Managing Director: SAASTA at National Research Foundation (NRF)

About the position

The NRF invites applications from suitably qualified and highly motivated individuals for the position of Managing Director. We are seeking a dynamic and visionary leader with the intellectual, conceptual and analytical skills necessary to lead and provide strategic direction for an integrated, inclusive science engagement approach that includes facilitation and coordination of NSI science engagement partners beyond the NRF.

Purpose: Lead and manage the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement as the main science engagement business unit of the NRF and facilitate a more coordinated, effective and resource-efficient science engagement response across the NSI.

Key Responsibilities:

Organisational wide strategic leadership and positioning

Consolidate and advance the integrated repositioning of science engagement in alignment with both the NRF organisational vision and the newly enhanced systemic coordination role of SAASTA intended to ensure the coherence of science engagement role players across the National System of Innovation (NSI). This includes commitment to addressing societal challenges through theengagement of societal actors (researchers, citizens, policy makers, business, and others) in the co-construction of research and innovation, and to better align this process and its outcomes with the values, needs and expectations of society.

Creation of a fit-for-purpose science engagement business unit

Lead the ongoing transformation of SAASTA in order to fulfil its key functions and ensure its success as a high impact and globally competitive science engagement business unit. This requires shifts towards systems level thinking and approaches, and includes building highly effective teams, an appropriate culture and change management.

Stakeholder management and reputation buildingT

he enhanced role places demands on the requirements for high level stakeholder engagement supported by data driven business intelligence. The ability to communicate with and influence a range of stakeholders at all levels remains key in order to systemically drive progress through multi-stakeholder platforms and grow relevant networks through collaborative partnerships and strategic initiatives at local, national, regional and international levels.

Operations Management

Providing effective stewardship of financial resource, including contract management, according to the PFMA and all relevant NRFpolicies; overseeing human resources and talent management; ensuring that all procurement activities and processes are compliant with regulatory frameworks and taking accountability for upholding health, safety and risk management processes to effective standards.

Lead and take accountability for the fulfilment of all science engagement planning and reporting obligations at SAASTA business unit level, NRF consolidated Programme levels and the sector wide monitoring and reporting of the coordination functions.

Key Requirements:Qualification:

• Experienced leader with a minimum of a Doctoral Degree in science fields (inclusive of, amongst others science and society studies,sociology, education, science and media studies, public understanding of science, knowledge exchange and public engagement withscience) and capable of providing leadership and management of the science engagement programme that includes support for Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Innovation (STEMI) education; science and research communication; public awareness and science promotion, as well as engaged research and scholarship.
• Proven experience (minimum of 5-7 years) in the management of a multi-faceted organisation and/or business division, inclusive of organisational strategy development and business planning, as well as human resources and financial management.

Experience:

Behavioural competencies and personal attributes

:* Ability to inspire teams of diverse skills sets through clear and concise communication of a compelling vision

.* Highly developed interpersonal skills and a demonstrable ability to enthuse and collaborate with a range of different personalities and stakeholders.

• Ability to lead and facilitate conceptual, strategic and intellectual engagements and processes.
• Demonstrated ability to create and lead a transformative, supportive and inclusive organisational culture and employee valueproposition through effective change planning.
• Proven ability to identify, manage, motivate and retain a professional staff.
• Results orientated approach that is driven, effective and focussed on organisational and individual [URL Removed]

:* The ability to drive growth and financial sustainability through effective engagement of a range of external stakeholders including Government, the private sector and international partners, to leverage funds and hence increase and diversify revenue streams.

• Experience in a fast paced, high volume project management and grant funding environment would be an added advantage, aswould be general experience of the science media landscape.
• Proven experience of a rich diversity of stakeholder management across various sectors and/or institutional types.

Additional Notes:Information:

This position reports directly to the Group Executive Science Engagement and Corporate Relations, and forms part of the extendedNRF leadership and management team.

Further information on the NRF can be found at [URL Removed] and further information on SAASTA can be found at [URL Removed]

The website [URL Removed] provides more details on the NRF initiatives and activities.

Applicants should submit a comprehensive CV by logging to the NRF website [URL Removed] and apply online.

Applications should be accompanied by a letter of motivation indicating the applicant's suitability for the position.

The names and contact details ofat least three referees should be provided.

Closing Date: 17 September 2021T

he NRF offers a challenging career and competitive remuneration package which is commensurate with qualifications and experience.

The NRF is committed to employment equity and redress and the appointment to the position will be made in line with the NRF Employment Equity Plan.

The NRF reserves the right not to make an [URL Removed] will be sent to short-listed candidates only

Desired Skills:

• interpersonal skills.

Desired Work Experience:

• 5 to 10 years Executive Management / Director

Desired Qualification Level:

• Doctorate

About The Employer:

The National Research Foundation (NRF) supports and promotes research and human capital development through funding, theprovision of National Research Facilities and science outreach platforms and programmes to the broader community in all fields of science and technology, including natural sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities.

The National Research Foundation (NRF) Amended Act, 2019 states that the NRF will support national development by among other responsibilities, conducting research for the benefit of society and also supporting and promoting public awareness of and engagementwith Science. The NRF, through its business unit, the South African Agency of Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA), is in a unique position of having to drive and demonstrate commitment to transforming the relationship between science and society and enhancing research impact , as well as carrying responsibility for a systemic coordination role that, on behalf of the Department of Science and Innovation, facilitates a more coordinated, effective and resource-efficient science engagement response across the NSI.