Senior Grants and Programme Specialist with over nine years of experience managing multi-partner funding mechanisms within USAID and FCDO-funded programs. Proven expertise in the full grant cycle, including risk assessment, compliance oversight, and financial monitoring across complex, multi-district portfolios. Proficient in integrating Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) into program delivery to enhance adaptive management, generate evidence, and ensure stakeholder accountability. Strong collaboration skills with local organizations to strengthen institutional capacity while facilitating inclusive, market-based, and resilience-focused interventions. Combines analytical expertise in financial appraisal and econometrics with practical field experience in climate-resilient livelihoods and private sector engagement.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Grants, Compliance & Programme Coordination Lead
Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA)
Zimbabwe
09.2016 - 11.2025
Led grants management, compliance oversight, and programme coordination within a large-scale resilience and food security programme operating across eight districts in Zimbabwe.
Managed a multi-partner grant portfolio (USD 750,000+) supporting private sector and civil society actors.
Led end-to-end grant cycles: calls for proposals, due diligence, evaluation, contracting, disbursement, and close-out.
Designed and applied risk-based due diligence frameworks including financial, governance and operational assessments.
Developed risk mitigation strategies aligned to partner capacity and grant size.
Maintained grant registers, compliance documentation, and audit-ready files.
Monitored partner expenditures against approved budgets and flagged variances.
Reviewed financial reports, audit documentation and cash flow projections.
Ensured compliance with USAID/BHA regulations, safeguarding, and accountability standards.
Supported donor reporting and internal compliance reviews.
Integrated MEL frameworks into grant management to track performance, risk and outcomes.
Developed monitoring tools and indicators to support evidence-based decision-making.
Contributed to reporting, learning reviews and adaptive programme improvements.
Supported qualitative and quantitative data collection across multiple value chains.
Coordinated with donors, implementing partners and private sector actors to align implementation with programme objectives.
Participated in programme review platforms and technical discussions contributing to strategy and adaptation.
Facilitated collaboration between local organisations and market actors to strengthen inclusive participation.
Provided structured support to local partners on compliance, financial management and reporting.
Strengthened organisational systems through due diligence feedback and ongoing accompaniment.
Developed practical tools and templates to improve partner performance and accountability.
Contributed to development of a USD 75 million USAID RFSA proposal.
Facilitated market linkages valued at USD 8 million across livestock and horticulture value chains.
Supported resilience-building interventions in drought-prone regions.
USAID/BHA RFSA – Amalima Loko Programme
Project Field Officer
Welthungerhilfe (WHH)
Zimbabwe
02.2015 - 08.2016
Delivered climate-smart agriculture and livelihoods support to 4,000+ farmers.
Facilitated market linkages across livestock and crop value chains.
Supported formation and monitoring of 200+ savings groups (ISALs).
Contributed to programme monitoring, reporting, and performance tracking.
<ul><li>Company Overview: Group Company of PUIG, Spain</li><li>Team Leadership & Process Excellence: Organised the transformation of the Finance & Accounts function, establishing performance-driven goals, and embedding a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. Drove operational efficiency through process redesigns, SOP implementation and optimal resource deployment, leading to measurable improvements in turnaround time and accuracy.</li><li>Strategic Partnering with CXOs: Acted as a key advisor to the CEO, CFO, and other CXOs on business planning, pricing strategies, and business model pivots to support scale-up and profitability. Contributed to investor communications with data-backed insights to enhance stakeholder confidence and secure strategic funding.</li><li>Cross-Functional & Global Stakeholder Management: Functioned as the strategic finance business partner to cross-functional heads and the PUIG global finance team, aligning local execution with global financial strategies and compliance requirements.</li><li>ERP Transformation & System Automation: Led end-to-end ERP reimplementation to address system gaps, enforce role-based controls, and automate core finance processes—resulting in enhanced data accuracy, faster reporting and improved internal controls.</li><li>Costing, Inventory & Profitability Optimization: Designed and implemented plant-level costing models to ensure accurate COGS determination. Improved inventory management across pricing, consumption tracking, and aging analysis—enabling better working capital control and cost efficiency.</li><li>Manufacturing Finance & Statutory Compliance: Supervised end-to-end accounting for manufacturing operations and ensured full statutory compliance.</li><li>Financial Reporting, MIS & Profitability Analytics: Delivered accurate and timely monthly MIS reports, including P&L, Balance Sheet and KPI dashboards with deep-dive variance analysis across stores, business verticals, and geographies. Supported board-level decision-making through insightful presentations on financial health and business performance.</li><li>Budgeting, Forecasting & Business Planning: Led the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) and rolling forecasts, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and market dynamics. Monitored key financial metrics to enable business decisions and proactive cost management.</li><li>Statutory, Internal & Tax Audit Management: Finalized standalone and consolidated financials under Ind AS and IFRS, ensured timely group reporting and compliance with international standards. Delivered clean and timely closures of statutory, tax, and internal audits in coordination with Big 4 auditors. Strengthened audit readiness through pre-audit diagnostics and rectification of recurring control gaps.</li><li>Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management: Ensured end-to-end compliance which includes ROC, RBI, FEMA, Income Tax, GST, Transfer Pricing, DTAA, and Customs. Reviewed cross-border contracts and transactions to ensure arm’s length pricing, accurate TDS application, and proper documentation under Transfer Pricing regulations.</li><li>Commercial Negotiation & Contract Governance: Led commercial negotiations and structured deals with vendors and franchisees. Reviewed key business contracts to ensure financial viability, risk protection, and compliance with regulatory standards.</li><li>Treasury & External Commercial Borrowing (ECB): Managed fund planning and liquidity management including ECB drawdowns, bank negotiations, and interest optimization. Improved working capital cycles through proactive cash flow forecasting and receivables control.</li><li>Internal Controls & Governance Framework: Led organization-wide reviews of internal control systems, identified process gaps, and redesigned or implemented over 40 SOPs and IFCs. Established a governance structure for financial discipline, risk mitigation, and policy compliance across departments.</li></ul> at Kama Ayurveda Pvt. Ltd. & PUIG India Pvt. Ltd.<ul><li>Company Overview: Group Company of PUIG, Spain</li><li>Team Leadership & Process Excellence: Organised the transformation of the Finance & Accounts function, establishing performance-driven goals, and embedding a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. Drove operational efficiency through process redesigns, SOP implementation and optimal resource deployment, leading to measurable improvements in turnaround time and accuracy.</li><li>Strategic Partnering with CXOs: Acted as a key advisor to the CEO, CFO, and other CXOs on business planning, pricing strategies, and business model pivots to support scale-up and profitability. Contributed to investor communications with data-backed insights to enhance stakeholder confidence and secure strategic funding.</li><li>Cross-Functional & Global Stakeholder Management: Functioned as the strategic finance business partner to cross-functional heads and the PUIG global finance team, aligning local execution with global financial strategies and compliance requirements.</li><li>ERP Transformation & System Automation: Led end-to-end ERP reimplementation to address system gaps, enforce role-based controls, and automate core finance processes—resulting in enhanced data accuracy, faster reporting and improved internal controls.</li><li>Costing, Inventory & Profitability Optimization: Designed and implemented plant-level costing models to ensure accurate COGS determination. Improved inventory management across pricing, consumption tracking, and aging analysis—enabling better working capital control and cost efficiency.</li><li>Manufacturing Finance & Statutory Compliance: Supervised end-to-end accounting for manufacturing operations and ensured full statutory compliance.</li><li>Financial Reporting, MIS & Profitability Analytics: Delivered accurate and timely monthly MIS reports, including P&L, Balance Sheet and KPI dashboards with deep-dive variance analysis across stores, business verticals, and geographies. Supported board-level decision-making through insightful presentations on financial health and business performance.</li><li>Budgeting, Forecasting & Business Planning: Led the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) and rolling forecasts, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and market dynamics. Monitored key financial metrics to enable business decisions and proactive cost management.</li><li>Statutory, Internal & Tax Audit Management: Finalized standalone and consolidated financials under Ind AS and IFRS, ensured timely group reporting and compliance with international standards. Delivered clean and timely closures of statutory, tax, and internal audits in coordination with Big 4 auditors. Strengthened audit readiness through pre-audit diagnostics and rectification of recurring control gaps.</li><li>Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management: Ensured end-to-end compliance which includes ROC, RBI, FEMA, Income Tax, GST, Transfer Pricing, DTAA, and Customs. Reviewed cross-border contracts and transactions to ensure arm’s length pricing, accurate TDS application, and proper documentation under Transfer Pricing regulations.</li><li>Commercial Negotiation & Contract Governance: Led commercial negotiations and structured deals with vendors and franchisees. Reviewed key business contracts to ensure financial viability, risk protection, and compliance with regulatory standards.</li><li>Treasury & External Commercial Borrowing (ECB): Managed fund planning and liquidity management including ECB drawdowns, bank negotiations, and interest optimization. Improved working capital cycles through proactive cash flow forecasting and receivables control.</li><li>Internal Controls & Governance Framework: Led organization-wide reviews of internal control systems, identified process gaps, and redesigned or implemented over 40 SOPs and IFCs. Established a governance structure for financial discipline, risk mitigation, and policy compliance across departments.</li></ul> at Kama Ayurveda Pvt. Ltd. & PUIG India Pvt. Ltd.