Liaison Officer: Thematic Grants at NRF National Research Foundation

About the position

Postion Summary:
The National Research Foundation (NRF) seeks to make an appointment for the position of Liaison Officer: Thematic Research Support and Advancement within the Research, Innovation and Impact Support and Advancement (RIISA). Reporting to the Manager: Thematic Research, the incumbent will be responsible for supporting and assisting the team members and the Manager in the end-to-end development and implementation of a portfolio of thematic research grants at South African public universities, science councils, and national research facilities to advance the knowledge and socio-economic impact of the South African research enterprise. Activities will include pre- and post- granting processes, which support, promote and advance research and human capacity development in all fields of science and technology, including humanities, social sciences and indigenous knowledge, as per the NRF mandate.

Key Responsibilities:

• Supporting the implementation of unit activities
• Support the departmental team and Manager to achieve the department-specific goals and objectives defined in the Annual Performance Plan and aligned to NRF vision 2030
• Support the end-to-end grant administration activities for programme implementation, including call provisioning and call for applications; application screening, review and evaluation; grants awarding and expenditure; communication to applicants and institutions, monitoring and reporting
• Provide technical administrative support of departmental activities such as compilation of presentations, excel spreadsheet including review meetings, screenings and funding decisions
• Participate in drafting of internal business documents and reports in support of the departmental activities Stakeholder liaisonProvide technical support for stakeholder engagement meetings, workshops, conferences, institutional visits, scientific events and launches
• Participate in departmental meetings, briefings, conventions, seminars, forums and institutional visits
• Serve as a liaison for communication between the NRF and institutional grants administration officers and maintain positive relationships with institutional grants administration officers
• Be responsive to stakeholder requests and enquiries in an informed and customer-centric manner
• Provide support relating to NRF Connect, to applicants, grantholders and institutional research administrators
• Assist with the communication to postal and panel reviews as per departmental activities Assist and support the review process for grant funding applications Support financial administrationAssist with the technical administration of grant administration transactions, in close collaboration with RIISA finance department
• Provide the administration of grant awards, releases and budget adjustments
• Assist, support and address audit queries appropriately and timeously
• Support monitoring and reportingProvide administrative support for the monitoring and evaluation of performance of the departmental funded projects and initiatives to ensure that the expected output, outcomes and impact are achieved
• Actively participate in the evaluation of funding instruments

Minimum Qualification:

• Bachelors Degree / Advanced Diploma / NQF 7

Minimum Experience:

• 2-5 years

• Bachelor’s Degree (NQF 7)
• An honour’s degree (NQF 8) will be an added advantage 2 years of work experience in a relevant research-related environment
• Technical office administration experience

Experience:

• Stakeholder liaison Financial administration Good writing skills (English)Good interpersonal skills Problem solving Time management skills Communication skills (English)Computer proficiency with the MS Office suite

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of the South African Higher Education System
• Knowledge of the National Research Foundation and its mandate

The NRF website provides more details on the initiatives and activities Applicants should submit a comprehensive CV by registering and apply online through the NRF Recruitment and Selection Portal. Applications should be accompanied by a letter of motivation indicating the applicant·s suitability for the position. The names and contact details of at least three referees should be provided.

Desired Skills:

• Skilled in applied field of position
• Knowledge to be relevant
• Responsible in performing duties

About The Employer:

The National Research Foundation (NRF) is established by an Act of Parliament and mandated to contribute to national development by supporting, promoting and advancing research and human capacity development, through funding and the provision of the necessary research infrastructure, in order to facilitate the creation of knowledge, innovation and development in all fields of science and technology, including humanities, social sciences and indigenous knowledge; and supporting and promoting public awareness of, and engagement with, science. The NRF is a well-established organisation that is highly networked within the knowledge system, nationally and internationally. It is the principal organisation responsible for promoting the national research enterprise and is the primary public funder of postgraduate students and researchers and provider of research infrastructure in the country. It has well-developed, best practice research evaluation and support systems.