Introduction
Reporting to the Provincial Director of Operations, this role is responsible for coordinating trading services (water and sanitation services, energy and electricity, waste management) support for municipalities within the provinces. The role involves engaging with key trading services stakeholders such as the relevant sector departments, provincial treasury, provincial COGTA, various provincial intergovernmental relations (IGR) forums and platforms to keep abreast with developments as well as to leverage trading services support for municipalities. Critical to this role is an understanding of municipal challenges and support needs in trading services and monitoring activities and progress in addressing these needs and implementing solutions. The Senior Advisor: Trading Services engages on policy, legislative, regulatory, institutional, fiscal, planning, capacity building, knowledge sharing and overall service delivery matters to share information, problem solve and ensure dynamic and responsive relationships between all key trading services role players and municipalities within the province.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Research and Benchmarking: Under the guidance of sector specialists and management, provide ongoing analysis of the key challenges, needs and trends within trading services, to ensure that local government strategies and programmes are appropriately implemented. Under the guidance of the Provincial Director of Operations analyse and interpret research in trading services and create a learning and sharing platform to improve municipal efficiency in trading services. Be a key repository of knowledge and information on municipal trading services and support the strengthening of municipal profiles in the central repository. Conduct analysis on municipalities, the challenges they face and their support needs, and provide guidance in respect of possible improvements
• Representation at IGR & Other Forums (Lobbying and Advocacy): Represent the organisation and municipalities at various Provincial IGR and other Forums to protect the interests of municipalities in terms of trading services; and to influence engagements on powers and functions, policy, legislative and regulatory frameworks in terms of trading services, especially where decisions may hinder municipal performance. Understand the national and provincial governance structures of the organisation and the institutional structures of the Trading Services Sectors and the roles and responsibilities of key role players in Trading Services. Provide inputs to and develop content on a number of complex issues relevant to a organisational position for mandating. Provide technical support and advice to the Chairs of working groups and facilitate tracking and implementation of resolutions.
• Support Advice and Capacity Building: Guide, support and provide professional advice to municipalities in trading services and refer issues of strategic importance to the Provincial Director of Operations. Leverage support from relevant sector departments and other institutions, and where appropriate, provide hands on support, to address municipal support and capacity needs. Facilitate the implementation of the organisations Trading Services programmes within municipalities. Facilitate training programmes / peer learning sessions in Trading Services
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Support the development, implementation and monitoring of organisational trading services initiatives within the province and track and report on progress. Maintain records as per the organisational policy and ensure that all records are uploaded into the knowledge management system. Create a high performance culture on all organisational initiatives and support and report on progress against milestones and KPIs.
• Programme / Project Management: Implement appropriate project management methodologies and disciplines; and manage full project cycle on assigned projects including M&E. Plan and integrate programme roll-out to municipalities. Develop terms of reference for identified programmes. Ensure that projects are implemented against contract specification and payments are based on agreed milestones. Identify spin-off projects and opportunities from the programme.
• Stakeholder Management: Build and maintain relevant stakeholder relationships/ partnerships within trading services and ensure appropriate and timely communications with all stakeholders. Build partnerships with relevant stakeholders to leverage support for municipalities and to ensure programme success.
• Financial and Expense Monitoring: Assist with the preparation of annual budgets and monitoring of the monthly expenditure in area of accountability. Assist in the identification of potential revenue sources and participate in procurement committees as required - adhere to procurement requirements and deadlines for identified programmes. Monitor sponsorship payments according to the contract and track programme implementation against the budget. Actively save costs in areas of responsibility.
• Governance, Compliance and Risk Management: Uphold sound corporate governance principles in day-to-day operations and ensure compliance with organisational policies and procedures. Support the identification and mitigation of organisational and operational risks and develop and maintain programme risk register and ensure that mitigation steps are applied.
• Teamwork: Work as a multi-disciplinary and integrated team to find possible solutions to complex challenges in municipalities.
• Support organisational priorities and the implementation of resource mobilisation systems and processes. In line with the organisational culture, role model and educate peers and Advisors on the importance of alignment of personal and organisational values for improved performance. Support the Executive and Senior Management Team in building a high-performance culture in the organisation.
• Actively participate in the performance management and development processes in the organisaqtion to drive high performance on an ongoing basis.

Desired Experience & Qualification

• Relevant Post-graduate qualification at Hons level in Public Admin, Public Policy/ Development or equivalent field
• At least 7 years' relevant experience of which at least 3 years have been at an equivalent level within a medium to large sized organisation
• Sound track record in effectively managing complex and sensitive stakeholder engagements at all levels.
• A Valid Driver's License and frequentt travelling
• Sector knowledge and a good understanding of the policy, legislative and regulatory frameworks governing the trading services sectors (water, sanitation, energy, electricity, waste management, as well as those applying to the local government sector as a whole
• Ability to manage and operate within a broad scoped, multi-sector, multi-disciplinary environment is essential

The Candidate Profile

• Stakeholder management and networking skills
• Excellent communication and writing skills
• Ability to manage in a broad scoped environment
• Analytical and problem-solving skills
• Decision making and sound judgement
• A dynamic, motivated self-starter with high levels of emotional maturity
• High integrity and ethics
• Understanding of management principles and public sector policies, legislation and regulations
• Understanding of inter-government relations (IGR and project management principles)

Package & Remuneration
A competitive salary package with benefits