About this role
12 Month Full time, Fixed-term Contract role
South Africa - Office in Rosebank, Johannesburg
Background The African Climate Foundation (ACF) is the first and only African-led climate change re-granting organisation on the continent. Through a combination of 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 that have the greatest potential to deliver long-term socio-economic transformation and inclusive development.
The Just Energy Transition Project Management Office (JET PMU)
The JET PMU operates as a high-impact delivery unit, driving the Just Energy Transition (JET) through strategic coordination, agile execution, and results-driven implementation. Focused on accelerating project pipelines, mobilising resources, problem solving and fostering collaboration, the PMU bridges policy and action.
About the ACT Programme
The Accelerating Coal Transition (ACT) Programme is a flagship of the JET Investment Plan (2023–2027) and of South Africa's international partnerships supporting the Just Energy Transition. It is a multi-phase, multi-programme initiative valued at USD 2.9 billion, designed to responsibly manage the retirement of five coal-fired power stations in Mpumalanga — Camden, Grootvlei, Hendrina, Arnot, and Kriel — by 2030, in line with government's Integrated Resource Plan 2025.
The programme invests in renewable energy repowering projects at each site, the repurposing of facilities, and the development of economic opportunities and energy services in the at-risk communities of the municipalities where the power stations are located.
The JET PMU in the Presidency is responsible for managing the ACT Desk.
About the role
As part of the MOU signed between the African Climate Foundation (ACF) and the Just Energy Transition Projects Management Unit (JET PMU); the ACF agreed to provide resources to the JET PMU to enable the JET PMU to fulfil its mandate pursuant to the JET PMU’s terms of reference. This includes the secondment of technical experts across all relevant disciplines to support the agenda of the JET PMU.
South Africa's coal transition is one of the most complex and consequential undertakings within the just energy transition — spanning five power stations, multiple implementing agencies, and communities whose economic future depends on how well this is managed. The JET PMU needs an experienced programme leader who can hold this complexity together: aligning sub-programmes and funders around a single delivery plan, keeping governance consistent across many moving parts, and making sure risks are caught and resolved before they become crises.
This is a senior, high-accountability role with real breadth — confirming delivery scope and funding flows with sub-programme managers in one conversation, resolving a delivery risk with an implementing agency in the next, and presenting programme performance to funders and governance structures soon after. It suits someone who is comfortable operating at both the strategic and operational level, who builds trust across many stakeholders, and who is motivated by work with lasting national significance.
The Programme Manager: ACT Desk sits at the centre of the ACT Programme's execution. The role covers four interconnected areas: programme planning and governance, delivery, risk and quality management, and stakeholder engagement and reporting.
The Programme Manage: ACT Desk works within the strategic framework set by JET PMU leadership, translating the ACT Programme's investment plan into a coordinated, well-governed delivery execution plan across sub-programmes and implementing agencies.
This role will be seconded to the JET PMU and will work under the direction of the JET PMU Manager: Operations.
Key Deliverables:
Programme Planning & Governance
• Confirm, for programme execution planning, the ACT programme scope, goals, success criteria, and funding flow arrangements in collaboration with the sub-programme managers.
• Establish programme governance and ensure governance consistency across multiple implementers.
• Prepare and operationalise a delivery execution plan for the ACT programme, reflecting sub-programmes and their components.
Delivery, Risk & Quality Management
• Monitor performance and oversee benefits realisation.
• Problem-solve with implementing agencies and funders.
• Manage dependencies, risks, and resource conflicts.
• Undertake quality assurance at defined programme milestones.
Stakeholder Engagement & Reporting
• Facilitate collaboration between teams.
• Lead stakeholder engagement.
• Prepare and present programme performance reports to ACT governance structures and funders.
• Manage public communications on ACT programme progress.
Who we are looking for
This role suits a senior programme management professional who combines strategic judgement with hands-on delivery discipline and strong stakeholder credibility. Here is what we are looking for:
A strategic and operational programme leader — you can hold a multi-billion-dollar, multi-implementer programme in your head at both the delivery-plan level and the milestone level and move fluidly between the two.
Governance and funding-flow expertise — you understand how to establish and maintain governance consistency across multiple implementing agencies and funding arrangements, and you know what good programme governance looks like in practice.
Risk and dependency management experience — you have managed complex risk registers, resource conflicts, and interdependencies across parallel workstreams, and you know when and how to escalate.
Confident stakeholder and funder engagement — you are comfortable presenting programme performance to governance structures and funders, and you can facilitate collaboration between teams that don't always share the same priorities.
Energy, climate, or infrastructure sector familiarity — you don't need to be a coal transition expert on day one, but prior experience in energy, infrastructure, government, or development programmes will meaningfully shorten your learning curve.
Experience
At least 8–10 years of experience in programme management, successfully steering complex, multi-million dollar projects managed by multiple agencies.
Qualifications
A Master’s degree in Economics, Business Administration, Engineering, Information Technology or a related field. Certification in PMI Programme Management Professional (PgMP), PMI Project Management Professional (PMP), or equivalent.
Start date: Position available immediately
Location: South Africa - Office in Rosebank, Johannesburg
Contract duration: 12 months
Closing date: 11 October 2026
Application Details:
• Applicants must have the legal right to work in the country.
For further information about the ACF, visit www.africanclimatefoundation.org
Should you not hear back from us by 30 November 2026, please consider your application to be unsuccessful.
The ACF strives to be an equitable organisation with a team which reflects the diversity of Africa.
In compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), The ACF assures all applicants that any personal information provided during the recruitment process will be treated with the utmost confidentiality and used solely for recruitment purposes. Your privacy and data security are of paramount importance to us. By applying for this position, you consent to the collection, processing, and storage of your personal information for recruitment-related activities only. The ACF is committed to safeguarding your privacy and maintaining the trust you place in us.