Business Development Manager (3 Year Fixed Term Contract) at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

About the job: 

• The CSIR has a vacancy for a Business Development Manager within the TIA-sponsored South African Critical Minerals Programme (CAMP), hosted by the Future Production: Mining Cluster in the Advanced Production and Security Division.
• The incumbent will lead business development, stakeholder mobilisation, partnership development and commercialisation activities required to translate priority critical-mineral opportunities into funded technology projects, SMME acceleration pathways, pilot deployments and sustainable commercial outcomes.
• The role will support the Programme's objective of positioning South Africa as a reliable and responsible global supplier of critical minerals through innovation-led beneficiation, localisation, circularity and inclusive enterprise development.
• The Programme focuses on PGMs, manganese, chrome, iron ore, gold, copper, rare earth elements and related secondary resources from mine waste streams. Its delivery model combines strategic value-chain assessments, technology and SMME acceleration, innovation challenges, pilot-site mobilisation and the development of a Circular Mining Digital Platform. The position is based in Pretoria and will require regular travel to mining operations, technology developers, research institutions, government partners and stakeholder forums.
• This position reports to Programme Manager (PM) Critical Minerals Programme

Key responsibilities:

Programme business development and market mobilisation

• Develop and implement the CAMP business development, partnership and market-engagement plan in alignment with the approved business plan, funding agreement, programme milestones and governance requirements.
• Identify commercially credible opportunities across exploration, extraction, processing, beneficiation, circularity, mine-waste valorisation and technology deployment.
• Translate market analysis, value-chain assessments and identified technology gaps into fundable projects, innovation challenges, pilot opportunities and commercialisation pathways.
• Build and maintain a qualified pipeline of local and international technologies, SMMEs, investors, industry partners, pilot sites and co-funding opportunities.
• Support the Programme Manager and technical workstreams with opportunity prioritisation, business cases, proposals, costing, contracting and stakeholder commitments.

Industry, government and ecosystem partnerships

• Establish and manage strategic relationships with TIA, government departments, mining companies, the Minerals Council South Africa, development finance institutions, research organisations, universities, OEMs, manufacturing associations, technology developers, SMMEs, communities and NGOs.
• Secure access to operational data, test facilities, laboratories, pilot sites, industry champions and market channels required for technology validation and adoption.
• Plan and facilitate industry roundtables, bilateral engagements, workshops, innovation challenges, investor engagements and stakeholder consultations.
• Represent CAMP and the CSIR at relevant national, regional and international critical-minerals platforms and promote South Africa' s innovation and beneficiation capabilities.

SMME acceleration, due diligence and commercialisation

• Lead the sourcing and initial screening of SMMEs and technology developers able to address priority challenges identified through the Programme's value-chain assessments.
• Coordinate technical and commercial due diligence, including market need, technology readiness, scalability, business-model viability, team capability, intellectual property position and investment requirements.
• Develop tailored acceleration pathways covering mentorship, skills development, technology development, pilot preparation, industry validation, adoption and investment readiness.
• Support the negotiation and conclusion of project-specific agreements, including scopes of work, pilot agreements, benefit-sharing arrangements, royalty-bearing agreements and other commercial instruments.
• Promote meaningful participation by women- and youth-owned enterprises and enterprises from underserved provinces, in line with the Programme's transformation objectives.

Funding, investment and revenue development

• Develop and pursue co-funding opportunities with industry, development finance institutions, public-sector partners, international funders and commercial investors.
• Prepare investment cases and value propositions that demonstrate market relevance, measurable operational impact, ESG benefits, commercial viability and adoption potential.
• Support the development of sustainable revenue streams arising from benefit-sharing, royalties, licensing, contract RDI, commercial partnerships and other programme-enabled agreements.
• Maintain accurate opportunity, partnership and funding registers; monitor conversion progress; and provide regular reporting against agreed business development and programme KPIs.

Performance Management

• Work closely with the Programme Manager, technical leads, project management support office and TIA to ensure business development activities are integrated with programme delivery and decision-making.
• Contribute to milestone reports, steering committee packs, stakeholder dashboards, quarterly progress presentations and impact reporting.
• Track evidence of technology advancement, pilots, adoption, commercial agreements, SMMEs supported, jobs created or sustained, and participation by women and youth.
• Support strategic communication, thought leadership, success stories and programme visibility while protecting confidential, commercial and intellectual-property information.
• Identify and mitigate commercial, stakeholder, procurement, pilot-site, funding and partnership risks that could delay programme implementation or reduce impact.

Relationship Management

• Develop and facilitate national and international stakeholder network to broaden and deepen contract program impact opportunity;
• Ensure project delivery to client-to-client satisfaction;
• Engage stakeholders on a strategic level, understanding their internal and external environments and their strategic response;
• Maintain awareness of business development opportunities related to the Critical Minerals Programme and wider landscape 

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• A bachelor's degree in engineering, science, technology, mining, metallurgy, mineral processing, geology, business or a related field.
• A postgraduate qualification in engineering, science, business development, innovation management, commercialisation, project management or an MBA will be an added advantage.
• At least eight years¿ relevant experience in business development, technology commercialisation, innovation programme delivery, mining, minerals processing, industrial development or a related field, including experience in a senior client- or stakeholder-facing role.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and securing funded projects, partnerships, contract RDI, technology pilots, commercial agreements or investment opportunities.
• Sound understanding of the mining and minerals value chain, including exploration, extraction, mineral processing, beneficiation, circularity, mine waste and technology-enabled operational improvement.
• Experience working with SMMEs, technology developers, research institutions, mining companies, government entities, development finance institutions or innovation funders.
• Experience in proposal development, business-case preparation, commercial due diligence, contract negotiation, stakeholder management, financial analysis and project or programme management.
• A strong network in the South African mining, critical minerals, innovation, industrial development or investment ecosystem will be advantageous.
• All international qualifications require an evaluation report / certificate issued by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).

Required competencies

• Strategic business development and opportunity conversion
• Commercial acumen and investment-case development
• Mining-sector and critical-minerals value-chain insight
• Technology commercialisation and innovation management
• SMME assessment, acceleration and partnership development
• High-level stakeholder engagement, facilitation and negotiation
• Proposal writing, presentation and executive communication
• Programme planning, monitoring, reporting and risk management
• Ability to work across technical, commercial, policy and social-impact domains
• Strong interpersonal skills, integrity, judgement and delivery focus

Indicative performance outcomes

• A credible pipeline of priority technology, SMME, pilot, funding and commercialisation opportunities across selected critical-mineral value chains.
• Strategic partnerships and pilot-site commitments secured with mining companies, research institutions, OEMs, technology developers and funding partners.
• High-potential SMMEs identified, assessed, accelerated and connected to validation, funding and market-access opportunities.
• Commercial and investment pathways developed for technologies with clear adoption potential and measurable operational, ESG and socio-economic value.
• Contribution to programme outcomes including technology advancement and adoption, commercial agreements, job creation or retention, local beneficiation and inclusive participation.

What's in it for you? 

The CSIR offers:

• Learning and development opportunities.
• Competitive and market-related remuneration packages.
• Total guaranteed salary packages which encompass contributions to the pension fund, risk insurance and medical scheme.
• We openly acknowledge and reward our employees' contributions and accomplishments through our esteemed CSIR Excellence Awards.                                                                

Closing date: 23 September 2026