Principal (Director-General) at National School of Government

REQUIREMENTS :

• A postgraduate degree or equivalent (NQF level 8) in Public Administration, Economics, Political Science, Development Studies/Practice, Business Administration or any other relevant discipline.
• Master’s degree (NQF Level 9) or PhD in Public Administration, Political Science, Development Studies/Practice, Business Administration or related discipline as an added- advantage. Where applicable, registration with a relevant professional body will be an added advantage.
• Experience: Minimum of 10 years' experience at a senior management level in the public sector, academia or development institutions, with demonstrated experience in leading complex institutions, managing stakeholder relationships and delivering impact. Substantial experience in education and training would be an added advantage.

DUTIES :

• The incumbent will be responsible for the following Key Results Areas: Provide knowledge leadership on state capacity building to enhance overall efforts of the government in building a capable developmental state. Lead the strategic direction and imperatives of the institution in line with key national and sectoral policy frameworks and developmental agendas. Lead the institutional repositioning towards a future-oriented public sector that embraces digital transformation, innovation and service excellence.
• Chair and provide leadership external and internal committees and governance structures that ensures inclusive participation, and drive decisions towards goals. Foster a culture of accountability, transparency and collaborative problem-solving within committees and governance structures. Ensure full compliance with PFMA and other legislative requirements as Accounting Officer, enable regular review, strengthen internal controls to mitigate risks and ensure financial integrity.
• Drive organisational change management initiatives for agility and responsiveness; maintain open channels (including with staff and organised labour) for communicating change initiatives. Foster an organisational culture that embraces innovation, flexibility, agility and continuous improvement. Provide leadership and oversight in governance by promoting open reporting and information sharing, model ethical behaviour and practices, enforce codes of conduct and regularly assess governance effectiveness.
• Provide leadership in data-driven research, business intelligence and market analysis to inform interventions and establish monitoring mechanisms such as digital dashboard) to track progress across the public sector. Integrate international capacity building standards through benchmarks and strategic alliances that assess the South African public sector progress. Provide strategic direction and leadership in the design and implementation of a structured learning pathway (including higher education qualifications) and curriculum framework.
• Lead and facilitate institutional development interventions (including strategic planning, change management, organisational design and skills audits). Lead the design, piloting and implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) innovation to support public sector service delivery models. Lead in the implementation and monitoring of professionalization interventions, including the National Framework Towards the Professionalization of the Public Sector. Lead and provide strategic direction in quality management to ensure the effectiveness, efficiency and continuous improvement of the education, training and development interventions.
• Lead the institution in its accreditation status with various bodies, including the PSETA, LGSETA, QCTO and CHE, adhere to minimum requirements and ensure compliance. Lead the design of strategies to monitor and evaluate ETD design and delivery as well as the measurement of data-driven and evidence-based institutional impact and outcomes. Lead in the quality of learner assessment and moderation, achievement of learning outcomes against specified criteria, and issuing of certificates.
• Foster a culture of institutional quality management through systems, processes, services and products, including peer reviews, performance audits and continuous improvement. Lead in the management and provide oversight of the NSG Training Trading Account to maximise revenue generation, including diversifying revenue streams. Expand offerings to fee-paying clients, including the three spheres of government, SOEs, the private sector and international partners.
• Monitor financial performance and undertake regular financial analytics to track revenue targets and identify business growth opportunities. Lead engagements with strategic partners in the joint design, delivery and revenue sharing of high-demand interventions, increasing market reach. Lead in the strategic design of ICT and procurement planning to leverage economies of scale and financial prudence. Oversee the financial and non-financial compliance, including payment of supplier invoices, reducing wasteful, irregular and fruitless expenditure.
• Provide leadership in financial and non-financial performance, including reporting and presentations to Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME), National Treasury, parliamentary committees and the Audit Committee. Drive compliance with Minimum Information Security Standards, including security vetting and training initiatives. Provide leadership and implement interventions to promote equity, youth employment and disability inclusion. Engage with relevant authorising structures and political executives to secure ongoing support for NSG efforts and wider capability development interventions.
• Lead in the hosting of workshops, research colloquia, roundtable discussions and the NSG seminar series to stimulate debate, insight and understanding of public sector issues. Network and collaborate with relevant external and international stakeholders to ensure mutually beneficial relationships that serve the interests of the NSG. Participate in domestic and global partnerships with Higher Education Institutions (HEI’s), organs of state, research institutions and professional bodies to undertake joint projects.
• Undertake and present papers at national and/or international conferences, including providing support to NSG officials where required. Lead in the research with NSG stakeholders and partners (empirical and desktop research) to generate and disseminate knowledge through interaction and publications. Provide leadership to the secretariat of the African Management Development Institutes’ Network (AMDIN), including the management of its revenue