Programme Officer, Africa

About the role

The Gates Foundation has a large Africa presence, including offices in Johannesburg, Addis Ababa, Abuja, and Nairobi. The Programme Officer leads grant portfolios in one of the Foundation’s priority Africa areas: agricultural development, financial services for the poor, global health, water sanitation hygiene, family planning, or gender equality. Application deadline 31 August 2026.

Responsibilities

• Design and manage a grant portfolio of USD 5 million to USD 50 million annually.
• Source new grantee partners and lead due diligence on prospective grants.
• Author grant memos and present to Programme Strategy Committees.
• Provide strategic and technical support to grantees during implementation.
• Coordinate with African governments, multilateral partners, and other funders.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree in your portfolio area (public health, agricultural economics, public policy, development economics).
• Seven or more years of relevant professional experience including programme design and management.
• Demonstrated track record influencing African government policy or major implementation programmes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English; French an asset for francophone West African portfolios.
• Authorisation to work in South Africa.

Nice to have

• PhD in a relevant discipline.
• Prior in-country experience leading large-scale programmes.
• Existing network of African government, NGO, and academic partners.

How to apply

Open the Gates Foundation careers page at the apply link, search for “Programme Officer Africa”, and apply through the Foundation’s recruitment portal. CV review, hiring manager interview, technical interviews, and final panel with the Africa Country Director follow. Closing date 31 August 2026.