KCCR – Research Centre for Tropical Medicine – Ghana
The Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR) is an international platform for biomedical research and training located on the campus of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi.
The research centre is jointly operated by the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM) in Hamburg, KNUST and the Ghanaian Ministry of Health. Scientists from Ghana, Germany and other international partner institutions work together on research projects focusing on infectious diseases, tropical medicine, epidemiology, clinical research and global health, among other areas.
Role and Interfaces
As Head of Administration, you will assume a central management role in ensuring the reliable, transparent and cost-effective operation of the research centre.
You will combine financial management and controlling with effective administrative structures, thereby creating essential conditions for the successful implementation of international research projects.
In this role, you will work closely with the scientific leadership of KCCR, the relevant departments on site, and German and Ghanaian partner institutions.
Responsibilities
- Responsibility for financial management, budget planning, controlling and financial reporting
- Management and monitoring of ongoing financial and administrative processes
- Planning, monitoring and accounting for institutional funds as well as national and international third-party funding
- Ensuring transparent use of funds and providing reliable financial information to support business decisions
- Responsibility for administrative processes and their continuous improvement
- Management and coordination of related areas, including purchasing, procurement and contract administration
- Supporting the scientific leadership with budget, investment and resource allocation decisions
- Collaborating with research groups, project managers, funding organisations and external partner institutions
- Further developing efficient organisational, reporting and control structures
- Leading and developing the staff assigned to the finance and administration departments
Education and Qualification (m/f/d)
- A completed university degree in finance, business administration or a comparable field; a master's degree is preferred
- At least five years of professional experience, including at least three years in a leadership role with a comparable level of responsibility
- Comprehensive knowledge and several years of experience in budgeting, finance and grant management, as well as personnel administration
- Good knowledge of Ghanaian and German employment-, procurement- and tax law
- Strong intercultural skills and communication abilities; experience in African research environments is an advantage
- Strategic thinking, a service-oriented mindset and a pragmatic leadership style
- Willingness to work permanently on site in Kumasi and travel occasionally to Hamburg and elsewhere in Africa
- Fluent English skills, both written and spoken; knowledge of German is an advantage
Contract offer
- The opportunity to actively shape the financial and administrative development of an internationally established research centre
- The opportunity to work at a key interface between research, finance, administration and international cooperation, helping to create the essential conditions for successful biomedical research and the development of scientific capacity in West Africa
- A diverse, collegial and inclusive international working environment
- Location: Kumasi, Ghana, with accommodation available on the university campus in Kumasi
- Attractive tax-free overseas allowance, international health insurance and an occupational pension scheme
- A fixed-term contract for two years, with the option of permanent employment thereafter
Interested in this Position?
As a recruitment consultancy, we have been exclusively commissioned to manage this vacancy.
Please send us your CV, complete application documents and letter of motivation by 2 November 2026 to bewerbung@kontrast-gmbh.de. We’ll contact you for further details. Our service for you is for free!
Please Send us your to bewerbung@kontrast-gmbh.de.
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