ARCHITECT: ENGINEERING SERVICES [GRADE A-C] = 1 POST [RE-ADVERT]

This is a re-advertised professional post for an Architect within the Engineering Services unit at the Provincial Office in Polokwane. The role exists to support the management and delivery of infrastructure-built environment programmes and projects in line with the Provincial Infrastructure Delivery Management System, or IDMS, and to ensure that all work operates within the applicable legislation, policies, frameworks and instruction notes. The successful candidate will act as a key architectural authority, providing inputs and guidance on the development of infrastructure strategies, policies, systems, norms and standards. This includes responsibility for form and space designs that align with the Infrastructure Delivery Management Frameworklands, and ensuring that the province's health-related infrastructure needs are properly identified and addressed through the correct documentation and information fields.

Candidates must hold an appropriate degree in Architecture and be registered with the South African Council for the Architectural Profession as a Professional Architect. At least three years of relevant post-qualification experience is requiredarke, alongside computer literacy in standard programmes such as MS Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint, as well as the ability to work on virtual meeting platforms. The nature of the work demands a willingness to travel extensively throughout the province, the capacity to work longer hours when required, and possession of a valid driver's licence, though applicants with disabilities are exempted from the licence requirement. The salary package attached to the post is graded from A to C and will be determined by the department based on the number of years of experience the successful candidate has gained after professional registration.

The incumbent will be expected to handle a wide range of duties. These include preparing the construction procurement strategy and the Infrastructure Programme Management Plan, preparing and approving project briefs, participating in the procurement of professional service providers and contractors, and contributing to the review and acceptance of the Infrastructure Programme Implementation Plan. The Architect will also monitor the implementation of programmes and projects, load project documents onto the data management system, approve project stage reports and designs, and manage the interface between end-users, community structures and implementing agents. In addition, the post requires involvement in research and the management of human, physical and financial resources within the unit.

Those applying need to demonstrate the ability to meet strict project deadlines while preparing documentation, writing reports, chairing site meetings and taking minutes. The working environment can be stressful and pressurised, with emergency conditions arising from time to time, so resilience and composure are essential. The ideal candidate is an innovative problem-solver who can find practical solutions to planning challenges, negotiate effectively with service providers, enforce compliance with service level agreements and contracts, and maintain high levels of personal integrity to prevent service providers from cutting corners at the expense of quality. Knowledge of how to prepare budgets, extract and interpret information from related information systems, and apply the IDMS correctly is also expressly required. These competencies are central to succeeding in this senior architectural role within the provincial public service.