Background
The African Climate Foundation (ACF) is the first and only African-led climate change re-granting organisation on the continent. Through a combination of grant making, fellowships, transformational research, technical assistance, coalition building and advocacy the ACF seeks to support interventions at the nexus of climate change, and development that have the greatest potential to deliver long-term socio-economic transformation and inclusive development. ACF also provides Fiscal Hosting (also called Fiscal Sponsorship) services to support emerging and mission aligned organisations and initiatives.
Purpose
The Grants Specialist is a key member of the ACF team, reporting to the Senior Grants Manager.
The role is responsible for end-to-end grants management coordination, with a strong focus on due diligence, compliance, and grant agreement management, ensuring that all investments are processed with accuracy, consistency, and in line with ACF’s governance and operational standards.
The Grants Specialist works across all programme areas, collaborating closely with Programmes, Finance, MEL, Legal, and the Executive Office to support efficient, compliant, and well-coordinated grantmaking processes. The role could also supports contracting and oversight for fiscally hosted initiatives.
Responsibilities include but not limited to:
Strategic Grant Making & Sector Engagement:
- Maintain awareness of priority funding areas and remain abreast of relevant research, activities, and trends in the philanthropic sector.
- Support resolution of complex grant scenarios, liaising with Finance and/or Legal where required.
- Maintain and build effective working relationships with external partners and stakeholders.
Grants Compliance, Due Diligence, Risk & Internal Controls:
- Draft, review, and coordinate Grant, Consultancy, and Sponsorship Agreements and amendments, supporting negotiation and execution with partners.
- Coordinate due diligence processes across grants, consultancies, and sponsorships, ensuring completeness, accuracy, and appropriate risk assessment prior to approval.
- Review and validate due diligence documentation (organisational, financial, governance, and compliance) in line with ACF’s Grants Assurance Framework.
- Ensure adherence to internal policies, Delegation of Authority (DoA), and applicable regulatory and donor requirements.
- Monitor grants for legal, financial, and programmatic compliance, maintaining complete and accurate records across grant files and systems.
- Identify and escalate compliance and operational risks, supporting mitigation actions as needed.
- Support compliance aspects of Requests for Proposals (RfPs), including alignment with due diligence and documentation requirements.
- Maintain and contribute to the continuous improvement of internal controls, workflows, templates, and documentation to ensure consistency, audit readiness, and process integrity.
Grants Operations, Systems & Data Management:
- Administer the grants management system (GivingData), ensuring data integrity, completeness, and alignment with compliance and reporting requirements.
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date grant records, including due diligence, approvals, agreements, and reporting documentation.
- Support data validation and reconciliation efforts across Grants and Finance to ensure consistency and reliability of records.
- Generate reports for Programmes, Finance, and the Board, with a focus on compliance, risk, and portfolio insights.
Proposal Review & Governance Support:
- Coordinate and chair proposal review meetings and support effective preparation of materials for decision-making.
- Manage administrative and coordination tasks related to proposal review and governance processes.
Capacity Building, Training & Organisational Enablement:
- Support the development of training materials and standard operating procedures (SOPs) with the Grants Team.
- Ensure all staff are knowledgeable about grants management processes and technology to the level required by their roles.
- Provide guidance and informal training to staff on grants processes and systems where needed.
Cross-Functional Coordination & Partner Support:
- Work closely with Finance, MEL, Programmes, and Legal to ensure seamless coordination across the grant lifecycle, from due diligence through to contracting, disbursement, and reporting.
- Support partners in navigating ACF’s due diligence and contracting requirements, ensuring clarity while maintaining compliance standards.
- Track and follow up on outstanding due diligence items, agreements, and conditions precedent to ensure timely progression to disbursement.
Requirements include but are not limited to:
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Social Sciences, Project Management, or related field.
- Minimum 5 - 7 years relevant working experience in grantmaking, philanthropy, or programme/grants administration.
- Demonstrated experience in due diligence, compliance, and contract/agreement coordination within a grantmaking or similar environment.
- Working knowledge of regulatory, audit, and donor compliance requirements.
- Experience working with grant management systems (e.g. GivingData, Fluxx, Salesforce) and maintaining high-quality data and documentation standards.
- Strong organisational and coordination skills, with the ability to manage multiple processes and deadlines simultaneously.
- High level of accuracy and attention to detail, particularly in documentation, compliance, and data management.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft and review formal documentation (e.g. agreements, reports).
- Ability to work effectively across teams and manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
- Sound judgement and problem-solving ability, with the capacity to identify risks and escalate appropriately.
- Proactive, self-motivated, and able to work independently while contributing to a collaborative team environment.
- High levels of integrity, discretion, and professionalism.
Start date: Position available immediately.
Contract duration: 12 months (renewable based on mutual agreement).
Location: ACF’s operational hub is in Cape Town, South Africa. Remote working will be considered for candidates based in Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya and South Africa.
Closing date: 23 April 2026.
For further information about the ACF, visit www.africanclimatefoundation.org.
Should you not hear back from us by 30 June 2026, please consider your application to be unsuccessful.
The ACF strives to be an equitable organisation with a team which reflects the diversity of Africa.
In compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), The ACF assures all applicants that any personal information provided during the recruitment process will be treated with the utmost confidentiality and used solely for recruitment purposes. Your privacy and data security are of paramount importance to us. By applying for this position, you consent to the collection, processing, and storage of your personal information for recruitment-related activities only. The ACF is committed to safeguarding your privacy and maintaining the trust you place in us.
