ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: SERVICE LEVEL AND ICT PROJECT MANAGEMENT

This permanent, full-time position is based at Head Office in Johannesburg within the Information Communication Technology directorate. As Assistant Director for Service Level and ICT Project Management, the incumbent will be responsible for ensuring the department receives efficient, effective and reliable ICT services. This requires a blend of technical understanding and managerial skill, with a focus on defining service levels, managing contracts, monitoring performance and leading ICT projects from initiation through to completion. The role is a public service position with standard service benefits, and it operates within the broader context of the Department of Community Safety's ICT component, which supports the department's core functions through reliable systems and service delivery.

Candidates must have a Matric certificate and either a three-year National Diploma or a Bachelor's degree in ICT, with specialisations such as computer science or informatics. At least three years of experience at an administrative or supervisory level in a similar position is required, including experience in managing and monitoring service performance. An ITIL certificate is a strong advantage, as is a valid code 8 or 10 driver's licence. Applicants must have no criminal record or any pending cases against them. The ideal candidate will have solid working knowledge of IT policies and procedures, CoBlT and ITIL frameworks beyond theory, project management principles and best practices, the Public Service Regulations, the provincial and SITA procurement model, SLA management, and a good understanding of the organisation's business and how IT contributes to it. Strong communication skills in oral, written, presentation and facilitation forms are essential, as are the abilities to think and act both strategically and tactically, translate technical concepts into business language, and build credibility and trust with IT managers and business leaders. The role requires calmness under pressure, relationship management and conflict resolution skills, and the capacity to bring together teams with varied backgrounds, including business analysts, technical experts and process owners. Patience, tolerance, resilience, statistical and numerical analytical ability, and innovative thinking with a focus on service quality are also expected.

Key duties include managing ICT services by identifying service requirements, initiating service improvements, defining and managing the IT service catalogue, identifying underpinning contract requirements, and defining, building and negotiating service level agreements. The Assistant Director will analyse and review all achieved SLA levels, compare them against the agreed SLA, monitor and manage service targets, mitigate ICT risks, and oversee regular audits to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of the SLA process. On the project side, the role involves developing and implementing ICT project methodologies, maintaining and monitoring project schedules, ensuring agreed timeframes are met in line with client expectations, tracking progress against project and release plans, assessing the performance of assigned resources, and ensuring technical issues are resolved in a timely manner. The position also carries human, financial and asset resource management responsibilities: coaching, mentoring and disciplining staff to improve performance; monitoring and assessing staff performance; providing input into the section's budget; controlling and monitoring the subsection's budget and expenditure; coordinating the compilation of reports and statistics; and managing leave for subordinates.

Other notable information is that the department reserves the right not to make an appointment and may use other recruitment processes. Candidates will be placed according to corridor coordination and the department's needs. Shortlisted candidates will be required to undertake two pre-entry assessments, one practical and one integrity-based, which will be scored as additional criteria during interviews. They will also undergo personnel suitability checks, including vetting, criminal record, citizenship, credit record, qualification verification and employment verification. Foreign qualifications must be accompanied by a SAQA evaluation certificate. If applicants have not been contacted within three months of the closing date, they should accept that their application was unsuccessful.