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.

POSITION OVERVIEW

JOB PURPOSE

Responsible for high-level programme technical support and coordination, working in a dynamic environment while managing the needs of numerous stakeholders globally while keeping a finger on the pulse of numerous programmes. The Programme Officer (PO) works closely with the Programme Manager, programme team members and other SFA Foundation staff to ensure efficient implementation of the programme and effective collaboration with all role players within the programme. The PO will facilitate smooth flow of knowledge reports, financial reports, procurement processes, grants processes, technical presentations, and proposals, including ensuring partnerships database management, updating, and timely submissions of deliverables and reports.

The overall aim of the PO (Grand Challenges Africa) role is to deliver work within the Science, Innovation, Translation and Entrepreneurship (SITE) programme under the Grand Challenges (GC) Africa Initiative. The Science for Africa Foundation hosts GC Africa as part of the Grand Challenges partner family in collaboration with Gates Foundation.

The GC Africa initiative seeks to promote Africa-led scientific innovations to help countries better achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by awarding seed and scale up grants to the continent’s most impressive solutions.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Programme Goal Setting & Planning

• Work closely with the Programme Manager and other stakeholders to set programme goals and objectives. 
• Work closely with the Programme Manager in the development of various concept notes and proposals for funding including the development of annual budgets; ToRs, annual objectives; procurement plans, and risk registers. 
• Assist Programme in implementing the grants management process through stages of topic development/launch, triage, review, award selection, due diligence, and grant implementation. 
• Assist in developing and monitoring programme-specific performance indicators. 
• Provide quality controls checks to team members on various workflows to ensure compliance and good practice. 
• Work with the Programme Manager to develop and implement project work plans. Monitor progress and ensure that deadlines and deliverables are met. 
• Support the recruitment of programmatic consultants, including assisting with drafting RFPs, ToRs, MoUs and tracking payments against agreed milestones and budgets. 
• Support in the design of various results frameworks (Theory of change, outcome, output, indicators of the programme, reporting tools/schedules). 
• Support the writing and editing of grant proposals and reports, ensuring that proposals are clear, concise, and meet the requirements of funders. 
• Support team members when implementing risk management strategies including various institutional policies and procedures. 
• Support the development of new initiatives and programmes. 

Research and technical support

• Assist the programme manager in gathering and analyzing data to develop evidence-based positions on research and innovation policy issues linked to the core work. 
• Assist in utilising the outputs, networks and relationships created through the Programme to further the organization’s strategic objectives.
• Perform programme-relevant research to inform the development, implementation and delivery of the projects falling within the portfolio. 
• Provide technical support to grantees, includes providing guidance on various aspects of the project. 

Programme Tracking, Evaluation and Reporting 

• With close partnership with the Programme Manager, monitor, track and control outcomes, facilitating program team meetings to ensure performance progress and address any emerging issues. Maintain accurate and up-to[1]date online documentation of program milestones. 
• Assist track programme spending vis-à-vis agreed programme milestones and continuously check the budget reports for accurate reporting to the funder’s agreed milestones. 
• Prepare reports, articles and presentations during programme inception meetings, annual grantee meetings, site visits and other meetings as needed. 
• Work in close collaboration with the M&E team to identify, collate, track, assess quality, analyse and validate, and report on programme-related data. 
• Track and perform relevant analyses on various aspects of programme implementation to identify and address important challenges to ensure effective and efficient programme delivery. 

Communications and Stakeholder Relationship Management

• Provide support in developing and executing a programme communication strategy for all programme stakeholders to ensure timely reporting to internal and external stakeholders. 
• Capture comprehensive stakeholder meeting minutes including action items and deadlines and circulate them promptly to support program implementation. 

Collaboration and facilitation

• Represent SFA Foundation programmes at internal and external meetings when required. 
• Work in close collaboration with SFA Foundation communications team to ensure all content (reports, images, videos, social media posts) is relevant and updated on a timely basis according to what is happening in the programme/programmes. 
• Deliver administrative team duties in support of the programmes within the portfolio e.g. work with SFA Foundation Procurement team to monitor deliverables (including supplies), and being the administrative contact person for programmes within the programme. 
• Support in planning and organise relevant workshops and other activities in furtherance of the objectives of the programmes 
• Maintain a risk register for the programme and a system to document, track and ensure programme issues and challenges are resolved in a timely manner. 
• Liaise with other programmes to enhance collaboration, exchange of information and optimal use of resources. 

Event | Conference Planning and Management 

• Support various networking management activities/ events.
• Plan, organize and coordinate and participate in high-level stakeholder meetings/convenings/round table meetings and taking note of action points and follow up thereafter to ensure stakeholder views are managed towards the best solutions – this entails high-level programme coordination skills in managing various competing priorities with various stakeholders through co-ordinating various meetings such as teleconferences, round table meetings, high-level annual meetings, review meetings that often times run in parallel.
• Scheduling stakeholder meetings and facilitating communication between the programme manager and stakeholders throughout the programme/ initiative life cycle. 

Programme Governance 

• Support the programme in complying with SFA Foundation programme management framework. 
• Follow up on implementation of audit findings / observations from internal & external audits and/or funder due diligence processes and assist with consolidating audit related tasks/documentation. 
• Assist in checking programme complies with all its contractual obligations signed with stakeholders and adheres to all applicable standards. 
• Management of programme documents and records as per SFA Foundation policies and procedures. 
• Efficient and effective management of programme team meetings, programme structures, etc · Provide administrative support to the programme manager including but not limited to managing budgets, scheduling meetings, and preparing reports.

PERSON SPECIFICATIONS

Minimum Academic Qualifications 

• An undergraduate degree in a relevant science field or business management obtained over the past 5 years. 

Professional Qualifications 

• A professional qualification and relevant experience in large-scale programme/programme management or training in research administration, ethics, leadership or related will be an added advantage.

 Experience 

• At least 1-3 years’ experience working in research/research leadership capacity development programme design and implementation on the African continent. 
• Experience in carrying out or coordinating programme management work.

HOW TO APPLY

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

THE APPLICATION DEADLINE FRIDAY, 13 JUNE 2025

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