NRF Grants Coordinator - Department of Research and Innovation at University of Pretoria/Universiteit van Pretoria

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The successful candidate's responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

Financial management:

• Monitoring financial aspects during the setup of newly awarded grants;
• Overseeing finances of grant-funded research projects, encompassing budget planning, expenditure forecasting and tracking;
• Submitting payment claims as the designated institutional authority on external awarding agencies’ payment platforms;
• Collaborating with principal investigators and project teams to supervise and manage grant budgets in alignment with grant conditions;
• Monitoring the release of funds and spending levels of NRF grants;
• Compiling monthly financial recons of grants;

Grant proposal and award management:

• Assisting researchers in preparing budgets for grant proposals, ensuring they align with project goals and funding agency guidelines;
• Reviewing grant agreements and contracts to verify compliance with UP policies and the requirements of the awarding agencies;

Compliance and regulatory oversight:

• Staying up-to-date with regulations governing grant management and research funding;
• Preparing and submitting required compliance reports and documentation to funding agencies;
• Recommending improvements on business processes and systems to enhance compliance;

Stakeholder engagement:

• Building and maintaining relations with key stakeholders from internal support departments;
• Liaising with representatives from the Nationals Research Foundation (NRF) and other awarding agencies;
• Collaborating with Faculty Accountants and the Department of Finance – External Funds, to reconcile grant-related financial transactions with the PeopleSoft Financial system;
• Providing guidance and training to researchers and project teams on grant management best practices and compliance requirements;

Record keeping and documentation:

• Maintaining record related to grant-funded research projects and updating the UP-grant management system accordingly, in line with standard operating processed as drafted;
• Regularly reviewing and updating grant documentation. Periodically reviewing and updating grant-related documents to ensure they maintain accurate and compliant with current regulations and requirements;
• Conducting regular internal audits. Performing internal audits on grant-related documentation to identify and rectify discrepancies and compliance issues proactively; 

Sub recipient management:

• Evaluating due diligence procedures for potential sub-recipients;
• Managing the closeout process for sub-recipient agreements, ensuring all financial and reporting obligations are met;
• Establishing ongoing monitoring mechanism to assess sub-recipient performance, identifying issues early, and implementing corrective actions as needed;
• Working closely with legal and compliance departments to ensure all sub-recipient agreements are legally compliant with relevant regulations and policies;

Project management:

• Participating and/or leading on ad hoc projects and activities in support of the RCD vision;
• Establishing a monitoring and evaluation framework for grants management and administration at UP.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s Degree in relevant field such as Business Administration, Finance, or a related discipline; with
• A total of three years’ experience in:
• Grant management, financial oversight, or related field;
• Compliance reporting and audit responses;

OR

• National diploma in Business Administration, Finance, or a related discipline; with
• A total of five years’ experience in:
• Grant management, financial oversight, or related field;
• Compliance reporting and audit responses.