Job Opportunities at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

About the job:

The CSIR has a vacancy for a Commodity Specialist (Travel) in the Strategic Procurement Services portfolio. The successful incumbent will ensure efficient travel related procurement activities for the organisation, including assistance with the management of travel related contracts in compliance with relevant travel legislation, procurement policy and procedures. This position is based in Pretoria.

Key responsibilities:

Operational travel management

• Ensure optimum travel service delivery to CSIR clusters and/or portfolios
• Manage traveller expectations, including the effective and timely response to all travel requests, including management of all travel complaints through to successful resolutions
• After-hour call management and reporting
• Negotiation and management of management fee
• Manage procurement transactional services relating to travel commodity ensuring reduction in purchase order cycle times and tracking supplier performance against targets
• Ensure that all traveller’s portfolios are completed and maintained by Travel Management Company (TMC)
• Assess and implement automation of processes to improve service delivery
• Manage procurement activities for travel commodity throughout the purchasing and supply chain and ensure that purchasing activities are provided in a fair, equitable, transparent, cost effective, efficient and effective manner
• Ensure maximisation of rebates and / or discounts from agreements
• Create travel purchase orders, via e-procure to pay, including for management fee and after hour calls 
• Assist finance with open voucher report and outstanding travel related invoices and queries.

Governance, compliance and reporting

• Assist management with the drafting and compiling of travel procedures and processes
• Ensure Procurement unit’s compliance with CSIR policies, procedures with specific focussing on the Travel and related policies
• Manage the Travel Manavement Comoany service level agreement and report back on customer satisfaction.
• Collect and analyse spend data for all travel related transactions for informed SPU decision making with respect to travel
• Issuing of all amended purchase orders after checking that amendment was approved according to the appropriate process.
• Obtaining approval for all travel changes requested during and after office hours
• Manage all travel deviations and ensuring compliance to all relevant legislation.
• Accurate and timeous reporting of relevant management information to SPU Management including Quarterly and Annual Review presentations

Stakeholder engagement

• Liaising with internal customers and external suppliers in a professional and efficient manner and ensuring communication between all travel agents and all CSIR clusters and/or portfolios
• Arrange review meetings and keep minutes of all meetings with travel service providers
• Build and maintain professional and ethical relationships with internal clients and CSIR suppliers
• Training and awareness raising of travel policies and procedures for colleagues and/or employees

Strategic travel management support

• Support  with the management of travel contracts for identified travel agencies, airlines, car rentals, accommodation and other travel related suppliers.
• Responsible for the account management of all travel contracts Assist with the negotiation and drafting of contracts, including service fees and rates
• Assist with the review and management of existing and new supplier relationships
• Identify opportunities for cost savings in the organisation relating to travel transactions / contracts
• Keep abreast of business systems and new developments
• Particpate and collborate with SPU, the Travel Manaement Compay and travelers in developing, implementing and managing the CSIR’s Travel Framework

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• Bachelors degree in Supply Chain Management or equivalent qualification (NQF Level 7)
• Five (5) years’ experience in a purchasing environment with knowledge of the Travel Industry, preferably within an organisation where the PFMA was applicable
• MS Office Suite
• Exposure to procurement systems (i.e., SAP, PeopleSoft, e-Procure, etc.) will be advantageous.
• Project Administration
• Knowledge of travel agency operations and supplier management
• Sourcing, buying, and negotiations skills
• Communication skills
• Basic contract management skills
• E-procurement knowledge
• High degree of accuracy and attention to detail needed
• High degree of problem solving ability
• Planning and organisational skills
• Ability to meet demanding deadlines
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong customer service focus
• Interpersonal skills
• Thorough understanding of the business processes needed
• Computer reservation system knowledge
• Strong presentation skills
• Analytical abilities
• Understanding of corporate procurement

Closing date: 17 July 2023

go to method of application »

About the job:

The CSIR has three (3) vacancies for Procurement Specialists – Strategic Sourcing in the Strategic Procurement Services portfolio. The successful incumbent will be responsible for establishing and maintaining of commodity specific procurement activities.  Responsible for managing specific supplier contracts impacting on organizational day to day procurement activities, ensuring that contracts are in line with organizational interests. To assist the Strategic Sourcing Manager in developing strategic and operational plans.  Sourcing of goods and services in line with an identified sourcing strategy that ensures efficient delivery to stakeholders.  Compiling a Sourcing Strategy.  This position is based in Pretoria.

Key responsibilities:

• Collect and analyze spend analysis for specific commodity.
• Review and manage existing supplier relationships.
• Document and assess internal stakeholders’ business and sourcing objectives.
• Collect and analysis market intelligence.
• Determine the total value of identified commodities and report accordingly to management.
• Determine opportunities for cost savings in the organisation relating to specified commodities.
• Source suppliers that meet the CSIR procurement criteria.
• Manage procurement transactional services ensuring reduction in purchase order cycle times and tracking supplier performance against targets.
• Manage selected contracts for identified commodity with external suppliers.
• Assess and implement automation of processes to improve service delivery.
• Liaising with internal customers and external suppliers in a professional and efficient manner.
• Implement expediting on orders to monitor quality, on time deliveries, preferential procurement and savings for identified commodity.
• Ensure effective and timely response to user calls related to orders and deliveries.
• Ensure Procurement unit’s compliance with CSIR policies, procedures and IT standards focusing on standardisation of processes.
• Ensure compliance to CSIR’s B-BBEE policy and programme.
• Keep abreast of business systems and new developments.
• Manage procurement activities for identified commodity and ensure that purchasing activities are provided in a fair, equitable, transparent, cost effective, efficient and effective manner.
• Assisting Strategic Sourcing Manager in developing of procurement policies, procedures, processes.
• Build strategic, professional and ethical relationships with internal clients and CSIR suppliers.
• Ensure strategic sourcing activities are aligned to the organisation’s strategic interest.
• Create cost savings opportunities from bulk buying, proper contract management, pooling of efforts and economies of scale.
• Accurate and timeous reporting of relevant management information to Strategic Sourcing Manager.
• Explore global sourcing opportunities.
• Create a sourcing strategy.

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• A Bachelor`s Degree or equivalent three Year Purchasing Qualification
• At least five (5) years’ experience in Purchasing Environment

Knowledge, skills and abilities:

• Supplier evaluation
• Sourcing, buying, and negotiations skills.
• Contract Management Skills
• E- procurement knowledge (advantageous)
• High degree of accuracy needed
• High degree of problem-solving ability
• Planning and organizing skills
• Ability to manage time in relation to workload
• Excellent communication skills
• Strong customer services focus
• Driver’s License
• Interpersonal skills
• Attention to detail

Closing date: 17 July 2023

go to method of application »

About the job:

The CSIR has a temporary vacancy for Post-Doctoral Fellow in Bioprocess Development Group in the Biomanufacturing Impact Area within the Chemicals Cluster. The incumbent will be responsible for process development, optimization, and scale of bioprocessing related projects. S/he will also support research activities and will work closely with the team and external collaborators to ensure delivery on projects and contribute to the overall KPI’s of group. This position is based in Pretoria.

Key responsibilities:

• Design, plan and execute projects, with a focus on commercial uptake and implementation;
• Contribute to the management of projects to gain experience as a Principal Investigator;
• Disseminate research through reports, technology demonstrators and scientific publications;
• Contribute to the writing of peer reviewed journal publications, of which the successful candidate would be expected to be the lead author for at least one publication per annum;
• Present research findings to both internal external stakeholders, as well as at national and international conferences;
• Supervise and/or co-supervise postgraduate students and interns;
• Contribute to the day-to-day running and maintenance of the research group, its laboratories and production facilities;
• Keep up to date with trends and new developments, approaches and techniques in the field and initiate their introduction and adoption by the group;
• Assist with other biomanufacturing projects currently running in the research group.

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• A Doctoral degree in bioprocess engineering, biotechnology, biochemistry, microbiology, chemical engineering or related fields;  
• Experience in fermentation technology, bioprocess development, optimisation and scale up;
• Experience in downstream process development to purify the desired product and analytical techniques;
• Experience in bioprocess simulations, process modelling, and techno-economic evaluation will be advantageous;
• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to work closely with others in a research group;
• Clear demonstration of problem-solving abilities and independent research are essential;
• A track record of publications;
• All international qualifications require an evaluation report / certificate issued by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). 

Closing date: 21 March 2023

go to method of application »

About the job:

The CSIR has a vacancy for an Executive Manager: Advanced Agriculture and Food Cluster. The incumbent will provide strategic direction, drive the leadership, strategy development and implementation, financial sustainability, capability development, performance, operations and governance within the Advanced Agriculture and Food Cluster in line with the trends and opportunities and needs of the agriculture, agroprocessing, food and related industries, and in alignment with the CSIR strategy, vision and mission. He/she will lead the research, development localisation, and commercialisation of technologies and knowledge solutions from a sound scientific and technological base. The incumbent will utilise market insights to inform our scientific and technological development and take our products and innovations to the market. The incumbent will also be accountable for in-depth stakeholder engagement in the private and public sectors in the advanced agriculture and food related industries. The incumbent will act as a role model, embracing and demonstrating the professional and ethical values and purpose of the CSIR. This position is based in Pretoria.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead and provide strategic direction to the Advanced Agriculture and Food Cluster;
• Drive alignment of the Advanced Agriculture and Food Cluster strategy with the trends, needs and opportunities of the agriculture, agroprocessing, food and related industries and other stakeholders;
• Account for the financially sustainability, profit and loss of the cluster;
• Ensure that cluster operations are managed effectively, and that there is timely and accurate reporting;
• Invest allocated grants guided by divisional priorities and CSIR strategy to effectively leverage income from other sources and to build strategic capabilities for current and future competitiveness of the advanced agriculture and food related industries;
• Maintain a balanced portfolio of research, development and commercialisation per divisional priorities and organisation vision;
• Drive collaboration with parties in the national system of innovation, and leading relevant parties globally;
• Account for cluster quality, health, safety and impact;
• Lead in-depth stakeholder engagement in industry and public sector;
• Ensure cluster compliance with all CSIR policies and relevant legislation;
• Live CSIR values; foster a culture of collaboration within and between divisions.

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• A Doctoral degree in agriculture, biosciences, food, bioprocess engineering or related qualification. In addition, a business-related qualification will be an added advantage.
• At least five years senior management experience in a Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) and commercialisation industry or leading Research and Technology Organisation (RTO).
• Proven track record of managing minimum annual budget of R100 million linked to RDI initiatives in industry or leading RTO.
• Proven track record of successful IP commercialisation.
• Evidence of high-level stakeholder management, advanced agriculture and food industry related networks.
• Excellent communicator with strong, demonstrable business acumen; and
• Demonstrated experience of strong people management and organisational development skills.
• All inernational qualifications require an evaluation report / certificate issued by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).

Closing date: 31 July 2023

go to method of application »

About the job:

The CSIR has a vacancy for a Group Assistant in the Strategic Procurement Unit portfolio. The successful incumbent will ensure the efficient office management of the Group Manager and Strategic Procurement Unit portfolio in general, by providing secretarial and administrative support. This position is based in Pretoria.

Key responsibilities:

Document Preparation

• Prepare documents (letters, emails, minutes) accurately, timeously and in accordance with the specific needs for which the document is required
• Assist with the editing of documents, such as formatting, etc.
• Accurate data capturing

Document Management

• Effective electronic and manual filing of documents, ensuring proper maintenance of records and easy retrieval of documents

• Receiving, registering and management of documents/mail that are delivered to the Group Manager, management team or generally relevant to SPU.

Information sourcing and Reporting

• As and when guided, perform information searches according to defined requirements.
• Assist with the collation of information and data as and when required
• Collate information for monthly management reporting for the offfice of the Group Manager or management team
• Assist management to complete and submit reports
• Ensure timeous submission of required reports

Diary, meeting and events management

• Manage the diary of the Group Manager and the management team as required
• Manage the boardroom diary
• Prepare the boardroom for meetings
• Organise meetings and events according to the needs of the Group Manager (SPU Management meetings; SPU team meetings, etc.)
• Arrange departmental meetings, workshops and information sessions e.g. correspond with clients or managers and provide meeting details, book meeting room, arrange refreshments, provide updates, etc.
• Draft agendas for meetings and/or take minutes for meetings in line with the specific meeting purpose and objective.

General office Management

• Manage relevant SPU spaces and supplies, such as the kitchen, storeroom, dry goods cupboards, tender storage areas, key safe, water fountain and stationery, etc.
• Logging of calls for anything that is impacting the work environment and that must be fixed
• Assistance with relevant and reasonable ad hoc projects in the office
• Arrangement of refreshments for SPU Portfolio / management as and when required

Reception

• Manage reception area and receive all visitors, requirements and documents to Strategic Procurement Unit, where necessary
• Keep reception area clean and presentable

E-procurement

• Manage SPU invoices
• Managing SPU requisitions on relevant systems such as  e- procurement
• Acquire goods for SPU via the official e-procurement system
• Arrange delivery and receipt of goods for the unit’s requirements

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• Three year National Diploma in office management/ administration or similar
• Three (3) years relevant secretarial or administration support experience
• Exposure to supply chain environment might be advantageous
• MS Office Suite
• Excellent Service and Client Orientation
• Problem solving skills and time management skills
• Good communication and office management skills
• Ability to adapt time frames and work under pressure to meet deadlines
• High level of computer literacy
• Ability to exercise tact and good judgement with highly-sensitive information
• Excellent interpersonal, administrative and organisational skills

Closing date: 19 July 2023