DEPUTY DIRECTOR: SOFT SERVICES AND MAINTENANCE OF ROODEPLAAT AND VAALDAM

This position operates within the Facilities Maintenance Services directorate and is based at the Head Office in Johannesburg. The Deputy Director will be responsible for the effective management of soft services across the departmental property portfolio, with specific oversight of the Roodeplaat and Vaaldam sites. The role is fundamentally about ensuring that all facilities are maintained to habitable, hygienic, and safe standards, fit for their intended occupation and use. This includes conducting site visits and condition assessments to determine what soft services are required, and then managing those services from planning through to delivery.

Candidates must hold an undergraduate qualification at NQF level 6 or 7 in Property Management, Facilities Management, or the Built Environment, as recognised by SAQA. A minimum of five years of relevant experience is required, with at least three of those years at the Assistant Director level. A valid driver’s licence is essential, as site visits form a core part of the work. The role demands a strong working knowledge of several legislative frameworks, including the Construction Industry Development Board Act, the Council for Built Environment Act, the Public Finance Management Act and Treasury Regulations, supply chain management policies, and the Promotion of Access to Information and Promotion of Administrative Justice Acts. In addition, the incumbent must demonstrate strategic capability, problem-solving and analytical skills, sound decision-making, team leadership, creativity, and financial management ability, along with personal attributes such as professionalism, reliability, honesty, integrity, strong ethics, and a people-centred approach.

The duties are broad and cover both operational and strategic elements of facilities management. The Deputy Director will manage cleaning and hygiene services in accordance with contractual specifications, service level agreements, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and public health requirements. This extends to waste removal, grounds maintenance, and gardening services, which must be carried out in compliance with the National Environmental Management Act and the Waste Act, as well as municipal by-laws, including the lawful handling and disposal of general and hazardous waste. Pest control and fumigation programmes must be implemented using approved operators and products, with due attention to hazardous chemical substances. The role also involves maintaining accurate project and facility information, ensuring all equipment is safe, functional, and subject to statutory inspections, and managing repairs timeously within approved budgets, prioritising any defects that threaten health, safety, hygiene, or environmental compliance.

The Deputy Director will liaise closely with Supply Chain Management to procure consumables, supplies, spares, and service providers in line with procurement prescripts and environmentally responsible specifications. At a higher level, the post contributes to the development of soft services and maintenance policies, strategies, and plans, and oversees the unit’s annual operational plan, risk management, and mitigation of occupational health and safety, environmental, and hygiene risks. The role includes preparing management reports on performance and compliance. People management is also central, including concluding performance agreements, maintaining discipline, arranging training and development, and promoting a safe working environment. The post also requires preparing specifications for outsourced services, managing contracts with appointed service providers, and managing the unit’s budget in line with the Public Finance Management Act, keeping under- and over-expenditure within departmental allocations.