Company Description

EthiXPERT was established in 2018 under the Companies Act 71 of 2008, with its registered head office located in Pretoria, South Africa, and a satellite branch in Kilifi, Kenya.

EthiXPERT’s goal is to promote responsible and ethical research across Africa. It understands that ethics in research are important for health, quality of life, and community development. To support this, EthiXPERT focuses on improving how research is conducted through training and providing tools for people involved in health and social research in Africa. The organisation grew out of the Council on Health Research for Development’s (COHRED) vision to strengthen African institutions by providing them with the knowledge, skills, and expertise needed to create solutions that fit the local context.

COHRED has created RHInnO Ethics, a cloud-based platform that helps Research Ethics Committees (RECs) and Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) in low- and middle-income countries review research ethically in a faster, more efficient, and consistent way. This platform helps reduce the time it takes to review study protocols, sometimes by up to 12 months, especially for complex studies that are common when testing new medicines, vaccines, technologies, or services. EthiXPERT took over ownership and management of the RHInnO Ethics in January 2021 and has since continued to upgrade it to be the most sought-after bona fide Pan-African cloud-based online review system. Furthermore, EthiXPERT works closely with different African and international stakeholders to help research institutions, research ethics committees and researchers to co-create and develop locally driven solutions for sustainable social and health empowerment and depends on external funding from health research funding agencies for its financial sustainability. 

Composition:

This not-for-profit company is governed by a board of seven directors, five of whom serve voluntarily. The non-executive directors include the Chair, Vice-Chair, Director of Research and Innovation, Director of Business and Strategic Development, and Director of Financial Affairs. The executive leadership team comprises the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Operating Officer, both are executive directors of the organisation.

Income Streams

Annual subscription fees from the RHInnO Ethics users, grant funding and training courses are the three income streams of EthiXPERT.

Objectives

The Administrator will provide support to EthiXPERT by ensuring that the company’s administrative operations run smoothly and efficiently. Timely liaison with service providers, contractors and other colleagues is essential.

Scope of Work

1. Office Management: Overseeing daily operations, ensuring both offices run smoothly (Kilifi and Pretoria offices)
2. Communication: Serving as a point of contact for internal and external communications, including emails, phone calls, and meetings.
3. Scheduling: Managing calendars for the CEO, scheduling meetings, and coordinating events.
4. Documentation: Maintaining accurate records, filing systems, and databases, and ensuring documentation is organized and accessible.
5. Support Services: Providing administrative support to all departments, including data entry, report preparation, and project assistance.
6. Financial Management: Assisting with invoicing, expense tracking and issuing of receipts.
7. Human Resources: Supporting HR functions like onboarding new employees, maintaining employee records, and coordinating training sessions.
8. Compliance Management: Ensure compliance with SARS and CIPC.
9. Policy Implementation: Ensuring adherence to organizational policies and procedures, and helping to implement new policies as needed.
10. Technology Management: Managing office technology and software systems, troubleshooting issues, and coordinating with IT when necessary.
11. Event Management: Assisting with webinars and other training events (planning, marketing, programmes, certificates of attendance, etc).
12. Social Media Management: Regular posts on all social media platforms and growing followers, likes, etc.

Requirements:

1. A minimum of 5 years experience is required.
2. Strong numeracy and analytical skills.
3. Good problem-solving and time-management skills.
4. Highly organised and detail-oriented.
5. Experience in the Non-Profit Company environment will be an advantage.

Terms of Reference:

1. The Administrator will work from his/her premises in Pretoria, using personal equipment, stationery, internet and cell phone.
2. The Administrator will be a full-time employee.
3. Work independently with direct communication to the CEO and COO.
4. Will report to the CEO.
5. An initial agreement for one year will be signed, renewable upon satisfactory performance and availability of funds.

Compensation

1. Gross Salary: R18k per month.
2. Statutory deductions such as PAYE, SDL and UIF will apply.
3. Employees are responsible for their own medical insurance and pension fund.

Important Note

1. EthiXPERT will consider race, gender, age and disability diversity in its selection process.
2. A shortlist of appropriate candidates will be compiled and interviews will be conducted with only them.

Interested parties can apply as follows:

• Share an abridged CV, accompanied by an application letter and at least three references with the COO by no later than 15 March 2025. A certified copy of the applicant’s ID must accompany the application.
• Contact details: corline@ethixpert.org.za / 082 374 2390

Background

EthiXPERT was established following the Companies Act 71 of 2008 in 2018 and has its registered office in Pretoria, South Africa. The founding directors are Prof Carel IJsselmuiden, Executive Director of COHRED1, who is based in Switzerland, Mr Francis Kombe, former COHRED Project Leader of RHInnO Ethics and current CEO of EthiXPERT, who is based in Kenya, and Mrs Marzelle Haskins, Executive Director of Pharma-Ethics, who is based in South Africa.

EthiXPERT aims to build responsible and ethical research capacity in and for Africa. Research Ethics is fundamental for health, quality of life, and social development. To this end, EthiXPERT is devoted to building capacity in responsible conduct of research by providing training and developing relevant tools to facilitate knowledge and skills development to health and social research stakeholders in Africa. EthiXPERT has come to fruition as a result of COHRED’s dream for Africa, namely their desire to build the capacity of African institutions, enabling them to have adequate local knowledge, skills and expertise, and the tools to develop locally relevant solutions.

COHRED developed the Research for Health and Innovation Organiser (RHInnO Ethics) an innovative cloud-based platform or ‘Software as a Service’ (SaaS) that enables Research Ethics Committees (RECs) / Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to deliver better quality, more efficient, accelerated and standardised ethical review of research for global health. Implementing the RHInnO Ethics platform drastically reduces the review time by as much as 12 months for study protocols, particularly in complex, multi-centre studies that are increasingly becoming the norm to test new medicines, vaccines, technologies, diagnostics, and services.

Composition:

EthiXPERT NPC Equity Park, Block A 257 Brooklyn Road, Pretoria 0001 info@ethixpert.org.za www.ethixpert.org

This Not-for-Profit company has six directors who are employed elsewhere. EthiXPERT has no other Human Resources capacity beyond the CEO, COO, and one administrator who also serves as the CEO's Personal Assistant. The accountant will work closely with the COO, who reports directly to the CEO.

Income Streams

Annual subscription fees from the RHInnO Ethics users and grant funding from the EDCTP are the two main income streams of EthiXPERT at the moment. Possible future training events are under investigation, where attendees will pay registration fees.

Bank accounts:

EthiXPERT currently has four bank accounts with FNB.

Objectives

The accountant will provide sound financial services to EthiXPERT to ensure that all local, and when applicable international, legislation is complied with when drafting Annual Financial Reports, Interim and Final Financial Reports as required by Grant Funders, and adherence to all local statutory obligations such as the Department of Labour, SARS, and CIPC.

Scope of Work

1. Capturing financial records on a reliable software system such as Pastel or QuickBooks.

2. Reconcile bank statements

3. Preparing monthly management accounts for EthiXPERT within the first two weeks of the new month. (Other financial reports)

4. Share General Ledger records on request

5. Timely paying annual company registration fees to CIPC in May each year. (Invoice from CIPC system to be shared with COO).

6. Timeous submitting of claims to SARS for Tax return submissions. (IT14 Return)

7. Submitting Annual Returns and Provisional Tax Calculations when applicable.

8. Managing all communication to and with SARS to ensure EthiXPERT is in good standing.

9. Obtaining a Tax Clearance Certificate and PIN annually.

10. Invoicing for training events, when needed. (on request for large events only)

11. Budget management for EthiXPERT in general and per project. (Revision at the end of the financial year for approval by the Board at the AGM in May each year).

12. Complying with all legal requirements, such as Tax Laws and the Companies Act.

13. Keep project budgets and the overall EthiXPERT budget monthly up to date.

14. Project Reporting to the EDCTP at the end of each Project Period in the specific format (templates) provided by the EDCTP and sign off on these reports on behalf of EthiXPERT.

15. Work with EthiXPERT’s external auditor, who is responsible for drafting the Annual Financial Statements.

16. Provide official (formal) evidence from SARS that EthiXPERT is exempt from VAT when requested.

17. Provide monthly EMP 201 for timeous payment.

18. Issue payslips monthly for three employees with a consolidated payroll.

19. Attend quarterly Board Meetings and the Annual General Meeting to present financial records and to respond to questions that may arise.

Requirements:

1. The incumbent must be registered with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants

2. A minimum of 10 years of experience is required 3. Working knowledge of and adherence to the International Financial Reporting Standards are compulsory.

4. The ability to adhere to deadline dates.

Terms of Reference:

1. The accountant will work independently from his/her premises

2. It is estimated that eight hours per week will be enough for EthiXPERT work – the number of hours will be negotiated and adjusted as the workload increases

3. The accountant will be an independent contractor with no benefits and will invoice EthiXPERT monthly.

4. An initial agreement for one year will be signed, which will be renewable upon satisfactory performance and the availability of funds.

How to apply:

Send a company profile/comprehensive curriculum vitae accompanied by at least five references and a quotation to corline@ethixpert.org.za by no later than Friday, 10 April 2026.

Introduction

Are you looking for an African host institution from where to implement a novel idea that you have in mind? Do you need a reputable hosting/sponsoring organisation to manage your grant? Do you need to gain hands-on experience on how to develop a competitive grant? EthiXPERT has got you covered!

What is EthiXPERT

EthiXPERT is a Pan African non-profit organisation established to build capacity for health research ethics in and for Africa. Officially registered on 11 May 2018 in the Republic of South Africa, EthiXPERT's primary mandate is to build responsible and ethical research capacity in and for Africa through the provision of training and development of relevant tools to facilitate knowledge and skill building for and with stakeholders in health and social research in Africa. https://www.ethixpert.org.za

We have a vision of Inspiring responsible and ethical research capacity in and for Africa and a mission to Build institutions in Africa's capabilities to deliver responsible and ethical research to address existing health and social challenges facing Africa. To deliver its mandate, EthiXPERT is dedicated to building institutions in Africa's capabilities to deliver responsible and ethical research to address existing health and social challenges facing Africa. Our activities are guided by five values: ubuntu care, integrity, collaboration, and fairness.

What are we looking for?

EthiXPERT is looking for competent associates, including scholars, early-career researchers, and grant writers who are interested in conceptualising and developing their research and grant ideas under the EthiXPERT CEO's leadership. Through this new exciting opportunity, EthiXPERT offers to host, support and guide individuals who wish to create a niche in their career and establish their grants under EthiXPERT's oversight and management. Through this, EthiXPERT shall grant competent professional associates, scholars, early-career researchers and grant writers who have the potential to develop competent research or project grants but lack a host institution the opportunity to do this at EthiXPERT. This way, EthiXPERT shall provide a reliable and reputable hosting/sponsoring institution critical to the efficient and successful management of their grants. 

What process will be followed?

We are looking for competent associates, scholars, early-career researchers and grant writers to undertake the following tasks

• Develop and sign a contract as an independent contractor with EthiXPERT
• Upon signing a contract, with the guidance of the EthiXPERT CEO, develop a competitive proposal in your field of interest for funding
• During submission of the proposal, use EthiXPERT affiliation, company profile, reference and contacts to support the application, as your hosting/sponsoring organisation
• Upon the application being successful, allow EthiXPERT to manage your grant and oversight/manage the grant through the EthiXPERT finance and grant management offices

What benefits does this offer?

The benefits of this model include

• Allows competent associates, including scholars, early-career researchers and grant writers who may not have a host institution to carry out their work and achieve their dreams under the auspice of EthiXPERT.
• Allows individuals to receive hands-on support and advice from the EthiXPERT CEO on competitive proposal development and efficient project implementation and management.
• Allows individuals to receive ongoing monitoring and administrative support of their projects and grants through EthiXPERT's finance, grant management and the COO
• Allows individuals to receive continuing professional growth and development in their area of expertise through ongoing consultation and support.
• Allows individuals to enjoy professional freedom and maturity through limited supervision and efficient leadership skill-building.

How can you be part of this exciting opportunity?

To be considered for this opportunity, you are required to develop and share a brief description of the proposal/grant you would want to develop, accompanied by your abridged CV/bio sketch, to the email address below.

Contacts

For more information or to submit your CV and proposal concept note,  kindly contact Adv. Corline van Rooyen at Corline@ethixpert.org.za and Info@ethixpert.org.za.