Job Openings at Masakhane Research Foundation

Position Overview

• The Finance and Grants Officer supports the accurate and timely delivery of day-to-day finance and grants administration across Masakhane Research Foundation.
• Working under the technical guidance of the Senior Finance Officer on finance-related responsibilities and the Senior Grants Manager on grants-related responsibilities, the Officer processes transactions, maintains financial and grant records, coordinates routine compliance requirements, tracks budgets and grant obligations, and prepares information required for reporting and decision-making.
• The role serves as an operational link between Finance, Grants, Programme, Partnerships and Community teams. It helps ensure that financial and grant-management processes are completed accurately, consistently and in accordance with approved policies, procedures, donor requirements and delegated authorities.

Working Relationships

Receives technical direction from:

• Senior Finance Officer for finance, accounting and financial-control responsibilities
• Senior Grants Manager for grant administration, compliance and portfolio-management responsibilities

Works closely with:

• Programme and Partnerships teams
• Budget holders
• Community teams
• Grantees and implementing partners
• External service providers and auditors

Key Responsibilities

Financial Processing and Administration

• Process payments, advances, reimbursements and other routine financial transactions in accordance with approved procedures and delegated authorities.
• Verify that payment requests contain complete and appropriate supporting documentation before submitting them for review and approval.
• Accurately record financial transactions in the relevant accounting and financial-management systems.
• Maintain complete, organised and accessible financial records and supporting documentation.
• Support accounts payable and receivable processes, including tracking outstanding payments, advances and receivables.
• Follow up with staff, budget holders and service providers to resolve missing or incomplete documentation.
• Support month-end and year-end processes by preparing schedules, reconciliations and supporting information for review.

Reconciliations and Financial Records

• Prepare routine bank, account, advance and balance reconciliations for review by the Senior Finance Officer.
• Investigate routine discrepancies and follow up on outstanding reconciliation items.
• Maintain accurate transaction, payment, advance and account records.
• Support the maintenance of a clear and complete audit trail for all financial transactions.
• Escalate unresolved discrepancies, unusual transactions or potential control concerns to the Senior Finance Officer.

Budget Monitoring and Financial Reporting Support

• Maintain approved organisational, programme and grant budgets in the relevant systems and trackers.
• Track expenditure against approved budgets and identify significant variances or emerging concerns for review.
• Prepare routine budget-versus-actual information, expenditure reports and financial schedules.
• Support the preparation of forecasts, donor financial reports and internal management reports.
• Provide accurate and timely financial information to the Senior Finance Officer, Senior Grants Manager, programme teams and budget holders.
• Update financial dashboards and trackers, ensuring that information remains complete and current.

Grant Administration

• Coordinate routine administrative activities across the incoming and outgoing grant lifecycle.
• Maintain complete grant files, including agreements, approved budgets, amendments, due-diligence records, reporting schedules, milestones and correspondence.
• Update grant registers, compliance calendars, reporting trackers and portfolio-management systems.
• Support grant application, assessment, contracting, amendment, renewal and close-out processes.
• Track grant deliverables, reporting deadlines, funding conditions and outstanding actions.
• Coordinate routine follow-up with internal teams, grantees and implementing partners.
• Escalate delayed deliverables, non-compliance or other emerging concerns to the Senior Grants Manager.

Due Diligence and Compliance Support

• Coordinate and document approved risk-based due-diligence processes for prospective grantees and implementing partners.
• Collect and verify required organisational, financial, banking, governance and compliance documentation.
• Record due-diligence findings using approved tools and submit them to the Senior Grants Manager for review and decision-making.
• Monitor routine compliance requirements against grant agreements, donor conditions and Foundation policies.
• Review grantee financial reports and supporting documentation for completeness and consistency.
• Track agreed corrective actions and follow up on outstanding compliance requirements.
• Escalate suspected fraud, safeguarding concerns, conflicts of interest, material non-compliance or significant fiduciary risks immediately through the appropriate channels.

Grant Disbursement and Financial Monitoring

• Prepare grant-disbursement documentation and coordinate the processing of approved payments.
• Confirm that required documentation, reports and milestones have been received before submitting disbursement requests for review.
• Track grant payments, advances, expenditure, balances and liquidation status.
• Support the reconciliation and financial close-out of grants.
• Maintain clear records of disbursement decisions, supporting documentation and approvals.
• Identify discrepancies or emerging financial risks and refer them to the Senior Finance Officer and Senior Grants Manager.
• Ensure that no grant disbursement is processed without the required review and approval.

Audit and Documentation Support

• Maintain complete, accurate and audit-ready finance and grant records.
• Compile supporting documentation, schedules and transaction records requested during internal and external audits.
• Respond to routine document requests and refer technical or judgement-based audit queries to the appropriate senior role holder.
• Track audit and compliance actions assigned to the role and provide timely updates on their status.
• Support implementation of agreed improvements arising from audits, reviews and monitoring activities.

Grantee and Internal Team Support

• Provide practical guidance to grantees on financial documentation, reporting templates, submission requirements and grant-administration processes.
• Support orientations and training sessions for grantees and internal teams.
• Assist budget holders and programme teams to understand routine financial reports, grant requirements and administrative processes.
• Work collaboratively with Finance, Grants, Programme, Partnerships and Community teams to resolve routine administrative issues.
• Apply a supportive and proportionate approach when working with community-based and locally led organisations while maintaining appropriate accountability standards.
• Refer matters requiring policy interpretation, exceptions or management decisions to the relevant senior role holder.

Systems and Process Improvement

• Maintain finance and grants templates, trackers, checklists, standard operating procedures and process documentation.
• Support effective use of accounting, grant-management and digital workflow systems.
• Maintain accurate electronic records and appropriate document archiving.
• Identify recurring administrative challenges and recommend practical process improvements.
• Support improvements to the accessibility, consistency and efficiency of finance and grants processes.
• Contribute to the development of reliable institutional knowledge and records as the Foundation grows.

Qualifications and Experience

Education and Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Development Studies, Project Management or a related field.
• Progress toward a recognised professional accounting qualification, such as CPA or ACCA, is an advantage.
• Relevant training or certification in grants management, donor compliance or project financial management is also an advantage.

Professional Experience

• At least three years of relevant experience in finance, accounting, grants administration, donor-funded programmes or non-profit operations.
• Practical experience processing financial transactions and maintaining complete supporting documentation.
• Experience supporting reconciliations, budget monitoring, financial reporting and audit preparation.
• Experience administering grants or sub-grants, including maintaining grant records, conducting due diligence, tracking compliance and supporting reporting.
• Experience working with community-based, research, technology, philanthropic or international development organisations is an advantage.
• Experience working in a distributed, multicultural or pan-African environment is desirable.

Technical Skills and Competencies

• Sound understanding of basic accounting, financial-management and internal-control principles.
• Good understanding of the grant lifecycle and donor-compliance requirements.
• Strong Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets skills and confidence working with budgets and financial data.
• Experience using accounting, grant-management or workflow systems; familiarity with platforms such as Airtable, Submittable, Salesforce or similar tools is an advantage.
• Strong documentation, records-management and organisational skills.
• Ability to coordinate multiple activities and deadlines while maintaining accuracy.
• Ability to identify inconsistencies, follow up constructively and escalate concerns appropriately.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural collaboration skills.
• High standards of integrity, confidentiality and professional judgement.
• Commitment to equity, transparency, accountability and community-centred ways of working.
• Fluency in written and spoken English; proficiency in French or another African language is an advantage.

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Position Overview

• The Senior Finance Officer is responsible for the effective day to day management and delivery of Masakhane Research Foundation’s finance function, ensuring accurate financial records, strong financial controls, timely reporting and effective budget and cash flow management.
• The role leads core financial processes including month-end close, accounting, reconciliations, financial reporting, cash-flow forecasting, budget monitoring and audit preparation. Reporting  to the Lead, Institutional Finance & Grants, the Senior Finance Officer translates MRF’s institutional financial policies and frameworks into effective financial practice and provides high quality financial information to support organisational decision making.
• The role also provides technical guidance to the Finance & Grants Officer and works closely with budget holders, programme teams and the Senior Grants Manager to ensure sound financial stewardship across MRF’s institutional and grant portfolios

Key Responsibilities

Month-End Close and Accounting

• Lead the monthly financial close process, ensuring transactions are accurately recorded and accounts are complete and up to date.
• Review transaction postings, reconciliations, adjusting journal entries and supporting schedules.
• Review general ledger and balance sheet accounts and ensure outstanding items are investigated and resolved promptly.
• Prepare monthly management accounts and submit complete and financial information for review by the Senior Manager, Institutional Finance & Grants.
• Maintain the integrity and accuracy of MRF’s accounting records.

Internal Controls and Financial Compliance

• Implement and monitor MRF’s financial policies, procedures and internal control framework.
• Review financial transactions and payments for completeness, accuracy, appropriate authorisation and compliance with established policies and delegated authorities.
• Ensure financial processes comply with applicable statutory, regulatory, donor and funder requirements.
• Identify weaknesses in financial controls and recommend practical improvements.
• Support measures to safeguard organisational resources against fraud, error and mismanagement.

Cash Flow and Treasury Management

• Prepare and regularly update organisational cash flow forecasts to ensure adequate liquidity for programme and operational requirements.
• Prepare funding and cash transfer requests based on projected expenditure and funding needs.
• Monitor cash balances, funding flows, receivables and anticipated financial commitments.
• Monitor foreign exchange exposure and support implementation of measures to minimise associated financial risks.
• Escalate emerging liquidity or treasury risks to the Lead, Institutional Finance & Grants.

Budget Monitoring, Forecasting and Variance Analysis

• Support preparation and consolidation of organisational, programme and grant budgets.
• Monitor expenditure against approved budgets and provide regular financial information and BVA’s  to budget holders.
• Conduct detailed variance analysis, investigate significant variances and identify emerging financial risks.
• Work with budget holders to develop appropriate corrective actions and updated forecasts.
• Prepare financial projections and models to support resource planning, funding requirements and management decision-making.

Financial Reporting

• Prepare accurate and timely monthly management accounts, financial statements and internal financial reports.
• Prepare and review financial information required for donor and grant reporting.
• Ensure balance sheet accounts are regularly reconciled and appropriately supported.
• Ensure accounting and financial reporting are undertaken in accordance with applicable accounting standards, organisational policies and donor requirements.
• Provide clear financial analysis to support management and programme decision-making.

 Audit and Assurance

• Coordinate finance preparations for internal and external audits.
• Prepare audit schedules, supporting documentation, reconciliations and clear audit trails.
• Respond to financial audit queries and coordinate timely provision of supporting information.
• Track finance-related audit findings and support implementation of agreed corrective actions.
• Maintain financial records and supporting documentation to ensure continuous audit readiness.

Cross-Functional Financial Support

• Provide technical financial advice to programme teams, budget holders and other non-finance colleagues.
• Support teams to understand budgets, financial reports, expenditure trends and donor financial requirements.
• Deliver practical training and guidance on financial policies, systems, controls and budget management.
• Promote shared accountability for sound financial stewardship across the organisation.

Team Support and Systems Improvement

• Provide day to day technical guidance and coaching to the Finance & Grants Officer on finance related responsibilities.
• Review finance work for accuracy, completeness and compliance with established procedures.
• Support consistent application of financial processes and controls across the organisation.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen financial systems, workflows, automation and reporting.
• Contribute to the continuous development of MRF’s institutional finance capability as the organisation grows.

Education and Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Economics or a related field.
• CPA, ACCA or equivalent recognised professional accounting qualification is strongly preferred.

Professional Experience

• At least 5–7 years of progressively responsible experience in accounting and financial management, preferably within a non-profit, research, philanthropic or international development organisation.
• Strong practical experience in month-end close, general ledger management, reconciliations, financial reporting and financial controls.
• Demonstrated experience in budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management and financial analysis.
• Experience managing the financial requirements of donor-funded grants and programmes.
• Experience supporting internal and external audits and maintaining audit-ready financial records.
• Experience providing technical financial support to non-finance colleagues and budget holders.
• Experience working within distributed or cross-cultural teams, ideally in a pan-African environment, is an advantage.

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Position Overview

• Leads and is accountable for the development, governance and performance of MRF’s institutional finance and grants management function. The Senior Lead, Institutional Finance and Grants Management establishes the strategic frameworks, policies, controls, systems and delegated authorities required to manage institutional resources and the full grants portfolio responsibly. The
• Senior Lead, Institutional Finance and Grants Management provides oversight of financial sustainability, organisational risk, donor compliance, institutional reporting and team performance, while delegating the day-to-day management of finance and grants activities to the relevant role holders. This position reports to the Director of the Masakhane African Languages Hub.

Key Responsibilities

Institutional Finance & Grants Architecture

• Lead the development and continuous strengthening of MRF's organisation-wide finance and grants management systems, policies, procedures and controls.
• Build a scalable institutional framework capable of supporting MRF's growth, multiple funding streams and increasingly complex donor and partnership arrangements.
• Establish clear processes for the full grants lifecycle, from funding opportunity and grant acceptance through implementation, reporting, close-out and audit.
• Develop appropriate institutional frameworks for incoming grants, outgoing grants, sub-grants and fiscal sponsorship arrangements.
• Establish grants governance, approval authorities, risk thresholds, due diligence standards and escalation mechanisms.
• Work with leadership to strengthen financial planning, institutional sustainability, reserves, cost recovery and appropriate allocation of organisational/core costs.
• Ensure finance and grants systems remain proportionate to MRF's size and values while meeting fiduciary, statutory and donor requirements.

Project Financial Management & Oversight

• Lead the annual budgeting process and provide high level financial analysis and forecasting to ensure long-term program sustainability. Develop financial strategies aligned with project goals across diverse regional contexts.
• Oversee the project finance team in monitoring all accounts, including General Ledger (GL), bank reconciliations, and balance sheet accounts. Maintain and continuously improve internal controls and financial policies.
• Collaborate with teams to ensure accurate donor reporting and financial forecasting. Ensure full compliance with donor regulations and local statutory laws in all operating countries.
• Serve as the primary focal point for internal and external audits to maintain "clean" reports. Troubleshoot financial issues and implement risk mitigation measures throughout program implementation.

Incoming and Outgoing Grants Management

Incoming grants

• Oversee the financial and compliance aspects of MRF's incoming grant portfolio, from proposal development and due diligence through contracting, implementation, reporting and close-out.
• Review donor agreements and funding conditions to identify financial, operational, compliance and institutional risks before acceptance.
• Establish systems for tracking grant obligations, restricted funding, reporting requirements, expenditure, co financing and key compliance milestones.
• Work closely with leadership and programme teams to ensure new funding is financially viable and contributes appropriately to MRF's institutional sustainability.

Outgoing grants and fiscal sponsorship

• Lead the design and oversight of MRF's outgoing grants, sub-granting and fiscal sponsorship mechanisms.
• Establish proportionate processes for partner assessment, due diligence, contracting, disbursement, financial monitoring and grant close-out.
• Ensure grant-making mechanisms balance fiduciary responsibility with Masakhane's commitment to accessible, community-centred funding.
• Develop differentiated risk and compliance approaches appropriate to the size, maturity and context of grantees rather than applying a uniform compliance model.
• Ensure communities and partners receive appropriate financial management support throughout the grant lifecycle.

Capacity Strengthening & Technical Assistance

• Institutional Development: In collaboration with project teams, provide advisory support to  grantees on sound financial management to help them successfully implement projects.
• Sustainability Coaching: Support the design and delivery of demand-driven technical assistance focused on financial sustainability, enabling community organizations to secure diverse funding and absorb larger grants over time.
• Partner Readiness: Work to develop a pipeline of "funding-ready" community partners through training, monitoring, and onsite compliance visits.

Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Provide ongoing coaching to finance staff to enhance their ability to troubleshoot complex issues and collaborate across project functions.
• Design and implement a delegation of authority (DoA) matrix that empowers staff while maintaining oversight of high risk transactions.
• Balance distribution of tasks across the team to prevent burnout during peak reporting and audit seasons.

Education and Professional Certification

• Master’s degree or higher in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field required.
• Active professional certification (CPA, ACCA, CA, or equivalent) is strictly required.
• Specialized certification in grant management, financial risk, or executive leadership (e.g., PMP, CRA, or equivalent) strongly preferred.

Professional Experience

• 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in executive financial management and multi-million dollar grants oversight, with at least 5 years in a senior strategic leadership role within international non-profits, philanthropic foundations, or global research institutes.
• Proven track record of designing, modernizing, and scaling enterprise-wide financial architecture, risk management frameworks, internal controls, and compliance systems.
• Demonstrated mastery of the end-to-end lifecycle of complex, multi-donor incoming and outgoing grants, sub-awards, fiscal sponsorships, and consortium funding models.
• Expert compliance knowledge of major international donors, governmental aid agencies, and private philanthropic foundations.
• Extensive experience building, mentoring, and directing high-performing, geographically dispersed finance teams across pan-African and international contexts.