Managing Director: Land Infrastructure - (MDLI-10) at Zutari

About the role:

• As we embrace the opportunities presented by the digital era, we seek a visionary Managing Director to lead our Land Infrastructure business unit in Africa, reporting directly to the Chief Executive: Africa.
• As the Managing Director of Land Infrastructure at Zutari, you will provide strategic direction, operational leadership, and drive business growth within the Land Infrastructure sector. Leveraging extensive experience in infrastructure engineering, you will lead a team to deliver transformative projects and shape sustainable infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership:

• Develop, update, and implement a Land Infrastructure specific Business Plan for profitable growth and market expansion within the Land Infrastructure business unit.
• Integrate the Land Infrastructure business plan with Zutari strategy for growth in existing and development of business in new geographies.
• In support of the Land Infrastructure growth aspirations, we value our talent, and it is required that the MD maintains, grows, and broadens talent and eminence.
• Connect the Land Infrastructure business unit with the entire Zutari business through leading and supporting group-wide initiatives.
• Maintain eminence in the industry by showing thought leadership on Land Infrastructure related matters to influence industry.
• Maintain relationships with academia, industry and professional bodies, and other stakeholders in SA and globally.
• Identify, track, and define emerging trends and opportunities to enhance service offerings and maintain a competitive edge and long-term sustainability for the Land Infrastructure and Zutari business.

 Operational Management:

• Oversee day-to-day operations, ensuring efficient project delivery, resource allocation, and budget management.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to drive operational excellence.
• Give guidance to opportunity management, structuring of responses, partner management.
• Ensure monthly business unit targets are met and that progress is reported on to relevant executive and management committees.
• Exercise high and innovative commercial management approaches to new procurement modalities.

Winning Work:

• Generate revenue through creating and nurturing strong client relationships and winning work through proposals, tenders and repeat work.
• Responsible for the contribution to all client proposals and tenders in conjunction with business development.

Client Engagement and Relationship Management:

• Cultivate strong and meaningful relationships with clients and stakeholders to understand their needs and deliver tailored solutions.
• Lead client engagement initiatives to drive satisfaction and loyalty, identifying opportunities for business development.
• Adopt a solution mindset with clients in all Zutari geographies – where the MD is required to co-create solutions with clients that lead to downstream opportunities.
• Manage the project pipeline and backlog for the business to ensure that the projects are configured for execution.

Leadership and Development:

• Provide inspirational leadership to the Land Infrastructure business to foster a culture of collaboration and professional growth.
• Maintain pragmatism and honesty with a merit mindset.
• Mentor team members, promoting diversity, integrity, and mutual respect.
• Formalise eminence in the business and influencing staff to grow rapidly.

Quality Assurance and Compliance:

• Ensure compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements across all projects.
• Implement quality assurance processes to uphold excellence in project execution.
• Enhance and promote initiatives such as youth empowerment, professional development and registration, advance technical and commercial development of staff.
• Participate in well-known industry conferences, initiatives and proactively contribute to the growth of the next generation of engineers
• Publish thought leadership articles in field of expertise

Requirements:

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 15 years of progressive experience in the civil engineering profession, including significant experience in a senior management or executive role.
• Proven track record of developing and executing strategic plans, driving business growth, and achieving financial targets in a competitive market environment.
• Demonstrated experience of managing large teams in a professional services firm.
• Travel into the regional markets to establish and maintain relationships whilst seeking opportunities for growth

 Knowledge/Skills

• Knowledge of working in more than one field of civil engineering infrastructure which includes all phases of planning, economics, engineering design, procurement, construction supervision and operations and maintenance.
• In-depth knowledge of industry best practices, emerging technologies, and regulatory frameworks.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, with a keen attention to detail and a results-oriented mindset.
• Proven leadership and team-building skills, with a track record of inspiring and empowering teams to achieve their full potential.
• Ability to recognize, understand and manage own emotions, as well as empathize and relate to others effectively
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with clients, colleagues, and stakeholders at all levels

Competencies 

• Visionary Leadership: Inspires with a clear vision and strategic direction for the Land Infrastructure business unit.
• Business Acumen: Understands market dynamics and drives profitable growth within the civil engineering sector.
• Strategic Thinking: Anticipates industry trends and positions the Business Unit for long-term success.
• Innovation and Creativity: Drives innovation to solve complex infrastructure challenges.
• Client Relationship Management: Builds strong client relationships and manages the teams execution to deliver tailored solutions.
• Team Leadership: Empowers teams to excel and fosters a culture of excellence.
• Communication Skills: Articulates ideas effectively and influences stakeholders.
• Problem-Solving: Analyses issues and makes informed decisions to ensure business success.
• Ethical Conduct: Upholds integrity and professionalism in all interactions.
• Adaptability: Navigates change and uncertainty with resilience and agility.
• Industry Expertise: Applies deep knowledge of infrastructure engineering and emerging technologies.
• Collaboration: Works collaboratively across the business to achieve shared objectives and exceed client expectations.