Main purpose of the role

CIFF’s Africa Strategy envisions a future where girls enjoy health, economic opportunities, and agency to help shape a thriving, self-determined Africa, free from child marriage. This strategy layers interventions, tackles root causes, and emphasizes sustainability, execution excellence, and localization. Anchored in three pillars—1) For Africa, By Africa (FABA); 2) Resilient Communities; and 3) Girl Capital (covering child marriage, Sexual Reproductive Health & Rights (SRHR), child protection and wellbeing, education, economic empowerment, and livelihoods)—CIFF Africa’s structure is purpose-built to realize this vision.

The Manager – Girl Capital, Africa will be central to driving CIFF Africa’s goals, developing evidence-based, high-impact strategies for transformational change. This role calls for expertise in supporting systemic shifts across Lower- and Middle-Income Countries systems, with a focus on equity, reach, financing, cost-effectiveness and alignment with national strategies.

Core responsibilities include managing complex data, designing continuous improvement frameworks, conducting cost-efficiency analysis, and fostering partnerships that attract co-investments from domestic funding, health finance and donor co-funding. Overseeing a multi-year multi-million-dollar portfolio, the role requires collaboration with CIFF’s SRHR, Equity Gender & Youth, Evidence Measurement and Evaluation, For Africa by Africa, Resilient Communities, Finance, and Legal teams, along with external partners, funders, and other key stakeholders.

Requirements

Role’s responsibilities

Strategy & planning

• Prepare and present high-quality analysis and research, as required, to support the sector in determining future strategic priorities and setting operational plans.
• Contribute to the production of programme strategy and the associated evidence base, alongside other team members, prior to a proposal’s submission for approval.
• Lead on the development of strategies related to adolescent girl-centred programming on SRHR, Education and Livelihoods.
• Align with Girl Capital Missions (Education, Ending Child Marriage, Sexual Violence and Pregnancies), offering country-specific insights and collaborating with the relevant internal teams.
• Conduct analysis and research on projects, innovations, emerging and best practices, as inputs into strategic priorities and planning.
• Organize, coordinate, document and professionally present from strategy and planning processes, including leading these processes when required.
• Provide support across broader Africa team strategies as needed.
• Support the implementation and development of pipeline investments responsive to the Africa strategy and its priorities.

Programme Development, Delivery & Performance

• Lead delivery of the existing programme portfolio , focusing on countries across Africa and manage a pipeline of potential investments aligned with country-driven plans and broader priorities
• Forge robust partnerships to leverage sector investments toward impactful, cost-effective interventions.
• Monitor portfolio performance against corporate and sector targets, preparing summary reports, board reports, and portfolio investment updates to a high standard.
• Ensure due diligence and risk management throughout programme development and delivery, including safeguarding risks to protect programme stakeholders and CIFF’s interests and reputation.
• Conduct feasibility analyses on investment proposals, applying rigorous methodologies to ensure robust assumptions that withstand executive and board scrutiny.
• Coordinate grant management including agreements, payments, and reporting to facilitate effective grant oversight.
• Embed monitoring and evaluation processes in all proposals and programmes in consultation with the EME Business Partner.
• Regularly review programme performance, working with partners to address issues and escalating for senior support when necessary.

Sector Knowledge & Profile Building

• Keep abreast of developments within the SRHR, Education and Livelihoods and international development sectors, establishing appropriate information gathering networks and channels to deepen professional knowledge and skills.
• As required, contribute to the development of thought leadership, PR, marketing and advocacy materials, to support CIFF’s ambitions to scale-up, mainstream and leverage additional support for its initiatives.
• Develop mutually beneficial, peer-level relationships with the Ethiopian and other priority country governments, NGOs, other foundations, local civil society and beneficiary-led organisations.
• Uphold CIFF’s reputation as a key partner in achieving sustainable Girl Capital issues, influencing national and donor programmes for gender-transformative, cost-effective outcomes.
• Engage with Girl Capital, maintaining networks that enhance knowledge in client-centred design, implementation science, and research.

Stakeholder & Partner Management

• Manage CIFF’s investments as the relationship lead focus countries, covering equitable access and financing.
• Represent CIFF externally on advisory boards, steering committees, or donor collaborations as required.
• Support internal initiatives, such as the Employee Forum and Anti-Racism & DEI Working Groups.
• Evaluate potential partners, conducting due diligence to assess suitability for CIFF’s initiatives.
• Develop strategic partnerships alongside senior colleagues to support scaling, co-funding, and adoption of CIFF programmes.
• With a variety of external audiences, develop and maintain strong partnerships and act as a knowledgeable resource about CIFF’s programmes and priority areas.

Team Membership & Leadership

• Be a role model to less experienced team members, demonstrating CIFF’s leadership behaviours and providing mentorship to aid their growth.
• Adopt a coaching approach with colleagues which instils a culture of openness and trust, embraces diverse thinking, and encourages continuous improvement and learning.
• We operate a matrix structure so reporting lines can vary between specific aspects of the role.
• This role may have line management responsibility for an analyst.

Skills & Experience 

• Demonstrable experience in analysis and due diligence; policy, planning and programme delivery, including field experience, all within the development sector.
• Knowledge of the evidence bases pertaining to programme design and implementation, and belief in the importance of evidence-based decision making.
• Strong working knowledge of impact measurement and programme monitoring and evaluation.
• An innovative thinker with a pragmatic and solution-oriented mindset
• Ability to analyse an organisation’s strength of management, vision and adaptive capacity. Ability to recruit, guide, influence and/or advise management teams to effectively implement programmes.
• Experience working within government systems and/or experience influencing the policies of government agencies, private sector organizations or donor organisations.
• Effectively champions and promotes causes – credible and professional, they always present the Foundation’s programmes in a compelling way to engage the audience.
• Skilled in relationship building and strengthening; able to influence others and work collaboratively, uniting groups with a shared purpose.
• English is CIFF’s business language – we expect all of our people to display outstanding verbal and written communication skills across all aspects of their role.
• Capacity to work in a range of cultural and socio-economic contexts, adapting style and approach appropriately and in a culturally sensitive manner to maximise effectiveness.
• IT proficiency (most specifically in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint).
• A proven self-starter, who works with pace and resilience.
• Demonstrated expertise in SRHR, education, cash transfers livelihoods or adolescent-focused girl capital initiatives. Familiarity with strategic planning and execution of complex projects, including comprehensive budgeting and detailed activity planning.

Benefits

The salary for the role is USD 71,400

Alongside a competitive salary, we offer a generous benefits package here at CIFF that includes, but is not limited to the following:

• Annual leave – 25 days per annum. Increasing by 1 day after each year of service, to a maximum of 30 days.
• Bonus – CIFF currently operates a discretionary bonus scheme.
• Training allowance
• Wellbeing allowance
• Life insurance
• Medical insurance