Head of Grants and Contracts
2026-07-02T09:30:39+00:00
Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia ( CIDRZ )
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https://www.greatzambiajobs.com/jobs/
FULL_TIME
Lusaka
Lusaka
10101
Zambia
Healthcare
Management,Accounting & Finance,Business Operations,Social Services & Nonprofit
2026-07-14T17:00:00+00:00
8
Job Summary
Reporting to the Director of Strategy and Business Development, the Head of Grants and Contracts provides strategic leadership for the Grants and Contracts Department and is responsible for the effective management of the organization’s grants portfolio. The role ensures compliance with donor and institutional requirements, strengthens grants management systems, safeguards donor resources, and supports effective implementation of donor-funded programmes.
The incumbent provides leadership to the Office of Sponsored Programmes (OSP) and the Office of Sponsored Research (OSR), serving as the principal advisor to senior management on grants and contracts management, donor compliance, portfolio performance, award negotiations, and institutional risk.
Key Responsibilities
- Provides strategic leadership and oversight of the grants and contracts portfolio throughout the award lifecycle.
- Leads post-award management processes and ensures compliance with donor regulations, contractual obligations, and organizational policies.
- Oversee the development, review, and monitoring of project budgets and coordinates the annual consolidated budgeting process.
- Monitors portfolio performance and expenditure to ensure effective utilization of resources and compliance with donor requirements.
- Leads contract, subaward, and amendment negotiations and administration in collaboration with relevant departments.
- Strengthens grants management systems, policies, internal controls, and processes to enhance operational effectiveness and mitigate risk.
- Oversees subrecipient due diligence, risk assessments, monitoring, compliance reviews, and capacity strengthening initiatives.
- Ensures organizational readiness for donor reviews, audits, and assessments, and support audit preparedness activities.
- Prepares and presents periodic reports on grants portfolio performance to senior management and the Board.
- Ensures effective collaboration with project teams, investigators, directors, support departments, donors, government ministries, auditors, and implementing partners.
- Leads workforce planning, coaching, mentoring, and performance management within the department.
- Drives continuous improvement initiatives and the adoption of technology solutions that enhance grants management and operational efficiency.
- Represents the organization in engagements with donors, partners, and other key stakeholders as required.
Qualifications
- Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Public Health, or any other relevant field.
- Minimum of five years’ experience in a senior management position with responsibility for grants, contracts, or research administration.
- Demonstrated experience in grants and contracts management within the nonprofit, research, programmen and/or international development sector.
- Extensive experience in financial management, budgeting, forecasting, and donor financial reporting.
- Strong knowledge of donor regulations, compliance requirements, and award management practices for agencies such as NIH, CDC, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Defense, WHO, EDCTP, the Gates Foundation, and other international donors.
- Proven experience managing complex donor-funded portfolios and multi-partner awards.
- Excellent analytical, financial management, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to engage effectively with senior stakeholders.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, and experience using grants management systems and databases.
- Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
- Demonstrated leadership, team management, coaching, and capacity-building skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams and foster strong internal and external partnerships.
Suitably qualified candidates are invited to apply. However, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted
* Provides strategic leadership and oversight of the grants and contracts portfolio throughout the award lifecycle. * Leads post-award management processes and ensures compliance with donor regulations, contractual obligations, and organizational policies. * Oversee the development, review, and monitoring of project budgets and coordinates the annual consolidated budgeting process. * Monitors portfolio performance and expenditure to ensure effective utilization of resources and compliance with donor requirements. * Leads contract, subaward, and amendment negotiations and administration in collaboration with relevant departments. * Strengthens grants management systems, policies, internal controls, and processes to enhance operational effectiveness and mitigate risk. * Oversees subrecipient due diligence, risk assessments, monitoring, compliance reviews, and capacity strengthening initiatives. * Ensures organizational readiness for donor reviews, audits, and assessments, and support audit preparedness activities. * Prepares and presents periodic reports on grants portfolio performance to senior management and the Board. * Ensures effective collaboration with project teams, investigators, directors, support departments, donors, government ministries, auditors, and implementing partners. * Leads workforce planning, coaching, mentoring, and performance management within the department. * Drives continuous improvement initiatives and the adoption of technology solutions that enhance grants management and operational efficiency. * Represents the organization in engagements with donors, partners, and other key stakeholders as required.
* Analytical skills * Financial management skills * Negotiation skills * Problem-solving skills * Strong written and verbal communication skills * Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel * Experience using grants management systems and databases * Strong organizational skills * Attention to detail * Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines * Leadership skills * Team management skills * Coaching skills * Capacity-building skills * Ability to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams * Ability to foster strong internal and external partnerships
* Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Public Health, or any other relevant field. * Minimum of five years’ experience in a senior management position with responsibility for grants, contracts, or research administration. * Demonstrated experience in grants and contracts management within the nonprofit, research, programmen and/or international development sector. * Extensive experience in financial management, budgeting, forecasting, and donor financial reporting. * Strong knowledge of donor regulations, compliance requirements, and award management practices for agencies such as NIH, CDC, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Defense, WHO, EDCTP, the Gates Foundation, and other international donors. * Proven experience managing complex donor-funded portfolios and multi-partner awards.
JOB-6a462fbf29f83
Vacancy title:
Head of Grants and Contracts
[Type: FULL_TIME, Industry: Healthcare, Category: Management,Accounting & Finance,Business Operations,Social Services & Nonprofit]
Jobs at:
Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia ( CIDRZ )
Deadline of this Job:
Tuesday, July 14 2026
Duty Station:
Lusaka | Lusaka
Summary
Date Posted: Thursday, July 2 2026, Base Salary: Not Disclosed
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JOB DETAILS:
Job Summary
Reporting to the Director of Strategy and Business Development, the Head of Grants and Contracts provides strategic leadership for the Grants and Contracts Department and is responsible for the effective management of the organization’s grants portfolio. The role ensures compliance with donor and institutional requirements, strengthens grants management systems, safeguards donor resources, and supports effective implementation of donor-funded programmes.
The incumbent provides leadership to the Office of Sponsored Programmes (OSP) and the Office of Sponsored Research (OSR), serving as the principal advisor to senior management on grants and contracts management, donor compliance, portfolio performance, award negotiations, and institutional risk.
Key Responsibilities
- Provides strategic leadership and oversight of the grants and contracts portfolio throughout the award lifecycle.
- Leads post-award management processes and ensures compliance with donor regulations, contractual obligations, and organizational policies.
- Oversee the development, review, and monitoring of project budgets and coordinates the annual consolidated budgeting process.
- Monitors portfolio performance and expenditure to ensure effective utilization of resources and compliance with donor requirements.
- Leads contract, subaward, and amendment negotiations and administration in collaboration with relevant departments.
- Strengthens grants management systems, policies, internal controls, and processes to enhance operational effectiveness and mitigate risk.
- Oversees subrecipient due diligence, risk assessments, monitoring, compliance reviews, and capacity strengthening initiatives.
- Ensures organizational readiness for donor reviews, audits, and assessments, and support audit preparedness activities.
- Prepares and presents periodic reports on grants portfolio performance to senior management and the Board.
- Ensures effective collaboration with project teams, investigators, directors, support departments, donors, government ministries, auditors, and implementing partners.
- Leads workforce planning, coaching, mentoring, and performance management within the department.
- Drives continuous improvement initiatives and the adoption of technology solutions that enhance grants management and operational efficiency.
- Represents the organization in engagements with donors, partners, and other key stakeholders as required.
Qualifications
- Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Public Health, or any other relevant field.
- Minimum of five years’ experience in a senior management position with responsibility for grants, contracts, or research administration.
- Demonstrated experience in grants and contracts management within the nonprofit, research, programmen and/or international development sector.
- Extensive experience in financial management, budgeting, forecasting, and donor financial reporting.
- Strong knowledge of donor regulations, compliance requirements, and award management practices for agencies such as NIH, CDC, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Defense, WHO, EDCTP, the Gates Foundation, and other international donors.
- Proven experience managing complex donor-funded portfolios and multi-partner awards.
- Excellent analytical, financial management, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to engage effectively with senior stakeholders.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, and experience using grants management systems and databases.
- Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
- Demonstrated leadership, team management, coaching, and capacity-building skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams and foster strong internal and external partnerships.
Suitably qualified candidates are invited to apply. However, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted
Work Hours: 8
Experience in Months: 60
Level of Education: postgraduate degree
Job application procedure
Suitably qualified candidates are invited to apply. However, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted
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