Program Manager: Infrastructure Projects (P08)

Sol Plaatje University; Noord-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Sol Plaatje University in South Africa seeks an experienced Infrastructure Projects Programme Manager to provide strategic programme management, governance, and executive support to the Director: Infrastructure Projects. You will ensure the infrastructure portfolio is planned, coordinated, and controlled from a programme, financial, procurement, and contractual perspective.

The role requires a relevant bachelor's degree, 5+ years in infrastructure delivery, and strong knowledge of contracts and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (NQF7) in Construction Management, Project Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, Architecture or any relevant field.
• 5+ years’ experience in infrastructure project delivery.
• Experience managing complex capital programmes.
• Strong experience in construction contracts, cost management, procurement, and commercial administration.
• Experience in higher education, government, or large institutional infrastructure environments advantageous.
• Professional registration with SACPCMP, SACQSP, ECSA, SACAP or equivalent (advantage).
• Postgraduate qualification in project management, infrastructure management, or business administration (advantage).
• Driver’s license (advantage).
• Willingness to work outside normal working hours (advantage).

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain an integrated infrastructure programme management framework.
• Consolidate information from Senior Project Managers to provide the Director with a complete portfolio view.
• Monitor project progress, milestones, expenditure, procurement status, and contract performance.
• Identify programme-level challenges requiring executive intervention.
• Support the Director in strategic infrastructure planning and prioritisation.
• Provide programme-level financial oversight and monitor budgets, cost reports, and cash flows.
• Review variations, extension of time claims, and contract amendments.
• Maintain knowledge of JBCC, NEC, and other relevant contracts and monitor contract compliance.
• Establish governance for variations and scope changes and report significant variations.
• Coordinate procurement strategies and monitor procurement risks.
• Review cost plans and budgets with the Quantity Surveyor, and monitor affordability.
• Prepare high-level infrastructure reports for the Director and governance structures.
• Manage and develop the Infrastructure Projects Officer and maintain records and reporting cycles.

Skills

5+ years experience

Capital programmes

Contracts & procurement

Public sector experience

Flexibility

Education

Bachelor’s degree (NQF7)

Professional registration (advantage)

Postgraduate qualification (advantage)

Job description

Purpose

The Infrastructure Projects Programme Manager provides strategic programme management, commercial oversight, governance, and executive support to the Director: Infrastructure Projects. The role ensures that the infrastructure portfolio is effectively planned, coordinated, monitored, and controlled from a programme, financial, procurement, and contractual perspective.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (NQF7) in Construction Management, Project Management, Quantity Surveying, Engineering, Architecture or any relevant field
• At least five (5) years’ experience in infrastructure project delivery.
• Experience managing complex capital programmes.
• Strong experience in construction contracts, cost management, procurement, and commercial administration.
• Experience in higher education, government, or large institutional infrastructure environments advantageous.

Recommended Requirements

• Professional registration with SACPCMP, SACQSP, ECSA, SACAP or equivalent.
• Postgraduate qualification in project management, infrastructure management, or business administration
• Driver’s license
• Willingness to work outside normal working hours

Duties

1. Infrastructure Programme Management

• Develop and maintain an integrated infrastructure programme management framework.
• Consolidate information from Senior Project Managers to provide the Director with a complete portfolio view.
• Monitor:
  • Project progress
  • Milestones
  • Expenditure
  • Procurement status
  • Contract performance
• Risks and constraints
• Identify programme-level challenges requiring executive intervention.
• Support the Director in strategic infrastructure planning and prioritisation

2. Infrastructure Financial Management and Cost Control

• Provide programme-level financial oversight of infrastructure projects.
• Work closely with the Quantity Surveyor to monitor:
  • Project budgets
  • Cost reports
  • Forecast final costs
  • Cash flows
  • Expenditure trends
  • Budget deviations
• Review of financial implications that include:
  • Variations
  • Extension of time claims
  • Compensation events
  • Scope changes
  • Contract amendments
• Provide early warnings to the Director on potential cost overruns.

3. Monitor: Contract Management and Commercial Oversight

• Maintain strong knowledge of construction contracts, including JBCC, NEC, and other relevant infrastructure contracts.
• Provide programme-level oversight of contract administration.
• Monitor:
  • Contract compliance
  • Contractor performance
  • Payment processes
  • Claims
  • Variations
  • Dispute risks
• Work with Senior Project Managers and Quantity Surveyors to ensure contractual matters are properly managed.
• Ensure that contractual decisions are supported by appropriate commercial analysis

4. Variations and Change Management

• Establish a governance process for managing variations and scope changes.
• Review variation submissions and ensure:
• Proper motivation exists
• Financial impact is understood
• Budget availability is confirmed
• Approval processes are followed
• Track cumulative project changes and their impact on programme budgets.
• Report significant variations to the Director.

5. Supply Chain Management and Procurement Coordination

• Work closely with Supply Chain Management to ensure procurement supports infrastructure delivery objectives.
• Monitor procurement plans for:
• Professional teams
• Contractors
• Specialist consultants
• Infrastructure-related services
• Ensure procurement timelines align with project implementation schedules.
• Provide input into infrastructure procurement strategies.
• Monitor procurement risks affecting project delivery

6. Collaboration with Quantity Surveyor

• Reviewing cost plans and project budgets.
• Monitoring project affordability.
• Analysing financial impacts of design changes.
• Reviewing contractor payments and financial progress.
• Supporting value engineering initiatives.
• Ensuring alignment between programme objectives and cost management.
• (The Quantity Surveyor remains professionally accountable for quantity surveying functions and reports independently to the Director.)

7. Executive Reporting and Governance

• Prepare high-level infrastructure reports for:
  • Director
  • Executive committees
  • Governance structures
• Provide analysis on:
  • Financial performance
  • Project delivery status
  • Contract risks
  • Procurement challenges
  • Strategic decisions required
• Maintain programme dashboards and management information systems.

8. Infrastructure Projects Office Management

• Manage and develop the Infrastructure Projects Officer.
• Maintain programme records, systems, and reporting processes.
• Coordinate programme meetings and reporting cycles.
• Ensure effective document control and information management

Enquiries can be made via email at [e-mail]

Assumption of duties: As mutually agreed to upon acceptance of the appointment. The University reserves the right not to make an appointment

Women and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Note: Sol Plaatje University (SPU) is dedicated to meeting its Employment Equity targets.