Program Director, Johannesburg, South Africa 179 views0 applications

Title: Program Director, Zimele

Reports to: Country Director, South Africa

Location: Johannesburg, South Africa

Travel: Up to 30%, local travel within South Africa, occasional travel abroad

Grade: 11

• TECHNOSERVE BACKGROUND

TechnoServe (www.technoserve.org) is a non-profit, economic development organization with sustained commitment to its 50-year old founding mission to work with enterprising men and women in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. We are business development specialists, assisting farmers and other entrepreneurs in 29 countries, increasing their access to information, capital and markets. The increased income our clients derive enhances resilience and prosperity for their families and communities.

• POSITION DESCRIPTION and responsibilities

The role of the Program Director of the Anglo American Zimele program, which is funded by Anglo American, entails the management of one of the largest local economic development (LED) projects in South Africa. The program delivers transformative economic change in some of the poorest parts of South Africa by supporting local enterprises grow their businesses to the next level.

The desired individual will be a high quality manager who can direct a large and diverse team of around 60 people, a compelling leader who can articulate the vision for the program, a strategic thinker who can predict challenges and build plans to overcome them, an individual with exceptional people skills who can engage a diverse set of stakeholders to build consensus, and someone who understands, and can build, robust procedures to deliver operational and financial excellence. The candidate will need a deep commitment to economic development and poverty reduction.

TechnoServe delivers the Enterprise, and Supplier Development initiative through a network of hubs, operating under the brand name of Anglo American Zimele. In the first phase, the program exceeded it’s 10,000 jobs supported target and was awarded an extension to continue delivering the program on behalf of Anglo American In this second phase, the hubs operate in Mogalakwena, Rustenburg, Amandelbult, Sishen, and Kolomela, Far Eastern Limb and Polokwane. TechnoServe is employing a team of 6 or 7 staff to operate each hub. The hubs deliver business acceleration and workforce development services (training, mentorship, access to finance, linkages to markets, etc.) to eligible entrepreneurs within a 50-kilometer radius of the hub through unique program pillars.

The Program Director manages a high-caliber program management office (PMO) to support the Hubs and deliver a program of outstanding quality in a consistent way within the time framework as per the contract with our client.

The Program director is responsible for the program strategy and approach and he/she works closely with the Deputy Director/Operations Manager role, who supports the program roll out on a tactical level. To provide the context, the following positions reside in or provide a service to the PMO:

• Program Director
• Deputy Program Director/Operations Manager
• PMO Assistant
• ESD Implementation Manager
• M&E Manager
• Finance Manager (Shared service)
• HR Manager (Shared service)

Key responsibilities will include:

• Contract management: Ensure contract indicators and stipulations are met, including targets
• Team leadership: Oversee recruitment, management, and retention of high caliber team of individuals across South Africa responsible for provision of community of services. Develop targets and incentives that motivate team and drive performance.
• Program management: Oversee growth of initiative in terms of geography, staff, and complexity.
• Technical vision: Provide technical vision to the project in terms of priorities around job creation, local supplier development and enterprise development, and deliver that vision to meet contractual targets.
• Administrative management: Design and implement best in class operational, financial, and data collection processes that achieve donor compliance.
• Governance: Implement policies, processes and procedures including communication mechanisms and ensure program implementation remains on track
• Stakeholder management: Manage hub level stakeholders at working and Steerco committee level in partnership with hub managers

iii. Qualifications and Experience

We are looking for a seasoned, strategic organization leader who brings the following expertise and attributes to the role.

• Advanced degree in development studies, business studies, entrepreneurship, economics or related discipline
• A minimum of ten years of senior level professional experience, preferably with a mix of commercial and international development experience. Experience with private sector or top-tier strategy-consulting firm a plus
• Deep knowledge and experience of working in South Africa across private and public sectors. A minimum of five years of work experience in South Africa. Experience in mining sector supply chain a plus
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage multicultural and geographically dispersed teams in complex working environments
• Evidence of working in, and navigating, complex stakeholder environments. Clear evidence of ability to build relationships and coalitions around concepts and delivering
• Strong foundational knowledge in one or more of these areas: economic growth, value chains, private sector, agriculture, entrepreneurship and/or small and medium enterprises (SMEs)
• An effective and inspiring communicator and negotiator with strong communication skills in all modes in English
• Demonstrated passion for TechnoServe’s mission and desire to work in a dynamic environment
• Demonstrated ability to lead a large team and desire to motivate develop and retain staff

Required qualifications and experience

We are looking for a skilled leader who brings the following expertise and attributes to the role:

• Advanced degree in development studies, business studies, entrepreneurship, economics or related discipline
• At least 10 years of post-graduate experience within the private sector and/or development spheres, with at least five years in a senior managerial position
• Strong project management capabilities
• Demonstrated ability to manage multicultural and geographically dispersed teams in challenging working environments
• Evidence of having worked in, and navigating, complex stakeholder environments; clear evidence of ability to build relationships and coalitions
• Deep knowledge and experience of working in South Africa across private and public sectors
• Expert knowledge in one or more of these areas: economic growth, value chains, private sector procurement, local economic development, extractives supply chains, mining license requirements, Broad-based black economic empowerment, entrepreneurship and/or small and medium enterprises (SMEs)
• An effective networker, inspiring communicator and skilled negotiator
• Demonstrated passion for TechnoServe’s mission and desire to work in a dynamic environment
• Demonstrated ability and desire to motivate, develop and retain staff
• Long-term commitment to the program
• Application Instructions

Only applicants meeting minimum qualifications will be considered or contacted. Applications will be considered as received. No phone calls, please.

Qualified and interested applicants should submit on or before 23 May 2022.