AKADEMIYA2063 is a pan-African non-profit research organization with headquarters in Kigali, Rwanda, and a regional office in Dakar, Senegal. Inspired by the ambitions of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and grounded in the recognition of the central importance of strong knowledge and evidence-based systems, the vision of AKADEMIYA2063 is an Africa with the expertise we need for the Africa we want. This expertise must be responsive to the continent’s needs for data and analysis to ensure high-quality policy design and execution.
Inclusive, evidence-informed policymaking is key to meeting the continent’s development aspirations, creating wealth, and improving livelihoods. AKADEMIYA2063’s overall mission is to create, across Africa and led from its headquarters in Rwanda, state-of-the-art technical capacities to support the efforts by the Member States of the African Union to achieve the key goals of Agenda 2063 of transforming national economies to boost economic growth and prosperity. Following from its vision and mission, the main goal of AKADEMIYA2063 is to help meet Africa’s needs at the continental, regional, and national levels in terms of data, analytics, and mutual learning for the effective implementation of Agenda 2063 and the realization of its outcomes by a critical mass of countries.
AKADEMIYA2063 strives to meet its goals through programs organized under five strategic areas: policy innovation, knowledge systems, capacity creation and deployment, operational support, data management, digital products, and technology, as well as innovative partnerships and outreach activities. For more information, visit www.akademiya2063.org.

Vacancy Details
• Position Title: Consultant, Operations and Finance Manager (AISESA)
• Department: AISESA Program
• Location:Remote
• Duration: Two (2) years, (Renewable subject to fund availability)

Role Overview
The Operations and Finance Manager provides the organizational backbone for the AISESA Secretariat. The role focuses on internal planning, coordination, and systems strengthening, ensuring that AISESA’s programs and partnerships run smoothly, efficiently, and in compliance with donor and host institutional frameworks. This role is to bridge operations, finance, and program delivery while maintaining AISESA’s autonomy and distinct institutional identity under its hosting arrangement with A2063.

About AISESA (African Institute for Sustainable Energy and Systems Analysis)
It is a new institute dedicated to ensuring Africa’s energy transitions are designed, led, and owned by African institutions. It brings together researchers, policymakers, civil society, the private sector, and financiers to co-create knowledge, tools, and capacity tailored to African contexts.
Energy is at the heart of Africa’s development agenda and its response to climate change. Across sub-Saharan Africa, energy systems remain underdeveloped, limiting the continent’s ability to achieve its social, environmental, and economic potential. This shortage is not only an infrastructure challenge but also a systemic one, rooted in inadequate institutional capacity, fragmented policy environments, and a persistent reliance on externally driven research and planning. The result is a knowledge and capacity gap, limited ownership of energy system knowledge, and a disconnect between decision-making and data and analysis. Too often, this is
compounded by the limited recognition of African knowledge, with external standards applied in ways that don’t always fit local realities, further constraining effective planning and implementation. Limited institutional capacity and reliance on outside expertise slow the growth of local knowledge and risk positioning African states more as recipients than as leaders of their own energy and climate agendas. Breaking this cycle means investing in institutional and human capacities and reinforcing Africa’s agency in defining its own energy future. Developing approaches grounded in the African context, and led by African institutions, is therefore an urgent task. For more information, visit www.aisesa.org

Key Responsibilities
Operations, Coordination, and Administration
• Manage AISESA’s operational workflows, including travel, procurement, contracting, and logistics for meetings, workshops, and events.
• Oversee the development and implementation of standard operating procedures to ensure efficiency, consistency, and compliance.
• Coordinate day-to-day project timelines, deliverables, and milestones, maintaining organized records and documentation systems for approvals, contracts, and correspondence.
• Support the preparation and tracking of AISESA’s annual work plan and budget matrix, ensuringvalignment with institutional priorities and donor frameworks.
• Develop and maintain internal tools and dashboards for performance tracking, budget visibility, and decision-making.

Finance, Compliance, and Donor Reporting
• Liaise with AKADEMIYA2063’s operations and finance teams to ensure smooth coordination, timely support, and adherence to institutional and donor compliance requirements.
• Support the preparation, review, and consolidation of financial and grant reports, ensuring expenditures and documentation align with approved budgets and donor standards.
• Track project spending, analyze variances, and provide early alerts on potential financial or operational risks.
• Ensure timely submission of deliverables, reports, and supporting documentation tied to donor
milestones.
• Contribute to maintaining sound internal control systems that safeguard financial integrity and operational accountability.

Institutional Coordination and Capacity Support
• Serve as the operational focal point between AISESA and AKADEMIYA2063, ensuring that finance, HR, procurement, and IT systems are integrated yet responsive to AISESA’s distinct operational needs.
• Strengthen internal coordination by facilitating effective information flow across teams and
maintaining transparency in administrative and financial processes.
• Provide guidance and capacity support to AISESA staff and partners on operational, administrative, and financial procedures.

Qualifications
Education & Experience
• Bachelor’s in finance, accounting, economics, public administration, or related field.
(Master’s/CPA/ACCA a plus.)
• 5–7 years of experience in operations and finance in an international or research/development organization; proven coordination across multiple projects/partners.
• Experience working with donor-funded programs and demonstrated ability to coordinate multi-partner projects and budgets.
• Hands-on experience with grant budgeting, reporting, and audits (foundation or institutional donors); familiarity with procurement and subaward processes.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (especially Excel) and experience with project management tools.
• Clear written and verbal communication for diverse audiences; ability to translate finance/ops info into actionable guidance for non-finance colleagues.
• Fluency in French and strong English is an asset.

Preferred Qualifications / Skills
• Strong coordination and analytical skills; able to connect operational, financial, and programmatic perspectives.
• Skilled at navigating institutional relationships and fostering collaboration.
• High integrity, discretion, and commitment to accountability.
• Ability to work both strategically and practically hands-on when needed.
• Adaptable and comfortable working in a networked, multicultural environment.
• Cultural sensitivity and ability to work effectively in a pan-African, multilingual environment.
• Commitment to AISESA’s mission of promoting African-led, people-centered energy transitions.