DEPUTY DIRECTOR REF NO: DBE/76/2026 Branch: Social Mobilisation and Support Service

This Deputy Director position sits within the Care and Support Service Directorate’s Health Promotion component, part of the broader Social Mobilisation and Support Service Branch at the Department of Basic Education in Pretoria. The role is a senior management post focused on the national coordination of the HIV and AIDS conditional grant, with the successful candidate expected to provide strategic oversight, ensure compliance, and drive the effective implementation of health promotion programmes in schools across all nine provinces. Working within the education sector, the post-holder will be responsible for aligning provincial activities with national policy frameworks, managing budgets, and supporting the delivery of sexuality education, HIV, STIs, and teenage pregnancy prevention initiatives.

Applicants must hold an NQF level 6 post-matric qualification in Health Promotion, Health Science, Education, or an equivalent field recognised by SAQA, together with at least four years of relevant experience at Assistant Director level or its equivalent. A thorough understanding of the policy mandate, biomedical evidence, and social determinants relevant to sexuality education and health promotion is essential, as is extensive experience in developing, implementing, and managing programmes for children and adolescents. The role demands knowledge of education sector policies and strategies guiding HIV, STIs, and teenage pregnancy prevention in schools, as well as current school health policies and interventions aimed at vulnerable boys and girls. Strong stakeholder and partnership management skills are crucial, alongside proven financial management abilities, excellent verbal and written communication, and sound conceptual, organisational, administrative, and networking capabilities. The ideal candidate will be a self-starter who works well both independently and within a team, with a demonstrated ability to apply monitoring and evaluation and project management principles to their work.

Key duties include managing and coordinating the HIV and AIDS conditional grant at national level, consolidating monthly, quarterly, and annual financial and programme reports, and monitoring the performance of provincial HIV and AIDS programmes. The post-holder will facilitate the development of the HIV and AIDS Life Skills Conditional Grant Framework and provincial business plans, ensuring adherence to allocated budgets and compliance with the grant framework across provinces. They will also be responsible for effective planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of HIV, AIDS, STIs, and TB programme activities and policies, conducting oversight visits to all nine provinces, holding interprovincial meetings, and maintaining strategic partnerships with sister departments and stakeholders.

The successful candidate will be required to sign an annual performance agreement, disclose their financial interests annually, and undergo a security clearance. This is a demanding but rewarding role for a seasoned professional seeking to make a meaningful impact on the health and well-being of South Africa’s learners.