Chief Director: Provincial and Local Liaison at Government Communication and Information System (GCIS)

Requirements: 

• An appropriate Bachelor’s Degree (NQF level 7 as recognised by SAQA) in Communication/ Development Communication/ Media Studies/ Public Relations or NQF Level 7 in Public Administration / Public Management/ Social/ Behavioural Sciences or related and equivalent qualification only if the candidate possesses a Diploma NQF Level 6 in Communication/ Public Relations / Journalism / Public Relations / Media Studies.
• Applicants must have a minimum of 5 years’ experience at Senior Management Service level and experience dealing with government policy, intergovernmental relations and coordination, stakeholder and relationship management and development communication.
• Broad understanding of the communications and developmental issues of all nine (9) provinces and the ability to apply government’s audience segmentation model in this context. Excellent writing, presentation, coordination and facilitation skills with extensive report writing experience.
• Strong Financial and Human Resource Management skills. In-depth knowledge of policy formulation, implementation and monitoring. Process Competencies: Knowledge Management, Service Delivery Innovation, Problem Solving and Analysis, Client Orientation and Customer Focus, Communication.

Competencies:

• Strategic leadership and capability; Financial management; Risk management; Corporate governance; Extensive knowledge of the Government Communication Policy; the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996; the Public Service Act of 1994 and Regulations; Public Administration Management Act of 2014; the Public Finance Management Act of 1999; and other relevant prescripts applicable in the communication sector, in the Public Service and for the entities reporting to the GCIS. Must have a valid driver’s license.

Duties: 

• Reporting to the Deputy Director-General: Intergovernmental Coordination and Stakeholder Management, the Chief Director will be responsible to cascade the National Communication Strategic Framework (NCSF) and national content and messages to provincial and local government.
• Oversee the Intergovernmental Communication Forum (IGCF) including support to the effective functioning of the government communication system across all three spheres including the monitoring and functioning of the intergovernmental communication system.
• Oversee the implementation of development communication campaigns aligned to the National Communications Strategic Framework (NCSF) and the annual Integrated Government Communication Programme (GCP) using various platforms aligned to the Government Segmentation Model (GSM) and scale up use of community media in local campaigns.
• This will be done through effective leadership of the provincial and district offices of the GCIS, but also through the oversite and management of the relationships between the GCIS in provinces and their key stakeholder, the communication units in the Offices of Provincial Premiers.
• Oversee and manage the development of integrated provincial communication plans at both provincial and local government levels to ensure scaled up government communication by all three spheres of government.
• Develop plans and tactics for the distribution of government information and communication through provincial and district officials with specific attention paid to harnessing the opportunities offered by digital platforms.
• Oversee and coordinate the GCIS support to the government’s Public Participation programme and the partnership with the Presidency and the Department of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) in providing strategic leadership to the Presidential District Development Model (DDM) Imbizo programme.
• Oversee a well-functioning liaison service for national government in provinces through the community and stakeholder liaison visits of the Regional Communication Coordinators (RCCs) at district level.
• Develop and entrench strong partnerships with key stakeholders at provincial and local level but also those operating in the intergovernmental communication space, including SALGA. Identify and review strategic risks, oversee and manage the implementation mitigation plans.  
• Participate in the audit planning process and manage responses to audit queries. Ensure implementation of audit recommendations as outlined in the intervention/action plans.