Terms of Reference (ToR)
Position: Finance and Grants Manager
Reports to: Executive Director
Location: ARIN Secretariat – Nairobi, Kenya
About ARIN
The Africa Research and Impact Network (ARIN) is a leading research-impact platform with over 200 researchers and policymakers, featuring national focal points across 36 African countries. ARIN also connects with a database of over 3000 stakeholders from universities, think tanks, the private sector, and governments. Our mission is to promote research excellence and facilitate dialogue on best research and impact practices by providing platforms for the science-policy interface in Africa, built on robust evidence. ARIN recognizes that Africa is endowed with diverse researchers, innovations, and best policy practices that are often not in the public domain but are invaluable to the continent’s research and development agenda. Therefore, ARIN provides a peer review platform where exemplary research and impact practices from various African contexts are shared, profiled, and leveraged to inform transformative policy action. Among the areas where ARIN has pioneered groundbreaking research are climate change, knowledge management, and science and technology innovation. The network currently convenes research and policy platforms on climate action, drawing on perspectives from researchers on adaptation and the status of science and technology innovation in Africa. Through these efforts, ARIN assesses opportunities for the science-policy interface, engaging in contextual projects on research commercialization, innovation, knowledge translation, and practice. For more information, visit: ARIN.
Position Profile.
The Finance and Grants Manager will oversee the organization’s financial management and grants portfolio, ensuring accountability, transparency and compliance with donor and statutory requirements. This role is central to sustaining the organization’s grant-funded research work by maintaining accurate financial records, supporting proposal development, ensuring donor compliance and providing timely financial insights to guide decision-making.
Key Responsibilities
Financial Transactions and Record Keeping
- Review and verify financial documents for compliance with organizational and donor procedures.
- Maintain accurate and complete financial records, including accruals, prepayments, and reconciliations.
- Strengthen financial systems, controls, and processes to support multi-project operations
- Develop and update the Organizations Financial systems in line with evolving donor and fiscal requirements.
Budgeting & Financial Planning
- Lead the annual budgeting process with the executive team and programme leads.
- Monitor budget performance and provide forecasts and variance analyses.
- Support proposal development with donor-compliant budgets and financial inputs.
- Provide financial analysis to inform strategic and operational decisions
- Guide teams on budget adherence and cost optimization
Financial Reporting
- Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports for management, the Board and donors.
- Generate donor-compliant financial reports that align with narrative reports.
- Provide regular financial updates, highlighting trends, risks, and opportunities to support strategic decision-making.
Banking and Cash Flow Management
- Manage organizational bank accounts and perform reconciliations.
- Oversee cash flow planning and forecasting to ensure sufficient liquidity.
- Facilitate timely fund transfers and allocations across projects.
Payroll and Compliance
- Administer payroll, ensuring accuracy, statutory compliance and timely disbursements.
- Ensure compliance with the statutory requirements.
- Identify financial risks in donor-funded projects and propose mitigation measures.
Grant Management
- Oversee the full grant cycle, from proposal budgeting, contracting, implementation, to close-out.
- Ensure funds are used in line with donor agreements and organizational priorities.
- Monitor grant expenditures and compliance across multiple projects.
- Coordinate timely preparation and submission of donor reports.
- Maintain a comprehensive grant tracker and compliance checklist.
Compliance, Risk and Audit
- Ensure adherence to donor regulations, internal policies and statutory requirements.
- Coordinate internal and external audits.
- Implement and monitor internal controls to safeguard resources and prevent fraud.
- Identify financial risks and recommend mitigation measures.
Vendor and Partner Management
- Review and process supplier invoices and payments.
- Conduct financial due diligence and capacity assessments of implementing partners.
Qualifications.
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or related field; Master’s degree preferred.
- Professional certification (CPA, ACCA, ACA, or equivalent) required.
- Minimum 5 Years’ progressive experience in finance and grants management, preferably in research, donor-funded, or NGO environments.
- Strong knowledge of donor compliance and Kenyan statutory requirements.
- Proven experience in developing and managing multi-donor budgets.
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving and communication skills.
- Proficiency in accounting systems and advanced MS Excel.
- High integrity and attention to detail.
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate across teams.
How to Apply
Qualified candidates are invited to submit their application no later than October 20th, 2025 to human-resource@arin-africa.org . The subject line should read: Finance and Grants Manger Application – (Your Name). Your application files should be clearly labelled e.g., “CV – Margret Andrea”.
- Cover letter (max 2 pages) highlighting interest and suitability for the role, with specific examples of how your skills and experience align with the position.
- An updated CV (max 4 pages).
- Academic transcripts and/or certificates.
- Contact information for three professional references.
Further information can be obtained by contacting the HR department at:human-resource@arin-africa.org
