Head: Programmes at Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)

Job Description    

• The Head: Programmes role is a strategic leadership function located within the Independent Power Producer Office (IPPO). 
• The IPPO was established in 2010 to provide rapid solutions to South Africa’s severe electricity supply constraints, by procuring new energy generation capacity from Independent Power Producers (IPPs).  The IPPO was created as a project office hosted by the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) under a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between the then Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) now Department of Electricity and Energy (DEE), National Treasury and the DBSA.  The mandate of the IPP Office is to provide specialised services to government, including a) IPP Energy Procurement Management, b) Monitoring, Evaluation and Contract Management, and c) Professional Advisory Services.  The IPPO’s skills, expertise and success in mobilising and delivering on time is recognised domestically and globally.
• The role has been necessitated firstly for the purpose of leading and directing a significant portfolio of IPP Programmes, implementing appropriate project management frameworks, tools and protocols to improve the consistency and effectiveness of the IPP Office’s project delivery and project outcomes. The portfolio of Programmes include, but are not limited to, Renewable Energy, Battery Energy Storage, Gas to Power, Coal, and Hybrid energy facilities.
• Reporting to the Head: IPPO, the Head: Programmes will be responsible for leading the delivery and management of the overall strategic objectives of the IPPO's procurement programmes portfolio.
• The Head: Programmes will further identify, mobilise and manage the appropriate strategic partnerships, personnel, programme resources, ensure appropriate governance is maintained throughout, and manage all strategic partnership and stakeholders expectations.

Key Responsibilities    
The Head: Programmes will be responsible for: 

Strategic development and contribution

• Develop the Programme Management Department’s 5 year Strategic Plan, aligned to the overall IPP Office strategy.
• Direct the interpretation and alignment the Programme Management Department’s strategy into overall business plans and budgets to enable the achievement of the IPP Office goals.
• Ensure Integration of multi-dimensional functions within the programme management function.
• Ensure that the Programme Management Department’s strategic initiatives are translated into the required functional policies, systems and resources in order to make the strategic initiatives a reality within the Programme Management Department’s function.
• Oversee the appointment and management of transaction advisors to key Programme Management related functions.

Enable the execution of the Programme Management Department’s strategy.

• Develop, Implement and maintain a Project Management Office, to set the standard for and enable consistency and effectiveness of the IPP Office’s project delivery and project outcomes.
• Ensure that the Programme Management Department’s Strategic Plan (SP) and Annual Performance Plan (APP) are prepared annually.
• Manage the IPP Procurement Programmes and interventions as informed by various stakeholder mandates.
• Project manage strategic initiatives at a high level.

Lead all Programme Management activities for the IPP Office

• Initiate and develop creative and innovative programme management processes
• Ensure the appropriate systems and procedures are established and followed, ensuring best practice in project management are continually developed and used with appropriate Programme/Project Management frameworks in place, incorporating the Gateway Review process if required.
• Continuously conduct risk assessments of processes and tasks.
• Escalate, manage and monitor programme risks and issues.
• Produce written reports and make presentations as required

Build and maintain strategic partnerships.

• Create and leverage relationships with key external and internal stakeholders.
• Develop partnerships with key IPP’s/transaction advisory firms/regulatory bodies / relevant government organisations and government officials etc. to build sustainable long term programme management solutions.
• Network to identify appropriate and advantageous contacts with regard to Programme and project management

People enablement.

• Communicate a compelling vision to gain commitment to the overall objectives.
• Model high performance behaviour in line with the leadership principles internally and externally.
• Create the conditions that enable the team to perform (e.g. team spirit, providing the right structure, involving the team in decision making).
• Suggest appropriate development interventions that will be helpful for the future career advancement of subordinates.
• Monitor development progress of individuals and the department regularly.
• Coach and develop leaders/successors personally.
• Inspire people and ensure that individuals have the space to contribute fully to the achievement of departmental and business objectives.

Expertise & Technical Competencies    
The role requires:

• Bachelors’ Degree in Finance / Economics /Engineering or equivalent Project Management qualification(Honours Degree or equivalent preferred.)
• Minimum 10 years’ relevant experience in the management and implementation of large infrastructure, Project Finance and or PPP programmes – in particular on large infrastructure projects.
• Experience in Energy or Water projects advantageous
• Minimum of 8 years should be at Senior Managerial level with experience in dealing with multidisciplinary teams. Accreditation of a recognised Project Management Professional (PMP) qualification is advantageous as this role will be leading 3 Project Managers (at minimum) and supporting Administrative Staff, as well as project teams consisting of consultants as well as broader in-house teams when working on a specific programme initiatives / procurement windows dealing with approx. ZAR50MN per bid window budget controls

Deadline:17th December,2025