Senior Manager: International and Stakeholder Relations at South African Local Government Association

THE CANDIDATE PROFILE 

• Stakeholder Management and Influencing Skills 
• High degree of self-management, pro-activeness and high levels of emotional maturity
• Results driven individual 
• Strong analytical ability coupled with sound problem-solving skills 
• Business Communication and writing skills (opinions, positions, feedback & presentation) 
• Computer literacy (MS Office: Word Excel PowerPoint Outlook, MS Project Management) 
• Customer service orientation 
• Good leadership skills with a strong management ability 
• Business Acumen & Organisational Awareness 
• Stakeholder Management and Influencing skills 
• High integrity and ethics 
• Culture fit: SALGA desires an individual who will share and buy-in, in our core values, mission and vision, demonstrating a commitment to our's ethos beyond just doing the job

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE 

• Relevant Post-graduate qualification in International Relations, Development Studies, Political Science or equivalent preferably with a Masters/ MBA 
• At least 10 years’ relevant experience of which at least 5 years have been at Senior Management level or equivalent level within a medium to large sized organisation in International and Stakeholder Relations 
• Sound track record in effectively managing complex and sensitive stakeholder engagements at all levels. 
• Sector Knowledge and a sound understanding of the policy, legislative and regulatory frameworks governing the sector; and in particular those applying to the LG Sector and SALGA Stakeholder Relations 
• Demonstrates a sound understanding of the Local Government Sector 
• Politically astute with sound track record for lobbying and advocacy of positions 
• Ability to draft, analyse and interpret reports in a professional and quality manner for the Senior and executive team (Including SALGA governance structures 

KEY PORTFOLIO AND PERFORMANCE FOCUS AREAS 

• Business Planning: Through an integrated SALGA planning process, actively participate in the development & implementation of the Cluster Strategy and Business plan in line with the overall SALGA strategy such that the mandate of the function is achieved. Actively translate the cluster strategy and plan and cascade the targets into operational plans of the specific area of specialisation/ professional discipline. Review and Draft operational frameworks, policies and procedures to govern compliance with regards to the professional discipline that the incumbent is accountable for. Develop procedures, systems and mechanisms to ensure the effective delivery of services within area of responsibility 
• Financial and Budget Management: Prepare, control and monitor the annual and monthly budget of area of control so that expenditure is in line with SALGA’s financial requirements. May be required to compile future projections of income and expenditure. May have to optimise income sources in the form of e.g. optimising statutory/ discretionary grants pay-outs from SETAs. Mostly there is an accountability to optimise cost savings in the area of responsibility. 
• People Management and Promoting a High Performance Culture: Lead, manage and equip staff in the area of responsibility so that they achieve their work objectives and work within an environment conducive to achieving required results. Uphold sound leadership and people management practices and ensure compliance with policies and procedures. Drive and support organisational priorities by developing and implementing systems and processes to mobilise staff and apply current capacity where it is required, through effective consultation with peers. In line with the SALGA organisational culture, role model and educate staff on the importance of alignment of personal and organisational values for improved performance. Support the in building a high-performance culture in SALGA and in the OCEO Cluster. Promote and implement the performance management and recognition and reward processes in SALGA to drive high performance on an ongoing basis. 
• Corporate Governance and Risk management: Uphold sound corporate governance principles in the day-to-day operation of the area of responsibility/ professional discipline. Ensure compliance with organisational policies and procedures. Identify and mitigate organisational and operational risks identified in the area of responsibility/ professional discipline 
• Stakeholder Relations: Facilitate the development of an integrated and standardised stakeholder management protocol in SALGA. Develop, gain approval for and drive a SALGA stakeholder management policy, strategy and implementation plan that is aligned to SALGA’s overall strategy. Source and develop relationships with donors and key partners so that SALGA initiatives can be supported. Manage media, member and stakeholder relations in order to grow and maintain SALGA networks. Manage the day-to-day relationship with members of SALGA to ensure that they are aware of important developments . Monitor and manage stakeholder satisfaction surveys to better understand the perceived relevance of the SALGA service offering. Within the scope of area of accountability lead the building and maintenance of relevant stakeholder relationships/ partnerships in the area of responsibility/ professional discipline 
• Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting: Implement monitoring and evaluation in own area of accountability in line with the SALGA wide M&E framework and mechanism to determine baseline of performance and impact. Monitor and report on the progress of the operational plan and take necessary action to ensure that the goals and targets of the area of responsibility is met within time, quality and budget requirements. 
• International Relations: Establishment and maintain relationships with the international local government associations and other global partners. Analysing and interpreting international policies, issues and legislation impacting the LG Sector. Forecasting political, economic, and social trends; identifying international issues for research and analysis; and analyzing possible causes and consequences of international issues, as well as developing possible solutions.
• Liaising with government officials, civic bodies, research agencies, the media, and political parties concerned with foreign issues in the LG Sector. Build capacity in LGO in Africa - evaluate programs and policies and provide advice to similar institutions and organizations.
• Partner with international counterparts to benchmark best practice and mobilise support to SALGA for the LG Sector. Compile drafts of SALGA responses to legislative proposals; prepare speeches, correspondence, and foreign policy papers.
• Develop international cooperation in projects in governmental and non-governmental forums and other activities. Designing public and private activities in foreign commercial affairs. Manage international projects. Identify funding opportunities in the international space to support SALGA’s programmes.