Grants Officer

About One to One Africa (OTOA)

One to One Africa (OTOA) is a leading community health organisation dedicated to improving maternal, child, and adolescent health in rural and last mile communities of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. OTOA seeks to address core gaps in healthcare, education and psychosocial support in neglected and under-served communities to ensure that families survive and thrive.

About the Role:

The Grants Officer/Specialist will be responsible for overseeing the full lifecycle of One To One Africa Children’s Fund (OTOA) grants, from supporting proposal development to post- award compliance and closeout activities. The role includes monitoring program activities, managing budgets, coordinating financial and programmatic reports, and ensuring alignment with donor requirements. This individual will work closely with program staff, finance teams, and external stakeholders to ensure successful grant outcomes and timely, accurate reporting

Key Responsibilities:

Grants Management:

§ Monitor grant implementation, ensuring activities are on track and align with stated objectives.

§ Monitor grant budgets, track expenditures, and ensure funds are utilized in line with financial guidelines.

§ Maintain grant documentation, including agreements, modifications, and reports.

§ Collaborate with the programme team to gather relevant project data for adhoc donor requests.

§ Work with Programmes team in scheduling and facilitating donor visits

Donor Reporting and Monitoring:

§ Coordinate the finalisation of donor reports ensuring consistency between narrative and financial reports and that they meet quality standards;

§ Highlight critical financial issues such as under/over spends to finance and Budget Holders, and follow up in writing when discussed verbally;

§ Provide support to relevant Budget holders on monitoring issues and budget revisions (when required);

§ Collaborate with the finance team to ensure donor budget lines as per the agreements are in line with the financial system;

§ Monitor grant payment schedules and income requests for respective donors, working closely with finance to ensure this is done in a timely manner;

§ Ensure reports are submitted in accordance with donor guidelines and deadlines

Compliance and Risk Management:

§ Ensure compliance with donor regulations and internal policies throughout the grant lifecycle;

§ Conduct risk assessments for grants and develop mitigation strategies as needed;

§ Be familiar with all OTOA organizational and donor portfolio compliance requirements and ensure high quality management of grants through meeting of KPIs and deadlines;

§ Support and advise programme colleagues with queries related to donor compliance on grants;

§ Work with other departments (i.e. programmes, finance, M&E) to ensure all documentation required is ready and available for audits;

§ Coordinate Close Out of grants;

Stakeholder Engagement:

§ Serve as the primary point of contact for donors and partners on grant-related matters;

§ Liaise with program teams, finance, and external partners to coordinate grant activities;

§ Participate in donor meetings, workshops, and relevant forums;

§ Stay informed about upcoming calls for proposals for grant renewals

Capacity Building and Training:

§ Provide training and support to program and finance staff on grant management best practices;

§ Develop templates, tools, and resources to streamline grant management and reporting processes;

Proposal Development:

§ Work closely with Budget holders, programme teams, and finance as well as other stakeholders to compile accurate proposal budget and assess whether all necessary costs have been included;

§ Support the development and submission of grant proposals, ensuring compliance with donor requirements;

Due Diligence Assessments and Agreements:

§ Lead on OTOA’s due diligence assessments as and when required by an existing or new donor;

§ In coordination with the Head of Programme and Head of Organisational Services, draft Partner Agreements/MoUs;

Grant Agreement:

§ Review donor contracts/agreements, flag any points that might challenge OTOA’s procedures, and support contract/agreement negotiations;

§ Work with finance team to support/advise them in development of internal budgeting tool and communication with field offices on allocated budget;

§ Summarise in writing, key reporting and compliance requirements (compliance checklist) including potential issues for Grant Start-Up Meetings;

§ Coordinate with respective budget holders and finance in order to ensure budgets are correctly allocated and aligned;

§ Work with the relevant stakeholders to ensure Grant Start-Up meetings are arranged and take place within 14 days of the grant being activated.

Qualifications, Skills and Competencies:

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§ Bachelor’s degree in finance, or a related field (Post grad will be an added advantage).

§ 5+ years of experience in grants management, with a focus on donor-funded projects.

§ Proven ability to manage complex budgets and financial reporting.

§ Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

§ Familiarity with donor rules and regulations.

§ Proficiency in project management and grant management.

§ Above average computer skills, particularly in Microsoft Windows Word and Excel.

§ Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities.

§ Detail-oriented with strong organizational and analytical skills.

§ Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.

§ Team player with a collaborative mindset.

§ Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: R30 000,00 - R30 001,00 per month

Ability to commute/relocate:
• Mthatha, Eastern Cape: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Application Question(s):
• Do you have experience in managing complex budgets and Financial reporting?
• Do you understand risk and what do you think is the highest risk when handling the grants for OTOA
• Are you able to do templates to streamline grant management reporting?
• What steps would you take to ensure due diligence

Education:
• Bachelors (Required)

Experience:
• grants management: 5 years (Required)

Language:
• Isixhosa (Required)

License/Certification:
• Drivers Licence (Required)

Expected Start Date: 2026/05/01