The African Climate Foundation (ACF) is the first and only African-led climate change re-granting organisation on the continent. Through grant making, fellowships, transformational research, technical assistance, coalition building and advocacy, the ACF seeks to support interventions at the nexus of climate change and development with the greatest potential to deliver long-term socio-economic transformation and inclusive growth. As ACF enters a phase of rapid growth, the organisation is seeking a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to lead and strengthen its operational infrastructure, drive institutional development, and coordinate cross-functional alignment across the organisation. The ideal candidate will bring strong operational expertise, leadership, and a proven track record in scaling businesses.
Based remotely anywhere in Africa, ACF seeks to appoint a
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will serve as a core member of the Senior Management Team (SMT) and play a pivotal role in strengthening the African Climate Foundation’s organisational development and operational infrastructure. Reporting directly to the CEO, the COO will oversee and lead all aspects of the organisation’s internal operations – including Human Resources, Information Technology, Fiscal Hosting, Governance, Compliance, and Risk Management – while supporting the CEO and Board in shaping the Foundation’s pan-African growth strategy. As the owner of organisations processes and system architecture, the COO will ensure ACF is operating efficiently and effectively across all functions and departments.
The COO will also play a central leadership role in aligning and leading the work of the SMT, fostering a collaborative, high-performing, and accountable culture across departments. They will lead the design and implementation of scalable operational systems, change management strategies, and institutional development processes that ensure ACF’s effectiveness and resilience. As the lead for organisational development, the COO is responsible for managing general operating support and Organisational Development grants, coordinating with the SMT on the prioritization and use of funds. This is a senior strategic leadership role that requires deep experience in operations, budget management, organisational transformation, risk management, people management, and team management within complex, mission-driven organisations.
Key responsibilities for the COO will include:
Executive Operational Leadership and Strategic Alignment
• Serve as a key member of the Senior Management Team, working closely with the CEO and SMT to translate organisational vision into effective people and operations systems and practices.
• Lead the development and execution of operational strategies to support ACF’s pan-African expansion, ensuring alignment with programmatic and organisational goals. Manage Organisation Development and General Operating Support grants.
• Lead the change process necessary to scale the organisation, clarifying roles and responsibilities and decision-making authority.
• Lead the work of the Senior Management Team to ensure cross-functional alignment, delivery, and performance management.
• Develop strategic action plans that detail responsibilities, timelines, and milestones, and oversee performance reporting to the CEO and Board.
Leadership and Management
• Provide leadership, direction, and management for the Operations teams, which consists of: Human Resources, IT, Planning, Systems & Processes.
• Promote a culture of excellence, service orientation, high performance, and continuous improvement for and within the team, and in team interactions with the rest of the organisation.
• Supervise direct reports and ensure clear performance expectations, development pathways and role alignment.
• Mentor staff and support professional training and development.
Change Management and Organisational Transformation
• Lead ACF through structural, operational, and cultural transitions, ensuring minimal disruption and strong stakeholder engagement.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement through team engagement in the identification of operational efficiencies and other opportunities for change initiatives.
• Design and implement organisation-wide change management strategies that embed adaptability, resilience, and continuous improvement.
• Drive internal communications to ensure transparency and clarity around change processes.
Governance, Compliance and Institutional Development
• Strengthen governance frameworks and ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, and donor requirements across jurisdictions.
• Ensure all internal policies, contracts, and MOUs are aligned with regulatory frameworks and institutional best practices.
• Own the overall risk of the organisation, across multiple functions. This includes owning the risk management framework to support the identification and impact mitigation of organisational, financial and technology/cyber related risks.
Risk Management and Organisational Resilience
• Develop and lead an enterprise risk management framework that includes strategic, operational, financial, and reputational risk mitigation.
• Maintain and update strategic risk registers and ensure the SMT and Board are regularly informed of emerging risks and mitigation strategies.
• Promote a culture of risk ownership across the organisation.
Technology, Systems and Processes Leadership
• Manage the systems, processes and practices required to support ACF strategic effectiveness; ensure these are efficient and effective, and that they facilitate our value delivery and enhance funder, partner, grantee, and staff experience.
• Ensure IT, systems and practices provide appropriate levels of security for information, staff and grantees.
• Ensure system and information architecture are aligned with key processes and practices; prioritize key investment areas and manage development projects to support department and organisation needs.
• Oversee the adoption of enterprise systems that support remote collaboration, knowledge sharing, and grant making.
• Institutionalise core business processes into policies, SOPs, and digital workflows.
• Develop systems to capture and disseminate institutional knowledge and ensure continuity across teams and regions.
Human Resources and Organisational Culture
• Oversee the development and implementation of a people strategy aligned with ACF’s vision and attract and retain a talented workforce.
• Support the Head of Human Resources to implement talent, inclusion, and workforce development strategies that reflect ACF’s values and pan-African footprint.
• Ensure HR systems, policies, and structures are robust, equitable, and locally compliant.
• Foster a performance-based culture that values collaboration, learning, and staff wellbeing.
• Oversee organisation-wide meetings, retreats, and internal communication practices.
Fiscal Hosting Oversight
• Provide strategic and operational oversight to the Fiscal Hosting function in collaboration with the Head of Fiscal Hosting.
• Ensure that service offerings, capacity planning and internal systems align with hosting agreements and operational needs.
• With the Head of Fiscal Hosting, represent ACF with key internal and external stakeholders; ensure service level monitoring, problem identification and resolution, and reporting.
Strategic Partnerships and Communications
• Collaborate with the Head of Strategic Partnerships and Communications to develop proposals, reports and donor-facing communication related to operational performance and organisational development.
• Contribute to the development of systems and tools for managing funder relationships, communications and stakeholder mapping, ensuring proactive and strategic engagement across ACF’s network.
The COO must meet the following criteria:
Qualifications and Experience
• Master’s degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Organisational Development, Public Administration, or a related field.
• At least 10 years of progressive leadership experience in operations and organisational management.
• Proven experience leading change management and institutional transformation in mission-driven organisations.
• Deep understanding of governance, compliance, and risk management across multiple jurisdictions in Africa.
• Demonstrated success leading senior management teams and cross-functional leadership groups.
• Experience with IT systems, HR management, finance, and grant operations.
• Strong leadership, strategic planning, and interpersonal communication skills.
• High levels of discretion, accountability, and cultural competence.
Key Competencies
• Strategic and systems leadership
• Exceptional people management skills
• Organisational transformation and change management
• Institutional strengthening and risk management
• Senior team management and cross-functional leadership
• Operational excellence and efficiency
• Cross-cultural communication and stakeholder management
• Technology adoption and digital transformation
• Climate Sector experience will be advantageous.
View the full job description and application instructions on the Vacancies page at www.actionappointments.co.za and email your application by Friday, 11 July 2025 to callum@actionappointments.co.za