Grants Officer

Overview

The purpose of the role is to lead the implementation of the pilot grant-making processes for a new fund (LFI), and to ensure that the design and management of the LFI reflects the goal of political independence, sound financial and administrative practice, and a decolonial, accessible, and responsive approach to strengthening South African Civil Society organisations.

Grants Officer at ACT Ubumbano

• Region:
  Johannesburg
• Type of employment:
  Full time

• Lead the execution of LFI’s pilot grant cycle including targeted calls, application support, grant review and decision-making processes, disbursements, and reporting.
• Ensure grant-making adheres to LFI’s core principles: political independence, decolonised practice, strong accountability, and responsive support.
• Develop and refine grant-making criteria across categories—CBOs, networks, advice centres, and specialised organisations.
• Oversee and ensure complete audit trails for all grant administrative actions in line with LFI’s transparency standards.
• Build working relationships with civil society organisations who are grantees, including et al networks, advice centres, and community organisations.
• Contribute to the design of governance development: advisory structures, oversight mechanisms, and the transition plan toward a fully independent Institute board.

• Oversee development of application forms, budget templates, reporting tools, and review processes.
• Co-design and test policies for grant-making, safeguarding, financial management, and governance for the emerging Institute.
• Work with BMG Partners to refine GMS processes and ensure the system supports targeted, transparent, and efficient grant flows.

• Support sustainability planning by identifying and cultivating new funding opportunities, including partnerships that align with the LFI’s core principles

• Coordinate the evaluation committee, oversight committee, and joint KT-ACT review processes.
• Prepare documents for quarterly reports, mid-term evaluation, and KT board inputs.
• Oversee implementation of the pilot’s desktop analysis of the civil society landscape.
• Ensure alignment between ACT Ubumbano systems and LFI-specific processes.
• Oversee engagement with the independent MEAL consultant and any other consultants.
• Lead the development of the 6 month mid-term report and recommendations on Institute establishment.

• With the team, review grant proposals received through the Leverage Fund Institute.
• Provide accompaniment support to grant partners, including technical and strategic support where appropriate.
• Conduct regular on-site visits for relationship building with grant partners where necessary.
• Identify learnings and insights from the grant reports.
• Identify and accompany grantees requiring organisational strengthening, particularly in financial management.
• Work with ACT Ubumbano programme staff to integrate learning hub methodologies.
• Lead the management of the grants portfolio to maximise support to grant partners and minimise risk to the Leverage Fund Institute.
• Sign off on grant partners financial and narrative reports.

• Ensure compliance with approval protocols in the financial management system and GMS.
• Provide coordination on documentation and administrative processes to ensure compliance and healthy, timeous reporting is maintained.
• Support internal and external audit preparation.

• Provide project coordination and related support activities to new projects.
• Attend and participate in staff meetings, organisational reviews and planning as well as other meetings that relate to the work of the Institute.
• Contribute to team-wide communications and knowledge management and participate in organisation wide events and discussions on related topics/projects.

• Postgraduate qualification or RPL in a relevant field such as Business Development/Social Sciences/Development Studies.

• 5-7 years’ experience in Grant-making, Programme Management, Civil…