Principle Socio-Economic Deelopement

Smart4 Energy; Richards Bay; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,600,000; Full time

Job summary

Smart4 Energy in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, seeks a senior professional to lead socio-economic development across a major industrial site. The role focuses on social investment, community partnerships and a robust social licence to operate in a mining/metals context.

You will shape strategy, engage government and communities, and drive delivery from planning through to impact evaluation, ensuring sustainable development aligned with municipal IDPs and regional stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years in a senior socio-economic development role.
• Experience in mining/resources/heavy industrial environments is advantageous.
• Proven ability to deliver community development projects from studies to execution.
• Strong knowledge of local and provincial government structures.
• Understanding of South African transformation legislation and policy.
• Experience building partnerships with government, communities and regional stakeholders.
• Knowledge of monitoring, evaluation and impact measurement for community projects.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and public-speaking capability.
• Strong written and spoken English; Zulu capability is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the socio-economic development strategy for the operation.
• Lead community development projects from planning through implementation and evaluation.
• Ensure programs are delivered within budgets, timelines and governance.
• Build relationships with local/provincial government, municipalities and communities.
• Develop local and regional partnerships for sustainable development.
• Monitor community, stakeholder and political developments and mitigate risks.
• Support sustainability initiatives related to social licence to operate.
• Measure and evaluate the impact of community investment programmes.
• Represent the organisation professionally at community engagements and forums.

Skills

S-E Development

Mining industry experience

Community development projects

Government relations

Transformation legislation knowledge

Partnership building

Monitoring & impact measurement

Stakeholder engagement

Public speaking

English proficiency

Zulu language (advantage)

Education

Degree / BTech / ND in related field

Business or Project Management qualification

Job description

Industry: Mining | Metals | Aluminium | Heavy Industrial / Resources

Employment Type: Permanent, Full-Time

The Opportunity

An established resources and heavy industrial organisation is seeking an experienced Principal: Socio-Economic Development to join its operation in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal.

This is a senior, site-linked position within a large-scale industrial / metals processing environment, responsible for driving socio-economic and community development initiatives surrounding the operation.

The successful candidate will play a key role in developing and delivering the organisation's social investment and community development strategy, working closely with local communities, municipalities, government departments and other regional stakeholders.

This opportunity would particularly suit someone with experience within mining, metals, mineral processing, manufacturing, energy or another large industrial environment, where maintaining strong community relationships and a sustainable social licence to operate is critical.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the operation's social investment and socio-economic development strategy, aligned with broader business objectives and Municipal IDPs.
• Lead community development projects from initial study and planning through implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
• Ensure social development programmes are delivered within agreed budgets, timelines and governance frameworks.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with local and provincial government, municipalities, community organisations and other key stakeholders.
• Develop strong local and regional partnerships supporting sustainable community development.
• Monitor community, stakeholder and political developments that could affect the operation and contribute to appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Support broader sustainability initiatives relating to social development, community impact and social licence to operate.
• Measure and evaluate the impact and effectiveness of community investment programmes.
• Represent the organisation professionally during community engagements, stakeholder forums and public-facing engagements.

These responsibilities closely reflect the original mandate, including alignment with Municipal IDPs, government/community engagement, monitoring local developments and contributing to sustainability and social-licence strategies.

Experience & Skills Required

Candidates should bring:

• Minimum 5 years' experience in a senior Socio-Economic Development role.
• Strong experience within a mining, resources, metals, heavy industrial, manufacturing or similarly complex operational environment would be highly advantageous.
• Demonstrated experience delivering community development / social investment projects from study and planning through to execution.
• Strong understanding of local and provincial government structures and how they operate.
• Thorough understanding of South African transformation legislation and policy.
• Proven experience developing partnerships with government, communities and regional stakeholders.
• Strong knowledge of monitoring, evaluation and impact measurement for community projects.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement, relationship management and public-speaking capability.
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Zulu language capability would be advantageous, particularly given the Richards Bay/KZN stakeholder environment.

The five-year senior experience requirement, government knowledge, transformation knowledge, project-delivery capability and impact-measurement requirements are all explicit in the brief.

Qualifications

A Degree, BTech or National Diploma in one of the following or a closely related discipline:

A Business or Project Management qualification would be advantageous.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will already understand what it takes to manage socio-economic development around a major operational site in KwaZulu-Natal. They should be comfortable operating at the intersection of business, government and communities, balancing long-term community development objectives with the realities of operating within a complex industrial environment.

Richards Bay / KZN experience, Zulu capability, government engagement and exposure to mining, metals or heavy industry would make a profile particularly relevant.