Programme Specialist (Fixed Term Contract) at Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)

Design the development and implementation of the programmes and activities of the African World Heritage Fund. 

• Design AWHF programmes.
• Co-ordinate, monitor and follow up the implementation of the programmes and activities of the AWHF.
• Assist in the development and monitoring of project proposals from State Parties

Key Responsibilities    

• Establish and nurture technical and financial partnerships for programmes work
• Any other duties assigned by the Head of Programmes in line with the strategic objectives of AWHF.
• Key Measurements of Outputs (at least 3)
• Number of Programmes and projects designed
• Number of programmes and projects implemented
• Number of technical and financial partnerships implemented for programmes and projects

Expertise & Technical Competencies    
Minimum Requirements

• Relevant post graduate degree in Project Management preferably with specialization in nature/environment
• 3 - 5 years project management experience in heritage management in Africa.
• Able to communicate fluently in English. Ability to interact in French will be an advantage.

Technical Competencies:

• Written & Verbal Communication
• Reviews others’ documents for clarity and impact.
• Has a solid mastery of writing principles such as grammar, sentence construction etc.
• Is relied on by others to help them write complex technical and non-technical documents and briefs.
• Able to communicate complex problems or concepts, by making them simple and understandable for others.
• Adapts language to the level of the audience in order to ensure that the message has a positive impact and is interesting to the audience.
• Is articulate, demonstrates a wide range of vocabulary, and is confident when talking to large/high level  audiences.

Reporting

• Designs, reviews and improves reporting processes and provides guidance.
• Leads production of complex environment reports, takes an editorial role, determines content and level of detail, and ensures consistent messaging and branding.

Business Acumen

• Takes actions to fit business strategy.
• Assesses and links short-term tasks in the context of long-term business strategies or perspectives.

Stakeholder Management

• Delivers objectives by bringing together diverse stakeholders to work effectively in partnership.
• Identifies and engages a diverse range of influential contacts within stakeholder and community groups, and partner organisations.
• Builds alliances to establish mutually beneficial working arrangements, openly sharing knowledge and insights.

Project Management

• Has an in-depth and practical understanding of how to maximize the effectiveness of project teams.
• Defines, plans and manages large and/or strategic projects, including those with a high degree of technical complexity, with impacts across the organisation and/or with national implications.

Sector Expertise (Heritage)

• Able to demonstrate strong knowledge of integrated development planning and the legislative requirements regarding heritage management.
• Develops sector insights to serve as trusted advisor to African heritage stakeholders.
• Draws on knowledge in heritage and knowledge of the professional and institutional contexts in Africa to identify unique opportunities to enhance heritage protection and promotion for the benefit of African countriess

Required Personal Attributes    
Behavioural Competencies:

• Teamwork and cooperation
• Acts to promote a friendly climate and good morale, and resolves conflicts
• Creates opportunities for cross-functional working.
• Encourages others to network outside of their own team/department and learn from their experience.

Decisiveness

• Makes timely decisions about complex issues even when some information is missing.
• Makes decisions and stands by them even when they are controversial or unpopular.
• Grasps critical business opportunities when they arise by making timely decisions.

Driving delivery of results

• Identifies and implements a business opportunity that will have long term impact on the business. Monitors progress and adapts the plan if necessary to ensure optimal benefit to the business.
• Makes decisions, sets priorities, or chooses goals on the basis of inputs and outputs: makes explicit considerations of potential profit, return on investment, or cost benefit analysis.
• Based on cost benefit analysis, makes decisions of entrepreneurial risk nature

Leading and Empowering Others

• Identifies long-term goals for the team and communicates them to team members, ensuring their buy in.
• Sets a good example by personally exercising desired behavior; acts on values and beliefs.
• Communicates a vision for the team and future success that inspires team members.
• After assessing others competence, one delegates full authority and responsibility to others to do the task in their own way.
• Ensures that competent employees are given opportunities to further their careers.

Leading & Managing Change

• Gives teams responsibility to analyse, impact and execute change and to sustain it independently
• Anticipates the need for change when not obvious and influences others to gain support.
• Builds sustainable business capacity to embrace and thrive change.

Strategic and Innovative Thinking

• Creates new concepts that are not obvious to others, leveraging internal and external sources of information, to build incremental revenue and growth opportunities.
• Understands connections and trade-offs of strategic choices to evaluate which ideas are practical and possible by considering business and/or scientific implications.
• Develops innovative business and/or customer solutions that shape industry practices.