Quality & Risk Manager - Procurement
Noa Group
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
NOA is building a high-performing procurement function for end-to-end EPC contracts in the renewable energy sector. The Risk and Quality Manager will own project risk registers, quantify time- and cost-at-risk, and drive auditable pre-qualification and RFP processes to ensure transparent procurement practices.
The role requires a senior, proactive leader with 8+ years in risk management and procurement, preferably in South Africa’s renewable energy market, capable of engaging diverse
Qualifications
- BSc or BCom in Engineering, Risk Management, Quality Management, or a related field.
- A postgraduate qualification or professional risk-management/quality certification is advantageous.
- Experience in SA renewable energy sector is essential; 8+ years with 5+ years in renewable energy procurement is ideal.
Responsibilities
- Own and maintain the project risk register across all project phases.
- Own EPC contract risk register and allocation under different delivery models.
- Quantify time-at-risk and cost-at-risk per project phase.
- Keep risk registers live; report to Head of Group Assurance for board cycles.
- Escalate high-priority risks with recommended actions.
- Evaluate free-issue equipment for risk transfer and bankability.
- Design pre-qualification criteria and conduct audits within two weeks per project.
- Coordinate end-to-end RFP adjudication with auditable panels.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
Established in 2022, NOA is a leading renewable energy independent power producer (IPP) and energy trader, licensed by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa. We empower commercial and industrial companies to reach their net-zero goals while securing long-term energy savings.
Backed by $245 million in equity capital from Old Mutual's African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM), we currently have 1.5 GW of generation capacity under construction, sourced from NOA-owned wind, solar PV and battery storage sites alongside trusted independent power producers (IPPs).
At NOA, we believe that energy is life; it is the pulse that powers our industries, empowers our communities, and builds our societies. We are currently at a unique, once-in-a-generation moment in South African history, similar to the birth of the gold industry or the mobile revolution. It is a mission-critical time, and we have the right partners and expertise to shape the creation of an entirely new energy landscape.
What truly sets us apart is The NOA Way—our intentionally crafted culture and roadmap for excellence. We aren't just a utility; we are a tight, high-functioning team of \"all-in\" problem solvers who lean into complexity to find original solutions. We speak simply, act big, and step forward to own the changes our nation needs.
Our impact is immense: we are here to solve the immediate energy crisis, fuel the growth of the South African economy, and create a global blueprint for a decarbonised future. We are building a phenomenal team to do something magnificent together, and we make sure to savour the journey along the way.
NOA's Procurement Function runs the end-to-end procurement of fully wrapped EPC contracts for each project and the related contract negotiations, including management and monitoring of contractors from pre-qualification through construction and operations. NOA is also evaluating alternative delivery models, including the potential free-issue of major components (modules, inverters and trackers) to EPC contractors, and needs the risk, bankability and cost trade-offs properly understood and priced.
The Risk and Quality Manager is the custodian of quality, risk and probity within the Procurement Function. The role owns the project risk register for financial close (FC) and the EPC contract, quantifies the time-at-risk and cost-at-risk contingencies fed into the project financial model, drives pre-RFP contractor and supplier pre-qualification with independent audits, coordinates RFP adjudication with fair and auditable evaluation panels, and maintains the supplier database, supplier engagement register, gift declaration register and conflicts of interest register.
The role is central to NOA's obligation to be transparent and ethical in line with our Code of Conduct and Business Ethics, and to run every EPC procurement in a manner that would withstand independent probity review. It operates in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment where financial close is time-critical; the incumbent is a senior, proactive self-starter who engages stakeholders inclusively and owns the accuracy and defensibility of every output.
- Own and maintain the project risk register for every active project across all phases, consolidating input from Engineering, Construction, Legal, Finance, Sustainability, SED and O&M.
- Own the risk register underpinning the EPC contract, including risk allocation under alternative delivery models such as owner-supplied equipment.
- Quantify time-at-risk and cost-at-risk per project phase using a documented, defensible methodology.
- Keep the register live and version-controlled per NOA's risk framework, with regular check-ins with the Head of Group Assurance and reporting for board cycles.
- Escalate high-priority and emerging risks early, with a proposed course of action.
- Support evaluation of the free-issue model for major equipment, quantifying risk transfer, warranty, wrap, single-point-responsibility and bankability implications against projected savings.
- Recommend a risk-adjusted position to the Head of Procurement and update the risk register accordingly.
- Design pre-qualification criteria covering CIDB grading, company registration, financial accountability, governance and beneficial ownership, legal standing, ESG, technical track record and NOA's strategic criteria.
- Personally conduct pre-qualification audits of shortlisted contractors and suppliers within a two-week window per project.
- Produce a pre-qualification recommendation memo documenting the audit trail and findings.
- Only invite pre-qualified parties into RFPs, recording reasons where a previously invited party isn't re-invited.
- Coordinate the adjudication process end-to-end, from evaluation-criteria design to final recommendation.
- Design weighted evaluation criteria (Technical Capability, Financial Stability, Pricing & Innovation, Quality, HSE, Economic Development, Environmental Sustainability, Reputation) with a defined scoring scale and audit trail, signed off before RFP issue.
- Constitute discipline-specific panels and enforce Chinese walls so evaluations run independently without cross-visibility.
- Manage bidder clarifications through a single channel; consolidate scores only after each panel completes its evaluation; produce a fully auditable recommendation report.
- Identify and manage conflicts of interest, reporting to the Head of Procurement and Head of Group Assurance.
- Own the live supplier and contractor database, keeping it current on status, pre-qualification result and expiry, categorisation and engagement history, with appropriate data protection controls.
- Own the Supplier & Contractor Strategic Interaction Register, driving weekly updates across the Procurement Function.
- Own the Assets Division gift declaration register, escalating exceptions against NOA's ethics policy.
- Produce a monthly transparency report covering database status, engagement coverage, gift-register exceptions and probity risks.
- Audit suppliers and contractors post-award for continued compliance, producing risk-based audit plans and corrective-action reports.
- Develop and monitor supplier performance metrics, feeding findings into re-pre-qualification decisions.
- Run the lessons-learned process after every financial close and COD, consolidating input from Engineering, Construction, Legal, Risk, Finance and O&M.
- Present findings to the Head of Procurement and update pre-qualification criteria, evaluation criteria, EPC templates and risk taxonomy accordingly.
- Establish and maintain supplier quality management frameworks aligned to the Procurement Policy.
- Maintain the procurement filing structure and document register, ensuring a complete handover pack to Construction on EPC signature.
- Develop and maintain procurement governance processes, checklists and audit trails.
- Conduct RFP and procurement process audits with internal auditors to confirm transparency.
- Support counterparty screening / KYC checks as required.
- BSc or BCom in Engineering, Risk Management, Quality Management, Supply Chain or a related field; an engineering qualification (BSc Eng / BEng) is preferred.
- A post-graduate qualification, professional risk-management certification (IRMSA CPRM, ISO 31000, PMI-RMP), or a recognised internal-audit/quality qualification (ISO 19011 / ISO 9001 lead-auditor) is advantageous.
- 8+ years' relevant experience, including a minimum of 5 years in the South African renewable energy sector.
- Demonstrable renewable energy project experience across Solar PV, Wind and/or BESS, spanning development, financial close and/or execution.
- Hands-on experience calculating and defending time-at-risk and cost-at-risk contingencies in a project-finance or lender context.
- Construction-phase experience is a benefit; exposure to REIPPPP or comparable IPP/project-finance environments and lender due diligence is highly advantageous.
- Prior involvement in EPC procurement using owner-supplied/free-issued equipment is advantageous.
- Risk quantification and contingency methodology.
- RFP and adjudication design: weighted evaluation frameworks, discipline separation, probity, single-channel clarifications, conflict of interest management.
- Quality and audit practice (ISO 9001; ISO 19011); supplier pre-qualification frameworks.
- Strong Excel skills (risk registers, evaluation workbooks, dashboards); comfortable using AI drafting tools while owning the accuracy and defensibility of every output.
- Impeccable integrity and probity, comfortable as NOA's transparency-and-fairness custodian.
- Meticulous attention to detail; validates own work before submission.
- Proactive ownership at senior-manager level, self-managing deliverables and deadlines.
- Strong stakeholder engagement, securing input and sign-off rather than working in a silo.
- Clear written and verbal communication, asking clarifying questions early.
- Comfortable operating at pace in an agile, deadline-driven financial-close environment.
- Methodical, analytical and structured planning with clear sequencing and close-out dates.
- Flexible team player able to manage multiple projects and priorities.
- This position does require travel.
Joining NOA is an invitation to be part of a growing team at the very forefront of the South African renewable energy industry. We are a dynamic, mission-driven organisation with strong financial backing and a deep commitment to unlocking a just energy transition for our nation. This is a unique moment in history—a chance to shape a new industry from its inception.
We don't leave our culture to chance; we have intentionally crafted a roadmap called The NOA Way to ensure our business is a remarkable place that houses your highest aspirations. We are \"all-in\" problem solvers who think big and move with speed to make a significant impact. We value \"Performance Connections,\" the belief that through genuine collaboration, we can achieve results far greater than the sum of our individual parts.
- The Powerkit: Every new team member participates in a day-long offsite \"experience\" in Cape Town to master the skills needed to excel within the NOA system.
- Continuous Growth: You will benefit from a constant feedback loop through our \"RAP\" (Review, Analyse, Plan) cadence, alongside coaching resources and \"lunch and learns\" to own your career path.
- Supportive Wellbeing: We promote true work-life integration with flexible hours, hybrid work-from-home options, and wellness initiatives specifically designed to \"refuel your tank\".
We recognise and reward exceptional performance with a framework that allows you to participate in our collective success:
- Market-Leading Compensation: We offer a competitive salary tailored to your experience level.
- Incentives for Impact: You will be eligible for a performance-related short-term incentive (STI) bonus.
- Ownership Culture: We offer meaningful equity investment exposure through our staff share scheme, ensuring you are truly invested in the future we are building.
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