Grants and Contracts Administrator

Description:

Job Description Summary
The Research Grants and Contract Administrator play a crucial role in supporting the research grants unit with investigator-initiated grants and contracts administration. This role involves providing grants management assistance to the head of research grants and collaborating with a diverse range of external and internal stakeholders, including business support teams such as finance, legal & governance, human resource as well as research and academic personnel, including education & training programme, investigators and project administrators.

The postholder will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure the smooth implementation of research grants and contracts administration, effectively managing assigned grants management portfolio across their full lifecycle.

Demonstrate meticulous attention to detail and the ability to identify potential research grants risks for the institute. Analyse research grants information in award letters with precision to identify errors, highlight issues, and adhere to the specified terms and conditions, all while ensuring compliance with institutional standard terms and policies. They must remain up to date with institutional policies and practices.

Overview of Duties:

OVERVIEW OF DUTIES:

Research grants and contracts administration

• Draft of new letters of awards or amendments ensuring it complies with internal templates, institutional and/or funders terms and conditions.

• From time to time will be required to review and analyse agreements and contracts to provide grants compliance checks or feedback AHRI’s standard terms and conditions eg. During asset disposal checking funders conditions, variation of internal funding types etc.

• Update, monitor and track various unit databases such as the agreements in the pipeline database and assist in updating the research grants overview database and subaward overview databases. In addition, provide quality checks for accuracy and may require follow-up with the assigned personnel that might be assigned for a contract record on those databases.

• Assist with the coordination of the investiga

  tor-initiate grants due diligence process.

• May also be required to write other communications and notifications.

• Be able to explain grant compliance matters to management, investigators and interested parties.

• Required to stay up-to date with funders terms and conditions and grants compliance.

• Obtaining contract-related information from relevant parties.

Research grants and contracts appropriation of award:

• Manage assigned research grants from initiation to close-out (“cradle to grave”).

• Ensuring institutional policies (including research grants departments policies, sops and guidelines), funders and general grants management practices are adhered too.

• Ensure all deadlines, terms and conditions described in the agreement/contracts are met (e.g., payments, technical reports, milestones etc.)

• Ensuring allowability, allocability, reasonability and consistency principles are applied to grant expenditure administration.

• Payroll/resource budget management coordination.

• Research grant application and research support assistance.

• General research grants management support.

General unit management assistance:

• Meet frequently with the head of research grants to discuss any matters on hand or upcoming.

• Support colleagues within the research grants unit sections during peak workload periods.

• Contribute to a culture of accountability, accuracy, and service orientation within the research grants unit.

• Plans, coordinates, and ensures that schedule is followed and respected. Provides "gatekeeper" and "gateway" role.

• Attend meetings to assess progress on projects which are in motion and take detailed notes to share with stakeholders.

• Contribute to reviewing and improving unit’s workflows to increase efficiency and accuracy.

• Create regular status reports regarding progress on projects, agreements, other activities etc.

• Maintain organised system of physical and digital records.

• Assist in population of information on documentation or digital records.

• Assist in setting up meetings (internal and external meetings) and doodle polls.

• Carry out any other duties as directed by line manager.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Minimum Qualifications

• Degree in Bachelor of Commerce or Bachelor of Science within the related field.

Minimum Experience

• A minimum of 2 years’ experience in research grants administration

• Experience in national and international grants management would be an asset

• Experience in working in a research environment dealing with HIV, TB, mental health, climate & health and/or NCDs would be an asset.

Skills Required

• Good verbal and written communication skills in English;

• Accuracy and precision;

• High computer literacy

• Report writing

• Possesses superior attention to detail in order to spot inconsistencies in contracts

• Has previous experience in customer service and strong communication skills

• Able to work productively independently and as part of a team

• Must have excellent analytical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities

• Should exhibit strong organisational and time management abilities

• Maintain organized system of physical and digital records

• Excellent writing skills and keen eye to attention and spotting errors

Worker Type:

Employee

The application closing date:

21 May 2026

AHRI is a values-driven organisation. As an employer we are committed to staff engagement and development. Our culture is one of high performance and partnership.

Our values
The successful candidate will be expected to live by AHRI’s values, including collaboration, ubuntu, leadership, innovation, transformation, and excellence.
 
 
Employment equity
AHRI is fully compliant with South African labour law and is committed to employment equity. This position is primarily open to South African or other African applicants, with a valid work permit desirable. AHRI reserves the right in special circumstances to accept late applications or to extend the above date to facilitate further searches. Furthermore, AHRI reserves the right not to make an appointment.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted, kindly consider your application as unsuccessful if you do not hear from us within 14 days of the application closing date.