JOB PURPOSE

The Senior Programme Officer – Research Management will play a strategic and technical role in strengthening research management and operational systems across DELTAS Africa grantee institutions. The position supports institutional governance, compliance, and sustainability by providing targeted technical assistance in grants management, financial practice standards (such as GFGP), and capacity building.

The role contributes to building resilient, accountable, and high-performing African research ecosystems, enabling institutions to lead and thrive in an evolving science landscape. The successful candidate will have a strong understanding of research operations and be passionate about enabling African institutions to drive institutional excellence through robust, compliant, and adaptive systems.

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

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Institutional Research Management Support

• Provide technical guidance to grantee institutions in research governance, grant administration, procurement, ethics, and reporting.
• Conduct assessments to identify capacity gaps and operational risks and develop improvement plans tailored to each institution.
• Collaborate with institutions to strengthen research enabling environments and governance structures.
• Lead the co-creation of research operations improvement strategies with institutional leaders, aligning with both programme and funder priorities.

GFGP Certification and Institutional Strengthening

• Support institutions in preparing for and maintaining Good Financial Grant Practice (GFGP) certification.
• Track institutional progress on assessment and certification milestones and coordinate access to technical assistance.
• Facilitate learning exchanges and technical sessions on best practices in research management.
• Provide strategic oversight of GFGP implementation and identify cross-cutting lessons to inform DELTAS Africa’s institutional strengthening approach.

Capacity Building and Learning

• Design and deliver training sessions for research management staff on compliance, project lifecycle management, and policy alignment.
• Establish communities of practice and peer learning forums across the DELTAS Africa consortia.
• Develop guidance materials, toolkits, and frameworks that institutional staff can use beyond the life of the programme.

Programme Monitoring and Risk Management

• Monitor institutional performance and risks related to research operations.
• Support risk mitigation efforts in collaboration with internal SFA Foundation teams (programme, legal, finance).
• Track and report on institutional key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to research management systems and delivery milestones.
• Support institutions in aligning internal M&E and risk systems with funder expectations and programme-level KPIs.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Liaise regularly with institutional leads (grants, finance, administration) to understand challenges and co-develop solutions.
• Represent SFA Foundation in technical working groups and external forums related to research management in Africa.
• Contribute to programme learning, reporting, and documentation of institutional success stories and lessons.
• Facilitate dialogue with institutional leadership and boards where necessary to embed research management improvements at the governance level.

Any other duties assigned.

PERSON SPECIFICATIONS

Academic Qualifications

• A Master’s degree in research administration, public health, development studies, or a related field.

Professional Qualifications

• Certification in research administration, project management (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2), or grants management (e.g., NCURA, ARMA) is an added advantage.

Experience

• At least 5 years of progressive experience in research management, institutional strengthening, or grants compliance.
• Experience supporting audits, quality assurance, or compliance frameworks (e.g., GFGP, ISO).
• Familiarity with African research institutions and funder requirements (e.g., Wellcome, FCDO, NIH, Gates Foundation).

Knowledge, Skills and Attributes

• Strong knowledge of research operations, systems, and governance.
• Excellent planning, coordination, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Analytical mindset for identifying gaps, assessing risks, and crafting institutional support strategies.
• Skilled in facilitating training and promoting peer learning.
• High levels of integrity, professionalism, and cross-cultural sensitivity.
• Commitment to continuous learning and sustainable systems development.
• Familiarity with digital tools and platforms for grants tracking, compliance, and institutional reporting (e.g., Fluxx, Salesforce, GFGP portal).
• Understanding of ethics, gender equity, and inclusivity in institutional governance frameworks.

Leadership Competencies and Personal Attributes

• A deep commitment to strengthening research management systems and supporting the growth of sustainable, high-performing African research institutions.
• Cultural sensitivity and an appreciation for Africa’s diverse research environments, with the ability to engage constructively across different contexts and institutions.
• Demonstrated leadership and initiative in driving institutional development, compliance, and operational excellence in complex settings.
• Strategic and systems-level thinking, with the ability to translate vision into practical support plans and outcomes.
• Strong interpersonal and influencing skills, with the ability to foster collaboration, trust, and shared learning across stakeholders.
• High ethical standards, integrity, and commitment to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Adaptability and resilience in managing competing demands, emerging challenges, and evolving programme priorities.