CHIEF DIRECTOR: WATER INSTITUTIONS MANAGEMENT REF NO: 301026/01 Branch: Provincial And Entity Governance and International Cooperation

The Chief Director: Water Institutions Management is a senior executive post within the Provincial and Entity Governance and International Cooperation branch of the Department of Water and Sanitation, based at the department’s head office in Pretoria. This is a high-level leadership role, graded at an SMS level, responsible for shaping how water sector institutions are established, governed, and held accountable. The position sits at the intersection of policy implementation, corporate governance, and legislative oversight, requiring an executive who can guide the department’s institutional landscape in line with South Africa’s water resource management and services objectives. As a chief director, the incumbent will be expected to provide strategic direction, manage complex stakeholder relationships, and ensure that statutory bodies and water entities operate within the legal and policy frameworks set by government.

Candidates must hold a relevant undergraduate qualification at NQF level 7, recognised by SAQA, in fields such as Public Administration, Management, Governance, Economics, Corporate Governance, Water Resource Management, Environmental Management, or Engineering Science. In addition, applicants need at least five years of experience at a senior management level, along with the successful completion of the Pre-entry Certificate for SMS as endorsed by the National School of Government. The role demands a solid understanding of finance, the regulation and oversight of statutory bodies, and the relevant legislation governing the water sector. Familiarity with project and programme leadership, government business and budget planning frameworks, and public service prescripts is essential. The ideal candidate will demonstrate strategic capacity, leadership, change and knowledge management skills, service delivery innovation, problem-solving, people management, client orientation, and excellent verbal and written communication. Accountability and ethical conduct are also core requirements for this executive position.

The core duties involve overseeing and leading the establishment and disestablishment of water sector institutions, covering both water resources and water services. This includes guiding the development and implementation of frameworks and policies for creating or dissolving institutions within the sector. The Chief Director will also oversee the monitoring of institutions’ affairs, practices, activities, behaviours, and conduct to ensure alignment with legislative and agreed norms, and will implement review mechanisms to regularly assess compliance with prescribed standards. Another key responsibility is leading the establishment and effective operation of corporate governance structures, procedures, practices, controls, and safeguards. The role also entails overseeing the drafting of directives to be issued by the Minister to water governance entities, working closely with legal and regulatory teams to ensure those directives are clear, enforceable, and supportive of legislative objectives.

This is an all-inclusive, OSD-graded executive package, and the recruitment process is subject to strict government protocols. Shortlisted candidates will undergo suitability checks, including SAQA verification, reference checks, and criminal and credit checks. Foreign qualifications must be accompanied by a SAQA evaluation certificate when shortlisted. All shortlisted SMS candidates will be required to complete a technical exercise and an interview, and up to three candidates may undergo psychometric assessments covering cognitive abilities, behavioural preferences, emotional intelligence, and integrity. A pre-entry certificate from the National School of Government is required prior to appointment, and candidates must also complete a financial disclosure form and undergo security clearance. Foreigners or dual citizenship holders must provide a police clearance certificate from their country of origin when shortlisted. The Department of Water and Sanitation is an equal opportunity employer, with employment equity objectives taken into account in line with the Constitution and the Employment Equity Act. Women and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply, and preference will be given to equity targets. Correspondence is limited to shortlisted candidates, and applicants who do not receive feedback within three months should consider their application unsuccessful.