Purpose of the Position:
- The primary purpose of a The General Manager (GM): Capacity Building & Inclusive Development is to provide strategic leadership in developing, managing, and scaling initiatives that strengthen human capital and inclusive participation within the National System of Innovation (NSI). The GM ensures that programmes advance South Africa’s innovation priorities, drive socio-economic transformation, and enable equitable access to skills, resources, and opportunities across the innovation value chain.
Minimum Requirements
Qualifications
- Honour’s degree in Innovation Management, Human Capital Development, Education, Social Sciences, or related field.
- Master’s degree in Innovation Management, Human Capital Development, Education, Social Sciences, or related field will be an added advantage.
Experience
- 5 –8 years’ experience in capacity building, inclusive development, or innovation programme management.
- 9 plus years’ experience in capacity building, inclusive development, or innovation programme management.
- Proven experience in leadership roles with multi-stakeholder engagement.
- Experience in managing large-scale programmes and budgets, preferably within the NSI or innovation sector.
Knowledge and Skills
- National System of Innovation (NSI)
- Capacity Building and Human Capital Development
- Inclusive Development Principles and Frameworks
- Programme and Project Management
- Public Sector Governance and Regulatory Compliance
- Policy Analysis and Development
- Stakeholder and Ecosystem Management
- Monitoring, Evaluation, and Impact Reporting
- Financial Literacy and Resource Management
- Digital Transformation and Innovation Trends
Duties and Responsibilities
Financial
Financial Stewardship and Resource Mobilisation
- Lead the development and execution of a multi-year financial and resource strategy for the directorate, ensuring sustainability and cost-effectiveness.
- Prepare and manage annual budgets, forecasts, and financial plans in compliance with PFMA and organisational requirements.
- Secure co-funding and investment partnerships from public and private stakeholders, including donors, SETAs, corporates, and DFIs.
- Strengthen financial governance and value for money through robust controls, performance reporting, cost optimisation, funding development, and strategic financial planning and risk management.
Stakeholder and Partnership Management
- Build and sustain strategic relationships with key partners, including government departments, SETAs, universities, research councils, industry leaders, and international organisations.
- Advocate for TIA’s programmes and priorities in national, regional, and international forums to enhance visibility and influence.
- Build and manage strategic partnerships that mobilise resources and strengthen cross-sector collaboration.
Internal Processes
Strategic Leadership and Portfolio Integration
- Provide strategic leadership across capacity building, local innovation, and transformation portfolios, aligned with TIA’s mandate, strategy, and DSI priorities.
- Drive cross-portfolio planning, collaboration, resource optimisation, and collective impact across NSI Skills Development, LED Innovation, and Transformation Programmes.
- Drive portfolio performance, identify emerging opportunities and risks, and provide strategic advice to the Executive to support informed decision-making.
- Translate national STI and NSI policies into actionable strategic frameworks that advance inclusive innovation and organisational priorities.
Inclusive Innovation and Transformation Enablement
- Lead transformation and inclusion strategies that broaden participation of women, youth, PWDs, township, and rural innovators within the NSI.
- Drive inclusive transformation by implementing enterprise development programmes, aligning portfolios with BBBEE, ESD and gender imperatives, mobilising partnerships and funding.
Innovation for Local Economic Development (LED)
- Drive the localisation of innovation by embedding science, technology, and innovation principles within municipal and provincial development frameworks.
- Oversee the design and rollout of innovation-led LED programmes that stimulate local job creation, enterprise development, and investment attraction.
- Champion the establishment of municipal innovation hubs, labs, and living labs as platforms for experimentation, skills development, and entrepreneurship.
- Develop frameworks for integrating STI into Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) and economic revitalisation strategies.
- Lead engagements with municipalities, provinces, and local partners for innovation-driven growth.
- Build quadruple-helix partnerships across academia, industry, government and communities.
- Track impact through jobs created, SMMEs supported, investment leveraged and technology adoption.
Governance, Compliance, and Risk Management
- Ensure adherence to all governance, statutory, and compliance frameworks, including PFMA, PPPFA, Skills Development Act, BBBEE, and POPIA.
- Develop and enforce internal governance protocols, policies, and standard operating procedures across the directorate.
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Impact Management
- Lead the design and implementation of comprehensive M&E frameworks to measure reach, efficiency, and long-term impact across all programmes.
- Drive evidence-based decision-making by leading impact evaluations, developing performance insights and using data to refine strategy and scale innovation.
Learning and Growth
- Lead national STI skills development by delivering scalable, industry-aligned training, strengthening education and mobilising funding to expand skills and innovation capacity. Provide strategic leadership to direct reports. Drive talent management, succession planning, and professional growth within the division.
- This advert is not intended to be an exhaustive description of the role, and candidates invited for an interview will receive the full job description.
Deadline:24th September,2026
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