Stakeholder Liaison Manager - NWBU at Auditor-General of South Africa

Requirement Overview

• The purpose of the role is to establish and maintain strategic relationships with relevant stakeholders as identified in the accountability ecosystem.
• The manager to lead and manage stakeholder influence and engagement initiatives in the North West Business Unit. Influence behaviours, encourage collaboration, and drive accountability and positive outcomes in the public sector, in line with the AGSA Culture Shift Strategy, for the benefit of citizens.
• The manager will identify, assess, and address potential liaison and influence risks and opportunities, develop strategies and tactical plans to drive culture shift, foster accountable and service-oriented practices, and support the senior management of the business unit in implementing initiatives that drive good governance and a meaningful service delivery. Facilitate value-adding engagements and gathering intelligence on issues that can impact on AGSA and BU strategic imperatives.

Roles & Responsibilities

Environmental scanning

• Develop and coordinate the implementation of the North West Province’s environmental scanning framework to guide the Business Unit in its interaction with stakeholders
• Conduct research on the key external stakeholders to understand their unique needs and challenges in order to develop a relevant stakeholder engagement strategy
• Timely advise the Business Unit and other relevant AGSA structures of any significant stakeholder developments or issues identified in the context of the stakeholder environment to feed through to Head of Portfolio level, where necessary
• Review and monitor key stakeholder activities, processes and any external factors to keep up to date with any developments impacting on stakeholder management
• Monitor and alert North West Business Unit leadership of threats and opportunities from Provincial, national, or international trends in legislative, political, social, and economic factors that may impact on the AGSA’s mandate or/and the Business Unit
• Keep track of and report on policy and procedure implementation in the province.
• Promote and coordinate the implementation and compliance of AGSA stakeholder interaction policies & procedures within the North West Business Unit
• Update the policies and procedures in relation to any developments around stakeholder interactions.
• Ensure alignment of stakeholder management policies and procedures with other AGSA policies.
• Develop, socialise and coordinate implementation of best practices to ensure maximum influence and impact.
• Continuously scan the internal and external environment, analyse and collect the required data from all relevant sources and provide recommended solutions thereof

Stakeholder liaison and coordination 

• Manage and upskill stakeholder-facing colleagues to enable them to meet the stakeholders’ needs and the business unit’s influence goals.
• Seek feedback and provide insight on the challenges experienced in implementing stakeholder management strategy and policies to the North West Leadership.
• Lead and provide direction to the stakeholder liaison support colleague(s) and breed succession to meet the SLM objectives.       
• Liaison with key identified external stakeholders to provide the North West Business Unit with timely, accurate and complete information about stakeholder needs, requests and activities.
• Provide support to the North West Business Unit leadership regarding interaction with those charged with governance and oversight in all three spheres of government in relation to optimal utilisation of AGSA reports (including feedback on the user-friendliness of AGSA reports)
• Coordinate North West Business Unit stakeholder interaction and key events, including liaison with respect to and reporting on stakeholder interactions.
• Build and maintain relationships with key role players to ensure effective stakeholder management.
• Engage with all relevant internal stakeholders to identify gaps or opportunities in terms of stakeholder engagement framework.
• Develop programs and initiatives to address the needs of the stakeholders.

Engagements, support and other key duties

• Quality assuring including language reviewing and/or editing the meeting pack for external stakeholders.
• Tracking the request for information from external stakeholders ensuring that they are speedily processed within the AGSA guidance.
• Gather engagement/storyline briefs, coordinate drafting or draft presentations to stakeholders.
• Serve as an entry and exit point for non-ad hoc engagements with external stakeholders, even if the meeting is not specifically for the business unit leader.
•  Attend all non-ad hoc meetings with stakeholders or closely monitor such engagement and provide feedback to the business unit leadership.
• Promptly prepare acknowledgement letters to emails and formal letters to the business unit or track to ensure the respective centre leaders prepare and issue those responses.
• Regularly develop presentations and training materials for roll-out at workshops, induction sessions, etc.
• Ensure that senior managers and managers have an appropriate understanding of the activities that they are required to undertake in support of stakeholder and influence function.
• Take charge of tracking of the implementation of recommendations and commitments including reporting on impact.
• Support the business unit leadership with the positioning of messages including the presenter posture based on risk, intel or stakeholder needs.
• Provide monthly progress reports to the business unit leadership on the implementation and/or corrective actions related to recommendations and commitments.

Assistance with general report or any other audit report

• Collect relevant stakeholder information required for the compilation of the general report.
• Track the utilisation of all AGSA reports by oversight mechanisms (e.g., committees of legislatures and municipal councils)
• Cooperate with and support to other business units in relation to information required for other AGSA general / special reports

Financial management

• Provide input on North West Business Unit budget re stakeholder management activities.
• Monitor expenditure against budget based on approved BU business plan.
• Manage the budget for provincial support in the business unit.
• Management information system analysis
• Gather, analyse and synthesise project information captured on MIS and make relevant recommendations on behalf of the North West Business Unit.
• Update the MIS with relevant information after interaction with own key stakeholders.

Ad hoc duties

• Perform any other duties as required by the North West business unit leader.
• Travel to engagements with the North West business unit leader.
• Assist the business unit leader with governance related matters.
• Project management and stakeholder event planning.

Skills, Experience & Education

Formal education

• This position requires a minimum of a bachelor’s degree (NQF Level 7) in a related filed.

Knowledge/skills

• Knowledge of applicable provisions of the legislative frameworks and regulations relevant to public sector stakeholder influence, especially the following legislations:
• Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act: (providing for mechanisms for coordination between national, provincial, and local spheres.
• Public Audit Act (the enabling act, which is also one of the tools governing the powers, functions, and enforcement of accountability through material irregularities.
• Knowledge of applicable provisions of the legislative frameworks and regulations relevant to stakeholder influence in local government, especially the following legislations:
• Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (providing for establishment of municipalities, governance structures (councils, executive committees, mayors), and political office-bearers).
• Local Government: Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000 (governing regulating municipal administration, integrated development planning (IDPs), performance management systems, community participation, and service delivery mechanisms.
• Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act 56 of 2003 (municipal financial management, budgeting, supply chain management, financial reporting, and oversight.
• Knowledge of applicable provisions of the legislative frameworks and regulations relevant to stakeholder influence in provincial government, especially the following legislations:
• The Public Service Act: (about organisation and functioning of the public service)
• Public Administration Management Act: (dealing with standards for capacity and professionalisation including collaboration across departments)
• Public Finance Management Act: (shapes stakeholder engagement through accountability to legislatures, reporting obligations and oversight interactions with stakeholders).

Experience

• This position requires a minimum 4 years’ experience in the relevant field.
• Experience in stakeholder liaison principles, including the ability to identify, map, and engage diverse stakeholders effectively.
• Experience in client influence techniques to achieve defined objectives and shape outcomes.
• Experience in relationship management practices, with a focus on establishing, maintaining, and strengthening long-term, trust-based partnerships.

Added advantage

• Operational experience in stakeholder liaison and influence with a strong focus in government or public sector environments, especially provincial and local government systems.
• Experience in intergovernmental relations (operational mechanics of the public sector accountability ecosystem), stakeholder engagement and management, strategic messaging, reputation management, stakeholder dynamics and socio-economic influence.
• Understanding of the mandate, responsibilities, and operational functions of the AGSA as a foundation for stakeholder influence.

Work Arrangements

• This is a fully office-based position aligned with organisational requirements with frequent travelling to stakeholders for engagements.
• In line with the standing position of the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA), the role does not provide for remote or work-from-home arrangements.
• The incumbent is expected to be physically present in the office to support effective stakeholder engagement, collaboration, and service delivery.

Closing Date 24 April 2026