Chief Officer

About the position

Chief Officer: Municipal Finance, Fiscal Policy & Economic Growth

A unique opportunity exists for a visionary executive leader to shape the future of local government in South Africa. Are you ready to take the helm in driving financial resilience, fiscal policy reform, and inclusive economic growth across municipalities?

This role is integral to influencing the financial sustainability of local government institutions. The successful candidate will head a high-impact portfolio, providing strategic leadership across a cluster dedicated to:
Municipal financial resilience and fiscal policy alignment.
Regional and local economic development, investment promotion, and service delivery.
Infrastructure transformation within the energy, water, sanitation, and waste management sectors.
You will serve as the authoritative voice advocating for municipalities at the highest intergovernmental levels, influencing national policy, fiscal transfers, and structural reform, while enabling responsive, agile service delivery systems.

Imagine being at the forefront of championing long-term transformation by:
Leading national lobbying and advocacy initiatives on behalf of municipalities.
Designing and implementing solution-oriented strategies for revenue enhancement, audit performance, and sustainable infrastructure delivery.
Driving programmes that respond to pressing municipal challenges like cash flow instability, infrastructure underperformance, and spatial transformation bottlenecks.
Collaborating with stakeholders from the Presidency, Treasury, COGTA, and provincial governments, as well as leading international donor agencies.

With a mandate to disrupt inefficiencies and champion local government rights, your influence will directly contribute to resilient, inclusive regional economies and improved service delivery to millions of South Africans.

Requirements
We're looking for a dynamic and politically astute individual who brings:
A relevant post-graduate qualification (Master's/MBA/Doctoral preferred) in Municipal Finance, Development Finance, Political Science, or a related field.
A minimum of 10 years of executive leadership experience within a large, complex organisation.
At least 5 years of direct engagement in the Local Government Sector.
A proven track record in lobbying, stakeholder engagement, and high-level policy advocacy.
Deep knowledge of fiscal policy, municipal legislation, economic development strategies, and infrastructure service delivery.

This role is based at the National Office and reports directly to the CEO. You will lead a cluster of four portfolio executives and a wider multidisciplinary team of about 46 staff members.

If you're ready to reshape the fiscal and economic future of local governance in South Africa, now is the time to step forward.

Desired Skills:

• Municipal Finance
• Fiscal Policy
• Economic Growth
• Development Finance
• Political Science
• Spatial transformation
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Infrastructure
• Service Delivery
• Municipalities

Desired Work Experience:

• More than 10 years Municipality & Local Gorvernment
• More than 10 years Policing

Desired Qualification Level:

• Masters