Project Director

Duke Corporate Education; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 1,500,000 - 2,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Duke Corporate Education in South Africa seeks a Project Director to lead high-value advisory engagements across geographies, managing deliverables, timelines and finances while advising clients on strategic people initiatives and leadership development.

Office-based with regular travel to client sites, the role requires strong consulting background and ability to coordinate cross-functional teams and maintain executive relationships. Travel-ready candidates with PM certification are preferred.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of experience in strategy, people consulting, organizational transformation, or HR advisory, preferably from one of the big 4.
• Minimum 8 years of project management experience; formal PM certification required.
• Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to influence and engage senior stakeholders.
• Resilient and adaptable, comfortable working in dynamic environments.
• Excel at developing clear, impactful presentations that interpret client needs, communicate insights and support strategic recommendations.
• Proven ability to lead, motivate, and influence project teams.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Proficiency with project management tools and software.
• Must be able to travel regularly.

Responsibilities

• Consult with clients to interpret strategic needs and translate them into impactful solutions, including leadership development or change management initiatives.
• Lead cross-functional project teams, providing guidance to ensure milestones are met.
• Develop and manage actionable project plans, budgets, contracts and timelines.
• Oversee project accounting, including budget tracking, variance analysis and financial reporting.
• Build and maintain relationships with senior client stakeholders, including multinational FTSE 500 organizations.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to ensure quality and progress.
• Prepare and deliver project updates and presentations to clients and internal teams.
• Develop clear, impactful presentations that interpret client needs and support strategic recommendations.
• Identify and manage project risks and issues, driving timely resolution.
• Analyze project accounting data, including variance analysis, to evaluate performance and outcomes.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Client relations

Budget management

Presentations

Risk management

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree in business

PM certification

Tools

Project management software

Job description

Office-based with regular travel to client sites

We are seeking a Project Director to join our team in South Africa. This is a project management, business development, coordination and advisory role, not a facilitation or training position. The ideal candidate will bring strong professional services acumen, with deep experience leading high-value advisory engagements across multiple geographies, managing complex consulting projects and advising clients on strategic people initiatives and leadership development. A sharp understanding of the pulse of leadership development, along with proven capability in managing project deliverables, timelines and finances, is essential.

Strong professional services acumen, experience leading high value advisory engagements across multiple geographies, experience advising clients on key strategic people initiatives and leadership development. Deep experience managing project deliverables, timelines, finances.

At Duke Corporate Education, we empower leaders at all levels to be catalysts of change in their organizations and, ultimately, in society. By designing and delivering best in class advisory, leadership development and change management programs, we accelerate business leaders and their teams to build for the future. Our global team have an enviable track record of delivering some of the most scaled, impactful and innovative learning programs and leadership interventions in the world. With delivery in over 85 countries, we partner with clients to co-create the right solution for any level of leadership. Together, we transform leaders and business, creating sustainable impact at scale and speed.

Responsibilities

Key responsibilities include:

• Consult with clients to interpret strategic needs and translate them into impactful solutions, which may include leadership development, change management or other people-focused initiatives


• Lead cross-functional project teams, providing guidance and feedback to ensure milestones are met


• Develop and manage actionable project plans, budgets, contracts and timelines


• Oversee project accounting, including budget tracking, variance analysis and financial reporting


• Build and maintain strong relationships with senior client stakeholders, including multinational FTSE 500 organizations


• Collaborate with internal and external partners to ensure quality and progress


• Prepare and deliver project updates and presentations to clients and internal teams


• Develop clear, impactful presentations that interpret client needs, communicate insights and support strategic recommendations.


• Identify and manage project risks and issues, driving timely resolution


• Analyze project accounting data, including variance analysis, to evaluate performance and outcomes.

• Minimum 10 years of experience in strategy, people consulting, organizational transformation, or HR advisory. preferably from one of the big 4.


• Minimum 8 years of project management experience; formal PM certification required.


• Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field.


• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to influence and engage senior stakeholders.


• Resilient and adaptable, comfortable working in dynamic environments.


• Excel at developing clear, impactful presentations that interpret client needs, communicate insights and support strategic recommendations.


• Proven ability to lead, motivate, and influence project teams.


• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.


• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.


• Proficiency with project management tools and software.


• Must be able to travel regularly.