Ops Manager: Strategic Sourcing (ICT) at The South African Revenue Service (SARS)

Job Purpose

• The Ops Manager: Strategic Sourcing (ICT) will support and execute ICT strategic sourcing and contracting activities within an approved governance framework. The role focuses on operationalising sourcing strategies, managing ICT contracts, supporting negotiations, and ensuring compliance with procurement policies, procedures, and legislation.
• S/he will develop and deploy sourcing ICT commodity strategies to deliver value through strategic sourcing. To manage portfolio of commodities through cross functional sourcing teams for effective execution of portfolio based commodity strategies, as well as ensuring the overall sustainability of commodity based initiatives.

Education and Experience

Minimum Qualification & Experience Required

• Bachelor's Degree / Advanced Diploma (NQF 7) in Commerce/ Supply Chain and/or Business Management AND 5-7 years' experience in Strategic Sourcing, Project Management and/or Tender Administration, of which 1 year is at supervisory level.

ALTERNATIVE# 

• Senior Certificate (NQF 4) AND 10 years’ experience in Strategic Sourcing, Project Management and/or Tender Administration, of which 1 year is at supervisory level.

Minimum Functional Requirements

• Functional experience in Procurement, Strategic Sourcing, Project Management & Tender Administration.

The successful candidate must demonstrate hands‑on experience with one or more of the following ICT contract types:

• Infrastructure & Network Contracts
• Software & Licensing Contracts
• Support & Managed Services Contracts
• ICT Project & Professional Services Contracts.
• Security & Technology Risk Contracts.

Job Outputs:

Process

• Act as chairperson of Bid Specification Committee and the Bid Evaluation Committee (BEC).
• Execute ICT sourcing activities in line with approved sourcing strategies and procurement demand plans.
• Conduct basic to intermediate cost analysis (TCO and pricing benchmarks).
• Actively support and develop accredited small BEE and SMMEs through providing guidance on tender process and available business opportunities.
• Collate and analyse data that measures the control of prices and costs, innovations and deliveries with suppliers and take actions to improve performance.
• Contribute to the management of the procurement function taking steps to mitigate challenges and difficulties to resolve conflict within SARS.
• Create plans with stakeholders to improve supply chain management.
• Create risk assessments, registers or other risk evaluation tools for projects and agree actions with suppliers and other stakeholders to allocate or share risks to avoid claims, variations or disruptions.
• Develop hierarchies of categories for both direct and indirect expenditure that can be subjected to category management and strategic procurement.
• Development and management of supplier relationships in conjunction with internal client (contracts).
• Devise and monitor key performance indicators for sustainability with suppliers and take appropriate actions to ensure delivery to agreed standards
• Ensure that the needs of SARS are met; take appropriate actions by co-ordinating the implementation of contract negotiation, communication with suppliers or modifying procedures to ensure customer satisfaction.
• Ensuring that the procurement function, however exercised within SARS, complies with all statutory requirements and the SARS Procurement Policy and Procedures.
• Evaluate and apply appropriate methodology to achieve improved category management, historical and forecasted data on categories of spend to help formulate a category plan and develop category management plan by analysing market factors.
• Investigate and make recommendations to management on the development of e-catalogue that can be applied to procurement and assess developments in system technology and make recommendations to colleagues and other stakeholders.
• Work with stakeholders and communicate standards to eliminate bribery corruption and fraud in supply chain and take appropriate actions in the event of any alleged breach of standards
• Investigate the use of P2P systems used in procurement and make recommendations to senior management.
• Liaise with all GMs regarding ending contracts.
• Loading all awarded contracts on SAP.
• Manage for all procurement and tender activities with a value of R200,000 (RFP/RFT/RFI) or more or as may be determined by SARS from time to time.
• Provide advise to colleagues and other stakeholders on how to promote sustainable and responsible procurement in SARS.
• Research information on suppliers using appropriate sources of information to select appropriate suppliers and evaluate financial, commercial and technical capabilities of potential suppliers.
• Review contracts and recommend appropriate actions to be taken in the event of any default or breach of contract and evaluate and recommend appropriate actions to be taken to resolve variations, claims or compensation events.
• Responsible for all price adjustments on all contracts.
• Responsible for tender management, by reviewing all tenders and recommending and adjudication in line with delegations of authority.
• Responsible, in consultation with Supplier Performance Specialists, for vendor performance management.
• Apply the necessary discretion and judgment in making decisions and overcoming obstacles in order to attain set goals and objectives for area of accountability.
• Deploy resources appropriately and anticipate and resolve problems to ensure that tactical targets are achieved within agreed deadlines & standards.
• Ensure procedures, policies and mandates are clearly understood and complied with.
• Frequently report on progress of unit and or team against pre-defined objectives and standards, ensuring accurate representation of facts.
• Implement change & provide guidelines to direct reports defining the impact of change, the change itself & new requirements as a result of the change.
• Manage a work function or unit by focusing on the delivery and achievement of set objectives within specified time frames, costs and standards.
• Plan and organise multiple work outputs by assigning priorities and continuously reviewing objectives and goals.
• Provide input into the development of the tactical strategy as well as develop and implement a supporting operational strategy.
• Apply discretion and judgement to diagnose symptoms, causes and effects and to make decisions to overcome problems and to provide solutions.
• Ensure the development, alignment and implementation of end-to-end processes within area of accountability for continued process improvement.
• Link and communicate unit's objectives back to mandate, schedule and prioritise activities and allocate work to meet identified work outputs.
• Accumulate information to report on work progress and use for decision making purposes and the identification of improvement opportunities.
• Implement resource plans in line with delivery and performance objectives, on budget and in partnership with specialised areas.
• Prepare reports and recommendations for Bid Evaluation Committees (BEC), Bid Adjudication Committees (BAC), and management structures.

Governance

• Implement and use governance & compliance procedures & processes effectively to identify and manage risks and expose previously unknown liabilities.
• Implement risk management, governance and compliance policies and processes to identify and manage risks and expose liabilities.
• Understand and implement governance control processes and role segregation requirements in area of accountability.

People

• Build strong relationships through providing direction and leadership to own team and expressing positive expectations.
• Encourage and enable teamwork, by enabling collaboration with others and commitment to pursuing set goals.
• Implement appropriate people capacity plans in line with delivery and efficiency targets, on budget and in partnership with specialised areas.
• Monitor and actively manage team performance to meet specified objectives against required targets, deadlines and quality standards.

Finance

• Draw up a budget aligned to operational delivery plans, monitor and report on variances.
• Ensure team's adherence to specified policies, standards & procedures to prevent & reduce wastage on financial resources & escalate associated risk.
• Implement, manage and report on cost improvement objectives and communicate or escalate any shortfalls.

Client

• Develop and implement processes which builds client service delivery excellence and encourages others to provide exceptional service.

Behavioural Competencies

• Accountability
• Adaptability
• Fairness and Transparency (V)
• Honesty and Integrity (V)
• Conceptual Thinking
• Championing the Mandate
• Influencing Others
• Mobilising Teams
• Driving for Excellence
• Leveraging Diversity
• Accurate Understanding -
• Developing Others
• Trust (V)-
• Respect (V)
• Problem Solving and Analysis
• Building Sustainability

Technical Competencies

• Functional Policies and Procedures
• Tax Knowledge
• Effective Business Communication
• Managerial Budgeting
• Effective Business Communication
• Problem Analysis and Judgement
• Planning and Organising
• Decisiveness
• Business Acumen
• Expenditure Management
• SARS Systems Products
• Supply Chain Management
• Procurement Knowledge
• the maintenance, reconciliation and

Deadline:7th April,2026