Country Manager

The African Climate Foundation

. Lead implementation and periodic review of ACF's South Africa Strategy .

Posted 10/2/2026contractRemote • South AfricaSeniorLeadWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in strategy design, grant management, and partnership development within the context of climate change and development in South Africa. Proven ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams and engage with government institutions, civil society, and private sector actors to drive impactful outcomes.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Master’s Degree In Economics10 Years’ Experience In Climate Change5 Years’ Managerial ExperienceGrant ManagementStakeholder Engagement

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Strategy DesignGrant ManagementClimate Finance MechanismsProject FinancePolicy DevelopmentMonitoring, Evaluation, And LearningInstitutional Capacity BuildingClimate Adaptation And ResilienceEnergy Transition PolicyJust Energy Transition

Soft Skills

LeadershipStrategic ThinkingProblem-SolvingExcellent CommunicationInterpersonal Skills

Industry Keywords

South Africa's Just Transition LandscapePhilanthropic Funding EnvironmentMultilateral Development BanksDevelopment Finance InstitutionsFiscal HostingCross-Programme LearningHigh-Level PlatformsMulti-Stakeholder DialoguesDonor ProposalsSouth-South Partnerships

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead implementation and periodic review of ACF's South Africa Strategy
Translate strategy into actionable, budgeted implementation plans with measurable outcomes
Coordinate with thematic leads to ensure coherence, integration, and cross-programme learning
Ensure effective use of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning frameworks across the country programme, grants, and projects
Build and manage strategic relationships with government institutions, civil society, community organisations, research institutions, labour unions, and the private sector
Represent ACF on high-level platforms, policy forums, and multi-stakeholder dialogues in South Africa and globally
Support South Africa's engagement in international climate diplomacy, multilateral forums, and bilateral partnerships
Foster knowledge-sharing, South-South partnerships, and exchanges with Global South counterparts
Set grant-making priorities and guide grant design, review, and implementation
Work with the Grants team on quality control and compliance across the grant portfolio
Support fiscally hosted entities and incubated initiatives in South Africa
Support fundraising, identify funding opportunities, contribute to donor proposals, and engage donors
Ensure timely, high-quality reporting to donors and internal governance bodies
Supervise and provide strategic guidance to the South Africa Programme team
Mentor team members and contribute to professional development
Coordinate across Programme, MEL, Grants, Finance, and Communications teams
Foster a high-performance, collaborative, inclusive, and equitable team culture
Oversee research and analysis on climate and development in South Africa
Position ACF as a trusted thought leader through advocacy and communications
Advise the Senior Management Team on in-country developments, risks, and opportunities
Undertake other relevant responsibilities as required by the Head of Programmes or Senior Management Team

Requirements

What you’ll need

Master’s degree in Economics, Environmental Sciences, Development Studies, Public Policy, or related field
10 years’ experience across several of: climate change, just energy transition, project finance, project preparation, green industrialisation, climate adaptation and resilience, or energy transition policy
5 years’ experience in managerial or supervisory capacity, with demonstrated experience leading multi-disciplinary teams
Deep familiarity with South Africa's just transition landscape, key government institutions, civil society actors, and the philanthropic funding environment
Demonstrated experience working on or supporting government institutions, donors, or private sector actors in policy or programme development in the South African context
Experience with fiscal hosting, institutional capacity building, or supporting government-linked entities is a strong advantage
Proven track record of strategy design, grant management, partnership development, and stakeholder engagement at senior levels
Familiarity with climate finance mechanisms, multilateral development banks, development finance institutions, and innovative finance instruments relevant to the energy transition
Strong leadership, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to navigate complex political and institutional landscapes
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills (verbal and written)
Fluency in English; additional South African official languages are an advantage
High levels of professionalism, integrity, and diplomatic acumen
Ability to work independently while managing cross-functional teams and senior stakeholder relationships
Genuine commitment to ACF's mission and Africa's climate and development transition
Legal right to work in the country where based

Benefits

Comp & perks

Remote working will be considered for candidates based in South Africa
12-month contract, renewable based on mutual agreement