Advisor: Planning & IDP

South African Local Government Association · Durban, KwaZulu-Natal

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THE CANDIDATE PROFILE

Sound understanding of policy and legislative frameworks in Built Environment and Planning
Knowledge of the SALGA business and sustainability requirements
Understanding of project management principles
Understanding of expense management principles and regulations
Knowledge of the province and institutional knowledge of municipalities in the respective province
Sector Knowledge and a sound understanding of the policy, legislative and regulatory frameworks governing the sector; and in particular those applying to the LG Sector and SALGA
Staying abreast of new developments in the area or responsibility
Working Knowledge of the LG Sector and the relevance of SALGA in the space
Working Knowledge of SALGA Mandate, value chain, business model; and core business objectives
Culture fit: SALGA desires an individual who will share and buy-in, in our core values, mission and vision, demonstrating a commitment to our ethos beyond just doing the job.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

An undergraduate Degree NQF Level 7 / National Diploma in Development Planning, Town and Regional Planning, or a related field.
A minimum of 5 years' relevant experience of which at least 1 year has been at an equivalent level within a medium to large sized organisation;
Valid Driver's License & Travelling Required
Demonstrates a sound understanding of the Local Government Sector

KEY PORTFOLIO AND PERFORMANCE FOCUS AREAS

Research and Benchmarking

Collects, categorizes and tracks relevant information required for specific tasks and projects.
Perform support activities to benchmarking exercises under guidance from Senior Advisors and Specialists.
Under leadership and guidance from Senior Advisors and Specialists, perform desktop research on issues related to municipal challenges within the sector/ professional discipline Collect data, examine relevance and synthesize.
Support the gathering and channelling of information to build and update municipal profiles
Provide administrative support with the arrangements of knowledge sharing / peer learning sessions/ presentations to SALGA staff and external stakeholders. May include providing inputs to content and packaging of information for the sessions.

Support the participation in Development Planning related forums
Support the participation in all IDP processes
Liaise with stakeholders in ensuring the credibility of the municipal IDPs and be the voice of municipalities on all IDP matters
Represent municipalities at relevant forums/ meetings/ committees within the sector/ professional discipline
Attend policy conferences in topics related to area of accountability
Support the Senior advisors to develop content on a number of complex issues relevant to a SALGA position for mandating.
Support the development of reports to the working groups
Understand the national and provincial governance structures of SALGA and the institutional structures of the Sector/ Professional discipline and key role players in the area of specialization.
Represent SALGA and the Municipalities at relevant external fora.
Support Advice and capacity building
Guide, support and provide advice to municipalities in the implementation of the IDP framework and processes in accordance with the programme plan.
Provide hands-on support to strengthen municipal capacity/ improve programme implementation
Coordinate the logistical arrangements for training programmes/ peer learning sessions in the areas of focus/ professional discipline.

Implement project management methodologies and disciplines; and support the management of the full project cycle on assigned projects including M&E
Ensure that projects are conducted against contract specification and payments are based on agreed milestone
Maintain records as per SALGA policy and ensure that all project records are up loaded into the company knowledge management system
Support the reporting on progress against milestones
Support the preparation of audit files for each project prior to audit

Within the scope of area of accountability build and maintain relevant stakeholder relationships/ partnerships in the area of responsibility
Ensure appropriate and timely communications with all stakeholders
Build partnerships with relevant stakeholders to ensure programme success and to increase SALGA's capacity to make an impact
Support the creation of reports to communicate about the programme and provide updates for website
Governance, Compliance and Risk Management
Uphold sound corporate governance principles in the day-to-day operation of the area of responsibility/ professional discipline
Ensure compliance with organizational policies and procedures
Support the identification and mitigation of organizational and operational risks identified in the area of responsibility/ professional discipline

Work as a multi-disciplinary and integrated team to find possible solutions to complex challenges in municipalities
Support organizational priorities and the implementation of resource mobilization systems and processes.
In line with the SALGA organizational culture, align personal and organizational values for improved performance.
Support the Executive and Senior Management Team in building a high-performance culture in SALGA.
Implement the performance management and development processes in SALGA to drive high performance on an ongoing basis.