CHIEF ARTISAN GRADE A-C: BUILDING

This position is for a Chief Artisan Grade A to C specialising in building maintenance, based at the Thellemogoerane Facility Maintenance Hub and operating within the Maintenance directorate of the Department of Community Safety. The role is a senior technical and supervisory post, requiring an experienced artisan to oversee and manage technical services across field, workshop, and technical office environments. The incumbent will work alongside technicians and artisans to plan, coordinate, and execute building maintenance activities, while also contributing to the broader strategic and operational objectives of the unit.

Candidates must hold an appropriate Trade Test Certificate and have at least ten years of post-qualification experience as an Artisan or Artisan Foreman. Shortlisted applicants will be required to provide proof of this recognised experience. A valid driver's licence is also essential. The role demands a sound working knowledge of several key legislative frameworks, including the National Building Regulation and Building Standards Act, municipal regulations, the Promotion of Access to Information Act, the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act, the Government Immovable Asset Management Act, and the Occupational Health and Safety Act together with its regulations. In addition, applicants should demonstrate strong planning and organising abilities, effective verbal and written communication skills, computer literacy, and attributes such as teamwork, change management, financial management, customer focus, and responsiveness.

The duties are broad and include managing technical services and support in collaboration with technicians, artisans, and associates across various operational areas. The Chief Artisan must promote safety in line with statutory and regulatory requirements, ensuring that all activities comply with relevant legislation. The role also involves providing inputs into existing technical manuals, standard drawings, and procedures to incorporate new technology, as well as ensuring quality assurance according to specifications. Financial responsibilities include contributing to the budgeting process, while administrative duties require compiling and submitting reports, consolidating inputs into the technical operational plan, and updating databases. The post holder will manage artisans, related personnel, and assets, and is expected to undertake research and literature studies on technical or engineering technology to maintain and improve expertise. Liaison with relevant bodies and councils on technical matters is also required. Importantly, the role entails managing the development, motivation, and utilisation of human resources within the discipline, and overseeing subordinates’ key performance areas by setting and monitoring performance standards, then taking corrective action where necessary to achieve departmental objectives.

This is a demanding supervisory position suited to a seasoned artisan with strong leadership and technical governance capabilities. The department notes that all shortlisted candidates will undergo pre-entry assessments, including a practical exercise and an integrity or ethical conduct assessment. Suitable candidates will also be subject to personnel suitability checks covering vetting, criminal records, citizenship, credit records, qualification verification, and employment verification. The department encourages applications from youth, people with disabilities, and candidates from coloured, Indian, and white population groups, in line with equity targets; applicants with disabilities should attach a confirmation certificate from a registered medical practitioner. There is also a specific condition that applications must be submitted via the prescribed application form as outlined in the advertisement, and only shortlisted applicants will be asked to provide certified copies of qualifications. As correspondence is limited to shortlisted candidates, applicants who do not receive any response within three months of the closing date should consider their application unsuccessful.