filing structures, and document control practices.
• Contribute to internal knowledge products such as summaries, presentations, briefing notes, dashboards, reports, and lessons learnt documents related to BOS initiatives.
• Actively participate in structured learning, mentoring, feedback sessions, and continuous improvement discussions, and progressively apply acquired knowledge and skills in day-to-day tasks.

PERSON SPECIFICATIONS

Academic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Business Information Technology, Information Systems, Project Management, Operations Management, Quality Management, Public Administration, Development Studies, or a related field.

Professional Qualifications

• Any relevant field.

Experience

• No prior work experience is required. Internship, volunteer, academic project, or attachment experience in business analysis, project coordination, process documentation, operations support, research, administration, or digital transformation will be an added advantage

Knowledge, Skills and Attributes

• Strong research, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organisational and coordination skills, with the ability to follow through on assigned tasks.
• Interest in business process management, policy and procedure coordination, quality improvement, project support, and digital transformation.
• Ability to synthesise information and produce clear summaries, meeting notes, and structured documentation.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks, meet timelines, and ask for clarification when required.
• Professionalism, discretion, and respect for confidential organisational information.

Leadership Competencies

• Demonstrates curiosity, openness to feedback, and ability to apply new knowledge.
• Takes responsibility for assigned tasks and meets deadlines reliably.
• Communicates clearly and professionally with colleagues and stakeholders.
• Collaborates effectively and contributes positively to team objectives.
• Shows developing ability to analyse information and support problem-solving.
• Adjusts to changing environments and proactively supports tasks and learning.

ORGANISATIONAL VALUES

All SFA Foundation staff are expected to uphold and demonstrate the organisation’s core values in the execution of their duties:

• Respect: Demonstrates cultural sensitivity and professionalism in all interactions.
• Accountability: Takes ownership of responsibilities and follows through on commitments.
• Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity (DIE): Committed to inclusive practices and equitable decision-making.
• Excellence: Strives for continuous improvement and consistently delivers high-quality outputs.

HOW TO APPLY

Should you meet the competencies above, please submit your application by clicking the APPLY button below.

THE APPLICATION DEADLINE IS TUESDAY, 1 SEPTEMBER 2026

SFA Foundation has a commitment to safeguarding people and the environment, and this forms part of our background checks.