Finance & Grants Manager

Staff work a hybrid schedule with 2 days/week in the office

The Finance and Grants Manager provides hands-on finance and operational support to IFAW Southern Africa’s Administrative & Operational Hub. Based in Cape Town, the role oversees payroll administration, statutory compliance, and partner grant management for IFAW Southern Africa country offices. The position oversees payroll calculation and processing for both IFAW staff and Community Resource Boards (CRBs) across the region.

The position will provide financial oversight of grants to partners, including monitoring expenditure, reconciling grant accounts, ensuring compliance with grant agreements, and supporting partners to strengthen financial management and accountability.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Payroll and Statutory Compliance

• In coordination with local Finance staff, manage IFAW Southern Africa’s monthly payroll process, ensuring accurate and timely payment of salaries and benefits for staff and CRB employees.
• Review payroll inputs, deductions, allowances, and staff changes before payroll processing.
• Ensure accurate calculation, remittance, and reconciliation of statutory deductions, including applicable taxes, social security, health insurance, and other statutory obligations.
• Maintain accurate payroll records and ensure confidentiality of employee information.
• Ensure statutory returns are prepared and submitted within prescribed deadlines.
• Reconcile payroll-related accounts and investigate and resolve discrepancies.
• Prepare project salary allocations and provide any supplemental salary summaries for donor reporting as needed.
• Monitor salary costs in general personnel and program projects; and coordinate timely forecast updates with HR.
• Keep abreast of changes in employment, tax, and statutory requirements affecting payroll.

Grants to Partners and Grant Financial Management

• Draft partner agreements for both restricted and non-restricted funds and coordinate with the grants department to ensure they are properly executed.
• Coordinate the financial management and administration of grants provided to implementing partners.
• Review partner budgets, financial reports, cash requests, and supporting documentation.
• Monitor partner expenditure against approved budgets and grant agreements.
• Provide practical guidance and training to staff on timely and accurate expense reporting.
• Ensure partner grants are properly recorded, tracked, and reconciled in the accounting system.
• Conduct financial reviews of partner accounts and follow up on identified issues and recommendations.
• Organise trainings and support partner organizations in strengthening financial systems, controls, budgeting, reporting, and compliance.
• Ensure timely liquidation and closure of partner advances and grants.
• Monitor compliance with donor and organizational grant requirements.
• Support grant close-out processes, including final reconciliations and recovery or settlement of outstanding balances.
• Prepare grant reconciliation reports and provide management with updates on outstanding advances and financial commitments.
• Ensure grant balances reported internally and to donors agree with accounting records.

Accounting and Administrative Support

• Provide back-up support as needed for day-to-day accounting, Journal Entries, invoice reviews, and payment processing.
• Prepare and/or review assigned monthly balance sheet reconciliations.
• Support IFAW’s monthly budget analysis, reporting and reforecasting processes.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance or a relevant discipline preferred.
• At least 5-7 years’ experience in the accounting/finance/administrative field.
• Demonstrated experience managing payroll and statutory deductions.
• Experience in partner grant management, financial monitoring, and grant reconciliations.
• Experience working in an ERP (e.g., Unit4) or integrated finance system and advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Ability to manage and prioritise competing demands, deadlines and processes with an exceptional customer service ethic and orientation.
• Demonstrate proactive critical thinking and practical problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills with attention to detail.
• Knowledge of donor financial requirements and grant compliance is an advantage.
• Effective communication skills and ability to operate in a culturally diverse international organization.

At IFAW, we aim to create and foster a workforce that reflects and contributes to the diverse, global community in which we work to improve the lives of both animals and people. We are dedicated to fostering justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion so we actively encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds.

Hiring range is 793,000 - 985,000 ZAR

Closing date for receipt of applications: 27 November 2026