Programme Officer

Job Description

The Programme Officer, South Africa will manage a portion of EMpower’s grantmaking portfolio in South Africa, under supervision from the Regional Programme Director - Africa. A core responsibility will be to build and maintain strong relationships with grantee partners, supporting them throughout the grant lifecycle, from due diligence and grant monitoring to learning conversations and identifying opportunities for capacity strengthening. The Programme Officer will support capacity strengthening initiatives currently in place/underway and contribute to programmatic organisational learning more broadly (including strategic reviews and learning products). This position is critical to EMpower’s mission to serve as a strategic conduit between grantee partner insights and the organisation’s broader global practice.

Responsibilities:

Meaningful Youth Engagement (40% time):

Serve as a primary point of contact for assigned grantee partners, building and maintaining strong, collaborative relationships throughout the grant lifecycle.

Manage grant administration processes, including supporting due diligence, reviewing proposals, preparation of grant summaries and budgets, and preparing recommendations for internal approval.

Oversee grant disbursements and ensure accurate tracking of payments, timelines, and documentation through the Fluxx grants management system.

Monitor partner progress by reviewing narrative and financial reports, following up on reporting requirements, and ensuring compliance with EMpower’s grantmaking policies and procedures.

Maintain accurate and up-to-date grant records in Fluxx, including partner documentation, reporting schedules, and key grant milestones.

Engage regularly with grantee partners to understand implementation progress, challenges, and emerging opportunities, and escalate issues or risks where appropriate.

Support partners in meeting reporting and compliance requirements, providing guidance on documentation, timelines, and grant conditions.

Contribute to internal grant portfolio management by coordinating information, supporting grant reviews, and ensuring strong documentation and knowledge sharing across the programme team.

Grant making (35% time):

Review, screen and make recommendations on grant proposals.

Monitor grants through meetings, site visits, grant reports and correspondence.

Prepare analyses and written grant summaries and presenting grant recommendations to the Grants Committees 1 time per year.

Other ad hoc assignments that may arise.

Visibility, Networking and Management (15% time):

Organise/support EMpower capacity strengthening events in SA as appropriate.

Represent EMpower’s mission, strategies, and portfolio before diverse audiences as required.

Provide programmatic content for proposals and reports to EMpower donors; facilitate occasional visits by directors/donors to grantee partner organisations.

Programme learning and capacity building (10% time):

Provide support to capacity strengthening initiatives with and for grantee partner organisations.

Plan and facilitate cross-learning among grantee partners through learning products, panels, social media etc., webinars and other learning forums.

Share, exchange, contribute to programme learning within the region and more broadly (with other POs and colleagues) and sector colleagues outside of EMpower.

Qualifications:

At least 5 years’ experience in designing and facilitating youth engagement processes and a record of accomplishment in devising appropriate curricula and methodologies in participatory processes.

At least 5 years’ experience in the philanthropic and/or non-profit sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa required; experience in grants management desired.

University degree in a field related to youth development, such as international development, public policy or administration, psychology, or social anthropology preferred, but not required.

Strong understanding of youth development, adolescent girls, gender equality, and youth programming related issues in Sub-Saharan Africa required.

Knowledge and practical experience of working with youth-led organisations, youth movements, and of youth organising trends in the region.

Strong conceptual understanding of meaningful participation, shifting power and sharing decision-making with young people.

Understanding and experience of working within established safeguarding frameworks.

Experience of risk management in relation to MYE, partnership management and safeguarding.

Work experience with community-based, including youth-led, organisations strongly desired.

Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated cultural sensitivity/awareness.

Demonstrated commitment to collaborative and trust-based approaches to philanthropy.

Strong creative, strategic, and analytical thinking skills.

Strong English speaking and writing abilities required.

Self-starter; highly organised; proven ability to work independently, anticipate, prioritize, complete multiple projects, and meet deadlines, with consistent attention to detail