Chief Executive Officer - Localisation Support Fund (LSF) at IDC

Qualification and Experience

Qualifications:

• A relevant tertiary-level qualification in business, economics, industrial policy, or related fields.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in a leadership role within a public or private sector entity, ideally with exposure to industrial development, localisation, or economic development at an Executive level.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multi-disciplinary teams and oversee complex projects.
• Experience in dealing with government entities, policy development, and stakeholder management is highly advantageous.

Roles and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Execute the LSF’s overall strategy, ensuring alignment with its mission of catalysing industrial growth through export competitiveness and localisation.
• Ensure that the organization’s programmes of support are scalable, impactful, and aligned with the LSF’s strategic goals.
• Lead the design and implementation of new initiatives that address key manufacturing competitiveness challenges in priority sectors with a view to growing exports and/or localisation.

Operational Leadership and governance

• Manage the organisation in line with the strategic plan, in strict compliance with the Articles of Association and the regulatory requirements as a Public Benefit Organisation, and within the limits of authority delegated to the CEO by the board from time to time;
• Develop annual objectives and periodic business, funding and operating plans and budgets for the organisation, recommend such objectives, plans and budgets to the board for adoption, monitor and report such organisational performance to the Board;
• Ensure the efficient allocation of the financial, human and other resources required by the organisation to achieve its strategic goals;
• Oversee the implementation of effective control, monitoring and performance standards and systems relative to the utilization of all organisational resources;
• Ensure appropriate and timely disclosure of material information with respect to the organisations affairs; and

Organizational Development

• Build and lead a multidisciplinary team capable of delivering high-impact projects across different manufacturing value chains.
• Foster a results-oriented organizational culture focused on performance, continuous learning, and adaptability.
• Ensure organizational growth by securing necessary technical, financial, and human resources to deliver on the LSF’s mandate.

Programme Development and Management

• Oversee the proactive identification, development, and implementation of programmes and projects that upgrade local manufacturing competitiveness.
• Establish and enhance processes for evaluating project proposals and ensuring alignment with LSF’s strategic goals.
• Lead the team in managing and executing projects efficiently and effectively, ensuring delivery within set timelines and budgets.

Stakeholder Engagement & Advocacy

• Act as the primary advocate for the LSF, representing the organization at key forums and ensuring close collaboration with stakeholders across government, industry, and research.
• Build strategic partnerships with industry associations, businesses, and investors to further LSF’s localisation objectives.
• Drive advocacy efforts to promote the importance of industrialisation and localisation in South Africa.

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Develop robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks to track the impact and success of LSF interventions.
• Ensure that projects are aligned with the LSF’s defined success metrics and that results are measured and reported to stakeholders.

Roles and Responsibilities (cont.)

Project Development

• Expertise in identifying, scoping, and developing high-impact localisation projects.
• Experience in assessing industry needs and translating them into actionable projects.

Project Management

• Strong capacity to manage complex, multi-stakeholder projects from inception to completion.
• Ability to ensure that projects are delivered on time, within scope, and budget.

Deal Making

• Proven track record in structuring and securing deals, particularly in the context of public-private partnerships and funding arrangements.
• Negotiation skills to engage with government entities, financial institutions, and industrial players.

Strategy & Research

• Expertise in conducting industry research and developing strategic initiatives to inform policy and programming.
• Ability to align research outcomes with broader strategic goals of industrialisation.

Stakeholder Outreach & Advocacy

• Deep networks within the public and private sectors.
• Strong advocacy skills to build consensus around industrialisation goals and drive support from key stakeholders.

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Experience in designing and implementing M&E frameworks to track progress and impact.
• Ability to gather insights and make data-driven decisions to improve future interventions.