Project Manager Partner-A-District

Job Description

The Partner-A-District (PAD) Programme operationalises the Bank’s municipal strategy, focusing on transforming the M2/M3 municipal segment through an integrated, programmatic, and partnership-driven approach. It positions districts as strategic entry points for the DBSA to elevate the development impact in alignment with government policies. The role of the Project Manager is to manage and implement multiple projects on behalf of the PAD Programme.

Key Responsibilities

1. Project & Stakeholder Management

• Implement large-scale infrastructure projects involving multiple stakeholders from cradle to completion.
• Work with the Programme Manager to develop operational plan/s for several districts and a variety of PAD projects.
• Manage allocated projects; the scope of work, delivery schedule, price and contractual conditions whilst building and maintaining relationships with clients, partners, key stakeholders, internal and external specialists.
• Serve as a key link with the Programme Manager and district/municipality representative in terms of project coordination and implementation.
• Facilitate and co-ordinate the efforts of all parties involved in the project, including professional service providers (consultants), programme partners, contractors, sub-contractors and labour.
• Manage and coordinate project activities, ensuring that work is completed to high-quality standards and safety.
• Identify and negotiate assignment of resources required for project delivery.
• Develop and manage project schedules using MS Projects and other project management tools.
• Manage relationships at various levels with the project stakeholders and partners in accordance with the PAD development objectives and stakeholder relations and communication strategy.
• Establish and maintain strategic partnerships and alliances, enhancing the Bank’s development support role.

2. Project Planning & Implementation

• Develop and implement project work plans and make revisions as and when needed.
• Collaborate with architects, engineers, and other stakeholders to develop project plans and designs.
• Confirm project activities for each project are scheduled and agreed with the Programme Manager.
• Prepare and manage all project cost activities.
• Engage and agree on all project milestones and deliverables with key stakeholders and clients.

3. Project Control: Cost, Time & Quality

• Develop and manage project budgets and timelines,ensuring that projects are delivered on time and within budget for each allocated project.
• Conduct regular progress and technical meetings with the relevant teams.
• Conduct regular inspection visits at project site(s) to monitor that project activities follow the predetermined schedule and project milestones.
• Manage project accounting, including budget management (contracts), approval of progress payments, tracking of team expenses and minimising the risk exposure.
• Review, verify and submit invoices/claims of contractors and/or professional service providers to the Programme Manager for approval.
• Maintain strict adherence to quality and safety standards.
• Compile project risk register and proactively manage project risk and mitigate as necessary.
• Manage changes to the project without unduly affecting the stated objectives and benefits.

4. Project Feedback & Reporting

• Provide timely feedback to Exco, management, committees, clients, and key stakeholders.
• Monitor and report on project progress, communicating regularly with project stakeholders to keep them informed.
• Action site meeting minutes and action plans.
• Conduct and compile project close-out reviews and lessons learned report.

5. Business Development

• Collaborate on the execution of the origination strategy in the municipal sectors to drive infrastructure investment.
• Identify and originate viable projects for preparation, scoping, feasibility studies, and business case development.
• Build and maintain a robust pipeline of high-quality, bankable investment opportunities through proactive business development and sector expertise.

6. Project Contract Management

• Develop and issue contract instructions in accordance with conditions of the contract (in consultation with Legal).
• Monitor performance by identifying and resolving areas of concern.
• Actively manage, measure progress against the contract’s performance and ensure adherence to the contract conditions and timelines.

7. Project Commissioning

• Manage and facilitate the availability of all site handover documentation.
• Coordinate the submission of as-built drawings and user specifications where applicable.
• Manage and coordinate the close-out phase of the project and ensure compliance.
• Manage audit and compliance queries from stakeholders.
• Complete handover and ensure sign-off by client.

8. Project Health, Safety & Environmental

• Implement the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act and any recommendations from audits carried out within the project environment.
• Assure compliance with the project Environmental Approval (EA) conditions, develop a culture of safety and health within the project environment by promoting the aims and benefits of proactive safety and health interventions.
• Conduct effective control, management and follow-up of incidents.
• Advise and evaluate contractors on compliance with the approved safety plan and ensure that the Safety, Health & Environmental Standards are adhered to.

Key Measurements of Outputs

• Successful origination, management and implementation of allocated projects:
  • Percentage of performance targets met as per the PAD execution plan.
  • Quality of delivery of projects.
  • Risks monitored and mitigated.
• Stakeholder/Partners’ satisfaction with agreed projects.
• Compliance with Health & Safety legislation and protocols.
• Quality of presentations and reports.
• Clean audit.

Expertise & Technical Competencies

a) Project Management

• Defines, plans, and manages large and/or strategic projects, including those with a high degree of technical complexity, with impacts across the organisation and/or with national implications.
• Assembles and leads diverse and multidisciplinary teams, ensuring maximum effective resource utilisation.
• Successfully manages substantial project budgets and reports directly to senior managers on the progress and results of projects.
• Identifies complex issues that need escalation and proposes appropriate corrective actions.

b) Business Acumen

• Takes actions to fit business strategy.
• Assesses and links short-term tasks in the context of long-term business strategies or perspectives.
• Reviews own actions against the organisation’s strategic plan; includes the big picture when considering possible opportunities or projects, or thinks about longterm applications of current activities.
• Anticipates possible responses to different initiatives.
• Understands the projected direction of the industry and how changes might impact the organisation.

c) Business Development

• Identifies lucrative market opportunities through an excellent understanding and interpretation of sector analyses, including market structure, supply and demand aspects, competitor environment, gap analysis.
• Actively participates in formulating, developing, and implementing the business development strategy/ies to generate new investment opportunities in the public and private sector (delivery of infrastructure services).
• Constructs business plan of bankable multidimensional projects, using standard and/or customised templates and processes.
• Assesses Project/ Programme Feasibility through interrogation of resource requirements (including financing, capacity, capability, and related issues).
• Coordinates, controls, and manages the activities and efforts required for the implementation of the plan.

d) Detailed Oriented

• Quickly identifies relevant and irrelevant information to support accurate decision making.
• Maps out all the logistics and details of a situation to ensure smooth and flawless implementation.
• Consistently identifies all relevant details that are not obvious in complex situations.
• Requires the highest standards for accuracy and quality for their work.
• Establishes processes to ensure accuracy and quality of services delivered by the team.

e) Planning & Organising

• Coaches’ others on advanced planning and organising skills.
• Plays a role in transferring advanced planning and organising skills and knowledge to others.
• Identifies and acts on opportunities to partner with other units in the department to achieve desired results.
• Develops partnership agreements that ensure win-win outcomes for all parties. Develops integrated plans for the work unit and others that interfaces with the function’s budget.

f) Reporting & Communication

• Designs, reviews, and improves reporting processes and provides guidance.
• Leads production of complex environment reports, takes an editorial role, determines content and level of detail, and ensures consistent messaging and branding.
• Is relied on by others to help them write complex technical and non-technical documents and briefs.
• Can determine which aspects of this knowledge area need to be transferred to others to achieve organisational goals.
• Coaches’ others and transfers communication skills and knowledge to others.
• Able to communicate complex problems or concepts, by making them simple and understandable for others.
• Adapts language to the level of the audience to ensure that the message has a positive impact and is interesting to the audience.
• Is articulate, demonstrates a wide range of vocabulary, and is confident when talking to large/high level audiences.

g) Negotiation

• Understands and can apply basic negotiating skills and techniques, e.g., obtaining a full understanding of the other party’s agenda and needs before disclosing one’s own perspectives.
• Possesses an understanding of various unspoken communications from other parties and can decipher hidden agendas.
• Is able to successfully conclude negotiations that require the development of an emotional as well as factual argument.
• Is able to develop mutually beneficial potential solutions.

h) Presentation Skills

• Knows how to deliver arguments persuasively by employing a range of advanced presentation techniques (e.g., the appropriate use of body language, how to close a presentation so that the audience continues to think about the subject matter etc.).
• Has knowledge of various feedback mechanisms to check levels of audience understanding.

i) Problem Solving

• Identifies complex problems based on a broad range of factors, many of which are ambiguous or difficult to define.
• While remaining guided by organisational values, identifies optimal solutions, thinking first in terms of possible approaches and flexibilities in the system vs. blind adherence to rules or procedures.
• Implements solutions to complex problems, then evaluates the effectiveness and efficiency of solutions and identifies needed changes.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Project Management/ Business Management/ Built Environment (Civil, Development Planning, Construction Management, or Quantity Surveying).
• Registration as a Project Management Professional (PMP) with the Project Management Institute (PMI).

Minimum Experience

• A minimum of 8 years’ demonstrated work experience as a Project Manager or similar role.
• Demonstrated technical experience with Project Management tools such as Microsoft Project and Planner.
• Proven track record in managing engineering/ construction projects/built environment in various disciplines.
• Sound knowledge of the JBCC, NEC, GCC and other relevant building contracts.
• Knowledge and understanding of all legislation relevant to the business of DBSA (i.e. PFMA, MFMA, PPPFA, etc.).
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex strategic projects to successful completion.
• Strong understanding government planning cycle and processes.
• Demonstrable track record of working with high-level government stakeholders.
• Understanding of complex regulatory environments of municipalities/metros, state-owned enterprises, and other government entities in South Africa.

Desirable Requirements

• A relevant postgraduate qualification: Postgraduate qualification in Engineering/ Project Management/ Business Management or a Master’s degree.
• Professional Registration with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) or the South African Council for the Project and Construction Management Professions (SACPCMP).
• Strong knowledge and experience in local government and complex regulatory environment, and track record of working with high-level government stakeholders, the municipal planning cycle and processes.
• Projects in Controlled Environments (PRINCE), and South African Council for the Project and Construction Management Professions (SACPCMP).
• A project management qualification at an NQF Level 6.
• Supply Chain Management and Processes.

The KPA’s, competencies and relationships listed in this document are not exhaustive, and the incumbent will be expected to undertake additional duties within their capacity to meet the needs of business and/or the business unit.

Required Personal Attributes

a) Analytical Thinking

• Identifies multiple elements of a problem and breaks down each of those elements in detail, showing.
• causal relationships between them.
• Uses several analytical techniques to identify several solutions and weighs the value of each.

b) Information Seeking and Analysis

• Analyses relationships among several parts of a problem or situation.
• Anticipates obstacles and thinks ahead about next steps in detail.

c) Leading and Empowering Others

• Identifies long-term goals for the team and communicates them to team members, ensuring their buy-in.
• Sets a good example by personally exercising desired behaviour, acts on values and beliefs.
• Communicates a vision for the team and future success that inspires team members.
• After assessing others’ competence, one delegates full authority and responsibility to others to do a task.
• in their own way.
• Ensures that competent employees are given opportunities to further their careers.

d) Leading and Managing Change

• Anticipates the need for change when not obvious and influences others to gain support.
• Builds sustainable business and organisational capacity to embrace and thrive on change.
• Re-engineers and aligns structures, processes, and practices to support and sustain the desired change.

e) Strategic and Innovative Thinking

• Understands connections and trade-offs of strategic choices to evaluate which ideas are practical and
• possible by considering business and/or scientific implications.
• Develops innovative business and/or customer solutions that shape industry practices.