Executive Director: Infrastructure Planning & Development

Amatola Water; East London; On-site; ZAR 1,800,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Job summary

Amatola Water in East London, South Africa, seeks a senior Infrastructure Executive to lead its Infrastructure Master Plan, feasibility studies, and project delivery. The role drives water resource management, environmental compliance, budgeting, and client engagement to support sustainable growth and profitability.

The successful candidate will oversee laboratory operations, ensure SANAS ISO 17025 accreditation, and guide strategic policy, marketing, and development of staff capabilities across

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or BTech in Civil Engineering with a master’s degree (NQF Level 9)
• Registration: Professional Engineer/Technologist or eligible for registration with ECSA/SACPCMP/PM

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for development and review of Infrastructure Master Plan and feasibility studies
• Oversee planning for clients to satisfy expectations and increase Amatola Water’s market share
• Lead water demand management and conservation initiatives
• Oversee water resource management projects for clients
• Lead environmental policy alignment with legislation
• Manage laboratory with SANAS ISO 17025 accreditation
• Oversee budgeting and capex for division
• Identify and secure new business contracts
• Coordinate marketing plans and strategies for future demand growth
• Develop and implement staff development plans and performance assessments
• Coordinate approvals of design projects and oversee multi-disciplinary teams

Skills

Planning & PM

Relationship building

Multidisciplinary engineering

Communication

OHS Act knowledge

Financial management

Political environment

Computer literacy

Education

Bachelor’s/BTech in Civil Engineering

Master’s in Project Management or Civil Engineering

Professional registration eligibility (ECSA/SACPCMP/PM)

Job description

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or BTech in Civil Engineering, together with a relevant master’s degree (e.g. Project Management or Civil Engineering) at NQF Level 9
• Registration: as Professional Engineer /Technologist or eligible for registration with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) / SACPCMP / PM)

Minimum Experience:

• 10 years’ experience in Infrastructure Management with 5 years at Senior/Executive Management level
• 5 years’ experience in a water environment, including operations; water plant design/upgrades or process control related to purification works

Key Outputs:

Reporting to the Chief Executive, the appointee will:

• Provide leadership and oversight with respect to the development and review of the organisation’s Infrastructure Master Plan and feasibility studies to ensure long term sustainability and profitability
• Provide leadership and oversight to planning undertaken for clients to satisfy client expectations and increase Amatola Water’s market share
• Provide leadership and oversight with respect to water demand management and conservation at Amatola Water to ensure water resources are used efficiently and effectively
• Provide leadership and oversight to water resource management projects undertaken for clients to satisfy client expectations and increase Amatola Water’s market share
• Provide leadership and oversight to Amatola Water’s scientific services to ensure work undertaken for clients are prompt and cost effective to satisfy client expectations and increase Amatola Water’s market share
• Manage the laboratory to ensure professional service levels and SANAS ISO 17025 accreditation is maintained
• Conceptualise and align Amatola Water’s environmental policy and practice with legislative requirements
• Set and monitor environmental management targets for Amatola Water to ensure the organisations environmental impact and carbon footprint are minimised
• Identify and implement institutional and social development support to facilitate the successful implementation of projects and other initiatives where communities will come into direct contact with Amatola Water
• Implement community awareness programmes concerning health, safety and environmental issues
• Provide professional engineering design oversight and approval on relevant projects undertaken by Amatola Water and its clients
• Oversee multi-disciplinary professionals on design projects
• Set annual targets for sundry income to meet secondary business budgeted income
• Identify, negotiate and secure new business contracts
• Act as an implementing or project agent for clients
• Provide input, guidance and support to the organisations marketing policy and strategy development
• Support the implementation of the marketing strategy
• Keep abreast of technological development updates from suppliers, publications and appropriate training courses and lead Amatola Water’s evaluation thereof
• Determine the applicability of technology in Amatola Water’s context and cost impact
• Provide leadership of the formulation of the water resources, scientific services, projects and infrastructure planning budgeting process during planning and implementation
• Liaise with the Finance Division regarding the funding for projects
• Formulate and review policies within Amatola Water
• Coordinate the preparation, review and negotiation of the General Conditions of Water Supply and water services supply agreements with customers, to align Amatola Water with legislation and to secure and expand the customer base
• Provide input into the formulation and implementation of marketing plans and strategies in respect of future demand growth projections arrived at by analysis of regional water sector plans (IDP’s, Water Services Development Plan’s and Consultants).
• Provide support for identifying target markets and develop plans and strategies that focus on the primary activity (as per the Water Services Act), yet exploring other secondary activities
• Oversee assessment of staff competences to identify gaps requiring development and training
• Coordinate the formulation and implementation of personal development plans for the division
• Develop and manage all Capex funding on both internal Capex projects, and external projects
• Formulate, manage and control all divisional annual operating budgets

Skills requirements:

• Planning and Project Management experience
• Relationship building and people management skills
• Multi-disciplinary engineering knowledge (mechanical, electrical and civil)
• Good communication and interpersonal relations skills
• In depth knowledge of the OHS Act
• Sound financial management skills
• Good knowledge of working in a political environment
• Computer literacy, i.e. Microsoft Word, Excel & PowerPoint
• Valid driver’s license

Employment Equity Target: Preference will be given to females