Head - Grants
AGRA · KE
AGRA and its Work
AGRA is an African-led institution that supports inclusive agricultural transformation and sustainable food systems across the continent. Working with governments, partners and farming communities, AGRA helps strengthen the systems around smallholder farmers so they can move from subsistence agriculture to more productive, resilient and profitable farming businesses.
Across Africa, too many farming families still work hard without earning enough to feed their households well, invest in their farms, or build a secure future. AGRA’s purpose is to help change that reality by working with governments, partners and communities to strengthen the systems that determine whether farmers can prosper. Aligned with the Kampala CAADP commitments and national priorities, AGRA supports African-led solutions that help farming households move from vulnerability to resilience, from low returns to better incomes, and from surviving season to season to building lasting prosperity.
AGRA focuses its work in five major areas: policy and state capability; seed systems; sustainable farming; inclusive markets, trade and finance; and youth, gender and inclusiveness. Across these areas, AGRA builds alliances, partnerships and networks that help advance practical African solutions, create opportunities for young women and men, and enable farmers and communities to contribute to and benefit from Africa’s food systems transformation.
Advancing Our Strategy Through People
People are at the heart of AGRA’s strategy. Our impact depends on the quality of the relationships we build, the partnerships we nurture, and the commitment of our teams to deliver with clarity, purpose and accountability.
AGRA brings together people with deep roots in African food systems and a diverse workforce drawn from more than 24 nationalities. We work collaboratively with governments, partners, private sector actors, civil society and communities to catalyze practical, African-led solutions that can improve lives at scale.
As AGRA moves beyond the midpoint of its current strategy, we are looking for people who are passionate about Africa and ready to help deepen delivery, sharpen our influence and accelerate results. We value people who are committed to excellence, sincerely constructive, deeply collaborative and increasingly entrepreneurial. If you are driven by purpose and believe communications and advocacy can move people, influence decisions and unlock real change for Africa’s farming families, we would like to hear from you.
The Position
The Head - Grants will lead the redesign, implementation, and continuous improvement of AGRA's grants management policies, operating model, systems, controls, and service standards across the full grant lifecycle. The role oversees grant administration, grantee due diligence and onboarding, expenditure verification, compliance, portfolio performance, reporting, closure, and corrective action tracking, with clear accountability for reducing turnaround times, clearing backlogs, improving data quality, strengthening controls, and ensuring that grant investments deliver intended outcomes.
Working collaboratively with program, finance, legal, procurement, ICT, internal audit, country teams, donors, and grantees, the Head of Grants drives a user-focused and technology-enabled grants function. The role provides business ownership of AMIS and grants dashboards, promotes a differentiated and risk-based approach to grant management, supports decentralization of appropriate decision rights to country teams, and embeds a culture of disciplined execution, evidence-based decision-making, compliance, and continuous improvement.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Lead the development of all grant-related policies and procedures for review and approval by the Chief Operating Officer.
Facilitate the production of grant materials for each grant and program-related contract made by AGRA, including ensuring that all grant and contract materials are prepared accurately and in compliance with all AGRA policies and procedures and with the IRS regulations.
Lead in the implementation of continuous improvement initiatives for grants administration, ensuring that solutions align with strategic goals.
Lead grants portfolio reviews to establish the health and performance of grants and advise on remedial actions.
Provide strategic oversight and business ownership of AGRA's grants management systems, ensuring they effectively support grant governance, portfolio management, reporting, compliance, and decision-making.
Partner with ICT, Finance, and Program teams to drive system optimization, process enhancements, technology adoption, and continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen grants management effectiveness and user experience.
Lead the development and implementation of grants management capability-building initiatives across the organization, ensuring consistent application of grant policies, procedures, controls, and best practices while strengthening compliance, accountability, and operational effectiveness.
Advise the President, Divisional Heads and the COO on the development of proposals and managing incoming grants from donors while ensuring compliance with the reporting requirements
Engage the Board subcommittee GRC for proposal reviews and approvals and provide Board updates and reports.
Encourage collaboration between the Head of Resource Mobilization and Head of Monitoring & Evaluation in the development of grant proposal and report formats, as well as providing information in the tracking of the project’s milestones from the grantee reports.
Collaborate with the Legal Department to facilitate legal review of grants and related agreements where required, ensuring appropriate risk assessment and compliance.
Oversee the preparation, quality assurance, and processing of grant agreements and supporting documentation, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and timely execution in accordance with established approval protocols.
Lead talent management initiatives within the grants function, including workforce planning, capability development, succession planning, and team leadership, to foster a high-performing, engaged, and collaborative work environment.
Strengthen organizational and grantee capability in the effective use of grants management systems, tools, and processes to promote compliance, operational efficiency, and effective stewardship of grant resources.
Provide leadership, guidance, and coaching to grants personnel and relevant stakeholders, fostering professional growth, technical excellence, and consistent application of grants management standards and practices.
Design and structure AGRA’s annual grant-making budget in consultation with the Division Heads.
Plan the flow of grants over the course of a year, advising the COO and leadership on timing and potential issues that need to be addressed.
Provide analytics on Grants performance and projections on uptake.
Build proper fiscal administration systems, provide financial analyses of audits and reports and ensure that grantees understand and comply with AGRA’s grant application and reporting procedures.
Provide investment portfolio advisory with In-Country GOs to country teams and maintain logs for performance management e.g. weekly calls.
Create management indicators for the Board, the Leadership and for internal use through analyzing grant data.
Integrate grant reports section and other grant-related sections for periodic reports to donors, board dockets and AGRA’s annual reports.
Assist in the preparation of grant-related schedules for filing AGRA’s annual regulatory reports e.g. tax return on Form 990-PF.
Qualifications and Experience Required:
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting or equivalent from a recognized.
Master’s degree will be an added advantage.
Professional certification in grants management, project management, finance, compliance, or related disciplines is desirable such as: ACCA, CPA, PMP (Project Management Professional).
Minimum 12 years’ experience in Grants Management, Finance and or general accounting qualifications will be an added advantage.
At least 5 years of experience at a senior management level in grants management in a multi-donor, multi-program international NGO managing teams.
Good working knowledge of not-for-profit and private foundation law and US funding regulations.
Strong understanding of regulatory, compliance, and governance requirements associated with grant-funded organizations and development programs.
Demonstrated ability to leverage grants management systems, data analytics, and digital tools to support effective portfolio oversight, compliance, and decision-making.