Director: Procurement - Post Number: 30000017 at Durban University of Technology

• To provide strategic leadership and direction for the University’s procurement and supply chain management function, ensuring ethical, transparent, cost-effective, and compliant procurement practices, with particular emphasis on the sourcing, contracting, and performance management of infrastructure development, maintenance, facilities management, and capital projects, in support of DUT’s operational sustainability and long-term strategic objectives.

The position reports to the Chief Financial Officer and operates at an executive level within the Finance Division.

Minimum Requirements

• A Honours Degree or Postgraduate Diploma (NQF Level 8) in Supply Chain Management, Strategic Procurement, Business Administration or Finance.
• A minimum of ten years’ progressive experience in procurement or supply chain management, of which at least five years must be at senior management level.
• Proven experience in a public sector or higher education environment with complex regulatory and compliance requirements.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic sourcing, PFMA and PPPFA compliance, audit and governance oversight, e-procurement systems and supplier performance management.
• Strong leadership, financial, analytical and stakeholder management capabilities.
• A valid driver’s licence.

 Ideal

• Ability to obtain applicable security vetting and sign annual declarations of interest (where required).
• Membership with a recognised professional body such as CIPS or SAPICS.
• Experience in procurement transformation, digital procurement systems and advanced contract negotiation.
• Exposure to infrastructure, facilities management and capital project procurement

Duties
The successful candidate will be responsible for, among others:

• Developing and implementing a university-wide procurement strategy aligned to the institutional strategic plan.
• Providing strategic procurement input into capital development, infrastructure, maintenance and facilities programmes.
• Ensuring full compliance with PFMA, PPPFA, Treasury Regulations, Preferential Procurement Regulations and institutional SCM policies.
• Overseeing end-to-end tender and contract management processes, including infrastructure and facilities-related procurement.
• Managing supplier relationships, performance management frameworks and transformation objectives, including BBBEE and supplier development.
• Providing financial oversight of procurement budgets, cost containment and value-for-money initiatives.
• Leading, mentoring and developing a multi-disciplinary procurement team.
• Preparing high-level reports and dashboards for Executive Management, Council and relevant Committees.
• Driving procurement modernisation, digitalisation and continuous improvement initiatives.

In pursuance of ENVISION2030, the ideal incumbent:

• Epitomises and demonstrates values- and principles-driven leadership and management, the DUT DNA and The DUT Way.
• Fosters visionary and transformative leadership that is efficient, effective and impactful not only internally, but in our broader society nationally and internationally.
• Embeds systems thinking and management in the implementation of plans and projects, while ensuring ensuring sustainability.
• Takes leadership in ensuring that our education philosophy statement ‘our innovation and entrepreneurship shapes adaptive graduates that transform society’ is not only enacted across DUT, but is a lived experience among, primarily, academics and students.
• Is creative and innovative, deliberative and decisive, and is a leader, a strategist and a strategist and a manager.
• Is a seasoned academic leader with a proven record of academic excellence.

Closing Date 05 March 2026