Group Chief Operations Officer

CEF Group; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 3,000,000 - 6,000,000; Full time

Job summary

CEF Group seeks a Group Chief Operations Officer to lead group growth, capital projects and investment modelling in Africa. The role partners with subsidiaries and external investors to deliver strategic opportunities and improve operational efficiency.

Strong leadership in energy markets and sustainability will be essential as the group expands across renewables and conventional energy sectors. The COO will drive business development, governance, stakeholder engagement and cross-functional

Qualifications

• Bachelor-level with honours in a relevant field and 15 years in operations/ senior management.
• Proven track record in leading capital projects and energy sector initiatives.
• Strong financial modelling and investment analysis experience.
• Experience engaging with government and regulators in Africa.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Group Business Development Executives and design investment models.
• Drive growth, capital projects, and operational efficiency for the group.
• Develop strategic plans and communicate with stakeholders to advance group strategy.
• Oversee implementation of international growth and energy market strategies.

Skills

Project management

Energy sector knowledge

M&A/Partnerships

Government relations

Predictive modelling

Financial and investment stewardship

Education

NQF8 degree (Engineering/Economics/Business/Finance)

Master’s degree in relevant field

Job description

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL VACANCY: GROUP CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

CEFSOC

CEF is aSchedule 2 state owned diversified energy company reporting to the Departmentof Mineral & Petroleum Resources. The Mandate of CEF is to contribute tothe security of energy supply of South Africa and the Region throughexploration, acquisition, development, marketing and strategic partnership. Itis derived from the CEF Act (No 38 of 1977) and the Ministerial directivesissued thereafter.

JOB PURPOSE:

The COO will lead the Group Business DevelopmentExecutives. The incumbent will be responsible for designing, developing CEFInvestment Economic Models that informs the Financial Investment. S/he willpartner cross-functionally with subsidiaries and other strategic investors/stakeholdersto deliver breakthrough analytical investments solutions to support a winningstrategy in a continually changing business environment. The incumbent will beresponsible for Business development, Growth, Capital Projects, improveoperational efficiency, planning, project development and communication. Theywill take a lead role in further developing various initiatives in support ofthe CEF Group strategy and proactively positioning the organisation in theenergy market as the African and global energy landscape continues toevolve. Lead the organisation improveits role in the respective Energy market sectors and generating the next waveof opportunities for the African market.It will be expected that the COO will establish a footprint for CEF inthe renewables energy sector. This must be done while establishing communityparticipation through rural development enterprises. Development of SMME is anintegral part of the overall growth of the business.

REQUIREDMINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Matric and honoursdegree (NQF8) in Engineering /Economics / Business Management / Business Administration / Finance /Leadership or relevant Business qualification.
• 15 years’ experience overseeing operations of which5 to 8 years should be in a senior management role and 3 to 5 years in asimilar capacity.
• Business qualification/ project management orequivalent is requirement.
• Master’s degree (NQF 9) in the relevantfield will serve as an added advantage.

DESIRED ADDITIONAL SKILLS/ COMPETENCIES:

• Track record as a project/ program manager inimplementation of capital projects
• In-depth experience and broad understanding of theClean Energy Sector
• A record of delivering results in complex project,country, and partner arrangements in Africa and Globally will serve as anadvantage
• Experience in leading business growth includingM&A, Partnerships (JV’s / PPP) etc.
• Experience and ability tointerface with government, regulatory authorities and the energy sectornationally and internationally
• In-depth knowledge of the Energy value chaincommodities
• In-depth knowledge and application of predictiveeconomic models that informs business strategies and growth.
• Financial and Investment Stewardship
• Commercial and Financial Acumen
• Programme Delivery, Digital and data enabledleadership
• Energy Sector Leadership, Strategic Foresight and Systemsthinking
• Ethical governance, Stakeholder relations, StakeholderCollaboration and influence
• Reputation Management, People Leadership andCulture stewardship
• Regulatory and Policy Navigation
• Change management, Sustainability and Justtransition integration
• Technically proficient in statistics, economics inthe energy fields and its commodities, and understanding of tools used inpredictive investments modelling.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:

Financialand Economic Modelling

• Lead the development,enhancement and implementation of economic and other quantitative models topredict growth/loss and financial performance in energy demands at both countryand global levels.
• Oversee the development of Economic ModellingFrameworks to determine and predict changes in the energy industry, commoditiesdemand trends that will inform the Group investment and growth strategies.
• Oversee the developmentof economic models from conceptualization through data exploration, modelselection, validation and implementation.
• Develop Frameworks toanalyse data that will provide cost benefit analysis and predict performance inorder to assess business cases for investments.
• Develops and providessubject matter expertise on the current and emerging predictive investmentmodelling techniques for various areas within the energy sector.
• Monitors and understandsemerging risks and global commodity trends that can affect businessinvestments.
• Research new internaland external market dynamics and impact on the investments.
• Communicates technicalsubject matters clearly and concisely to individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Educates and coachespeers and business partners to leverage predictive investment analysis andpropose solutions.
• In collaboration with the Group CEO and theGroup CFO, develop short term and long-term plans that supports the GroupStrategy to achieve growth and commercial Corporate annual and long-termstrategic plans
• Builds and manages a strongmodelling analytics team.
• Develops team reputation as highly skilled expertsin the area of predictive modelling.
• Frequently interacts with business partners toidentify opportunities for predictive analytics to drive business strategy andresults forward.

Business Development and Growth

• Oversee the development and maintenance of the long-termstrategy for the Energy markets in South Africa and the rest of Africa -ensuring that the business is looking ahead at the longer-term, strategicopportunities that will provide a step change for the Energy business.
• Lead the business opportunities that will increasethe CEF Group asset base through Mergers & Acquisitions; Joint Ventures;Private Public Partnerships and Special Purpose Vehicles.
• Ensures the alignment of effective implementationof the CEF Group strategies to drive aggressive growth to achieve long-termsustainability .
• Grow and increase market share of various CEF Groupcommodity portfolios (e.g. RE, Gas, Liquid Fuels, tankage and pipeline Infrastructure).
• Advise the Group CEO and other Executives ofcommercial developments, market trends and economic environment that couldaffect future business locally and internationally.
• Accountable for the development and delivery of aninternational growth strategy for the CEF Group by maintaining a consistenttrajectory of growth, while avoiding obstacles that arise from a constantlyshifting market.
• Oversee the development of business concepts fromincubation to maturity
• Develop and implement strategies that will positionthe CEF Group to take advantage of current competitive information on acontinuous basis, including competitive pricing, policy changes, productdevelopment, and marketing strategies.
• Develop strategic asset position to achieve thestrategic imperative of securing security of energy supply to the country.
• Identifying and developing new capability (throughtechnology, organic development, partnerships or acquisition)
• Identify new business initiatives and expansionopportunities that align with the CEF Group’s business goals and strategicgrowth plans
• Streamline the current CEF Group assets to ensureeffective management and increased ROI
• Advise the Group CEO and the Board on assetportfolio acquisition and divestment.
• Provide Return onInvestment for all strategic high impact projects for the CEF Group
• Lead the structuring ofcommercial deals
• Develop and implement aninternational commodity trading function
• Implement a centralized commodity tradingfunction which will include international trading
• Analyse market trends; keepan eye on competition and come up with new ways of staying ahead in thebusiness.
• Lead and optimise the CEFGroup investment portfolio across the energy value chain (diversification);
• Lead in the development andincubation of new energy solutions;
• In liaison with the CEFCFO, develop effective allocation of Group capital resources to drivecommercial and developmental objectives;
• Develop Growth Strategiesthat will lead to the Group having diversified income streams.
• Lead the development andinvestments in latest technologies in mining, Liquid Fuels, Renewable Energyand Gas.

Project Management

• Coordinate group capital projects
• Monitor, evaluate and report on group capitalprojects
• Develop execution strategies for capitalprojects
• Negotiate commercial terms on capital projects
• Develop governance model for businessdevelopment
• Oversee, monitor, and evaluate the operation'sperformance.
• Direct the preparation of operating budgets andproposals for projects.
• Oversee the execution of all projects, atvarious project phases to ensure that all activities are completed on time andwithin budget and with minimal disruption to the organization's day-to-dayoperations.
• Overall responsibility for end-to-end operationsby providing internal leadership, managing the people, budgets, and targets
• Support execution of the projects fromrecruitment, building frameworks, vendor onboarding and overall ownership ofthe projects
• Set, and monitor the performance of therespective subsidiaries against strategic targets in areas such as productionand administration efficiency, cost control and sales revenue.

Communication

• Support the Group CEO todevelop and maintain sound working relationships with Heads of Subsidiaries andtheir Boards
• Initiate, develop, buildand sustain new stakeholder relationships through utilizing business links intoindustry and relevant countries
• Establish network ofstakeholders across the Energy Industry that will enable CEF Group to developand foster relationships with industry and governmental stakeholders
• Oversee the implementationof the CEF Group Brand Strategy to bolster Group’s value proposition andimproving our brand image.
• Oversee the execution ofSocio-Economic investments that will drive the CEF Group’s DevelopmentalMandate in support of the broader National Development Plan (NDP) objectives, thePresidential Seven-Point Plan and other key government imperatives
• Lead business government togovernment, business to government and SOE to SOE engagements in liaison withGroup Communications and Marketing team
• Develop and foster existingpartnerships within the energy sector which contribute to and facilitate thedelivery of the CEF Group mandate and facilitate innovation
• Identify and develop newpartnerships within the broader and international energy community to assist inthe delivery of the CEF Group mandate
• Ensure sound relationshipswith stakeholders across the board by developing stakeholder insight toCEF’s mandate and operations, designing mechanisms for delivering stakeholders’needs and responding timeously and appropriately to stakeholders’ needs
• Develop and implementprogrammes to enhance stakeholder and partner involvement in the evolution ofthe CEF Group to grow future capacity, optimise support for the CEF
• Group and obtain feedbackon the organisation’s efficiency and contribution.
• Develop and maintainrelationships with commercial and channel client segments and key decisionmakers locally and globally.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Oversee the development andimplementation of a Group Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, system andprocesses.
• Monitor and evaluate theexecution of group projects and set metrics
• Perform analysis andinterpretation of Group performance results
• Provide a dashboard for keystakeholders indicating the alignment of subsidiaries’
• KPAs to individualsubsidiary strategic plans and the Group Strategic plans
• Regularly inform key stakeholders and makestrategic recommendations to improve project performance.

Culture stewardship

• Lead the transformation andchange management initiatives by setting the “tone at the top” regardingorganisational values, ethics and code of conduct.
• Provide insight, assistanceand leadership to managers and their subordinates in promoting a diversified,non- discriminatory and integrated workplace.
• Promote diversity throughplanned activities aimed at building sensitivity and support for others
• The ability to initiate andsupport the CEF Group transformation and change to implement new initiativessuccessfully and deliver on service delivery commitments
• Ensure that alltransformation agenda and targets of the organisation are met
• Develop a culture oflearning to deliver on the CEF Group mandate
• Ensurea safe and healthy working environment for all staff members.

Closing Date: 10 September 2026

NOTE:The successful candidate/s for the advertised position/s will be required toundergo personnel suitability checks, which includes, criminal records,citizenship, financial checks, qualifications and previous employment(Reference checks). It is the responsibility of the applicant to make sure thatforeign qualifications are evaluated by the South African QualificationsAuthority and the evaluation certificate is attached to the application onsubmission. If you do not hear from the CEF SOC three months after the closingdate of the advertisement, consider your application unsuccessful. CEF SOC reserves the right not to fill thisposition. CEF SOC is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer,and it is committed to the achievement and maintenance of diversity and equityin employment, especially in respect of race, gender and disability. Thisposition will be filled in accordance with the CEF SOC Employment Equity Plan.