Head of Administration – Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine

The Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM) is seeking you at the earliest possible date as

Head of Administration
for the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR) in Kumasi, Ghana initially limited to two years, with the option of permanent employment —

The Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM) in Hamburg and the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR) in Ghana jointly promote cutting-edge research, education, and capacity building in tropical medicine. KCCR is an international research centre within the College of Health Sciences of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology (KNUST), with around 300 employees, and serves as an important hub for biomedical research and innovation in West Africa.

As Head of Administration, you are responsible for the efficient management and sustainable further development of KCCR's administrative, financial, and operational structures. You will work closely with the Ghanaian scientific leadership and the management of BNITM in Hamburg.

Your main responsibilities include:

• Overall responsibility for finance, administration, and human resources in accordance with Ghanaian and German law and BNITM standards
• Leading budget planning, grant management, and reporting to international funding organisations
• Coordinating internal and external audits and ensuring the timely implementation of recommendations
• Contributing to the strategic development and governance of KCCR
• Promoting cooperation between KCCR, BNITM, KNUST, and international partner institutions

Your profile:

• Completed university degree in finance, business administration, or a comparable field (master's degree preferred)
• At least five years of professional experience, of which three years in a leadership role with comparable scope of responsibility
• Sound knowledge and several years of experience in budgeting, financial and grant management, and personnel administration
• Good knowledge of Ghanaian and German labour, procurement, and tax law
• Pronounced intercultural competence and strong communication skills; experience in African research environments advantageous
• Negotiation-level English skills in word and writing; German skills advantageous
• Strategic thinking, service-oriented attitude, and pragmatic leadership style
• Willingness to work on site in Kumasi (Ghana) and to travel occasionally to Hamburg and within Africa

What we offer:

• Attractive tax-free foreign allowance and company pension scheme
• International health insurance
• Housing option on the university campus
• A diverse, collegial, and inclusive working environment
• Opportunities for personal and professional development
• Commitment to equal opportunity and diversity in all areas of our work

Remuneration is according to pay group 14 TV-AVH (Collective Agreement of the Labour Law Association Hamburg).

We support the compatibility of work and family and promote the professional equality of women and men. We strive to reduce underrepresentation of any gender in all areas and positions. Applications from people with disabilities are expressly welcome.

As a member of the Charta der Vielfalt, the largest network for diversity management in Germany, we also commit to making diversity a permanent part of our institute culture. Our goal is to create a working environment free of prejudice.

Interested?
We have exclusively commissioned Kontrast Personalberatung GmbH with the application management. Therefore, please send your CV, complete documents, and motivation letter as a PDF by 02.11.2026 to bewerbung@kontrast-gmbh.de.

Questions about the application process/selection procedure and the position?
For additional information, Mr. Oliver Kutz at Kontrast Personalberatung GmbH is available at 040-76 79 30 50.

Postal applications cannot be considered. For you as an applicant, this service is of course free of charge, and confidentiality of your application is assured. After completion of the application process, the data will be destroyed in accordance with data protection regulations.

The selection of applicants is made in close coordination with the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR) in Ghana. Your application documents will therefore also be made accessible to the Scientific Director of KCCR. Further information on the processing of your data, including transfer to a third country, can be found in our data protection notices.