CHIEF PROFESSIONAL SURVEYOR

This position offers an opportunity for a highly experienced and registered professional to lead survey operations within the Western Cape, based in Mowbray. As Chief Professional Surveyor, the successful candidate will be part of the Surveys Services directorate, responsible for overseeing complex, varied, and legally significant surveying work. The role is graded according to the Occupation Specific Dispensation, reflecting its senior technical and managerial nature. Operating within a government context, the incumbent will combine hands-on professional expertise with strategic leadership, ensuring that all survey activities meet stringent legal, operational, and safety standards.

Applicants must hold a Grade 12 certificate and a four-year Bachelor of Science degree in Survey or Geomatics. Compulsory registration with the South African Geomatics Council as a Professional Surveyor is required upon appointment, specifically with the capacity to perform cadastral surveys. A minimum of six years of post-qualification survey experience is essential, along with a valid driver’s licence. The ideal candidate will demonstrate deep knowledge in programme and project management, survey design and analysis, legal and operational compliance, and computer-aided survey applications. Strong leadership and interpersonal skills are also critical, including strategic capability, problem solving, decision making, people management, conflict management, and negotiation. The role demands someone who can foster a high-performance culture, provide technical consulting, and exercise sound professional judgment.

The core duties are broad and encompass the full spectrum of professional survey management. The Chief Professional Surveyor will design, plan, and perform surveys to address practical challenges, improve efficiency, and enhance safety. This includes managing projects involving new and existing survey technologies, planning surveys of a complex nature, and developing cost-effective solutions that comply with prescribed standards. The role also requires evaluating technical manuals and procedures to integrate new technology, maintaining operational effectiveness, and setting maintenance standards and service levels. Governance and risk management are central, with responsibility for compiling risk logs, managing significant risks, and providing technical consulting to minimise survey-related risks. Financial management forms a key part of the position, including managing funds to meet Medium-Term Expenditure Framework objectives, overseeing the capital project portfolio, and controlling expenditure to ensure efficient cash flow.

People management is another major responsibility. The Chief Professional Surveyor will develop, motivate, and utilise human resources to ensure a competent knowledge base, set and monitor performance standards, and correct deviations to achieve departmental goals. The role also involves managing knowledge sharing initiatives, such as secondments and assignments, to support individual development and organisational learning. This is a demanding leadership post that requires both technical mastery and the ability to align survey operations with broader departmental objectives. The department has set employment equity targets for this vacancy, encouraging applications from designated groups, including persons with disabilities, in line with its transformation commitments. Those interested should note that this is a senior, OSD-graded opportunity requiring immediate professional registration and substantial relevant experience.