EASTERN CAPE RURAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (ECRDA)

OVERVIEW OF THE ENTITY

The Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency (ECRDA) is a Schedule 3C public entity in terms of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), Act No. 1 of 1999, as amended, and an agency of the Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture. ECRDA has a mandate to promote, support and facilitate rural development in the province, including through development finance interventions that support sustainable rural economic growth.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO)

Task Grade Level 22

Location Head Office, KuGompo City (East London)

Reporting Line Board of Directors

Start Date As soon as possible

Duration  5 Year fixed-term contract

Salary Market-related remuneration package in accordance with ECRDA’s approved remuneration framework.

MAIN FUNCTIONS

The main purpose of the position is to lead the development and implementation of the strategy of the organisation, manage operations, and build partnerships to improve economic and social conditions in rural areas.

Core Responsibilities

• Strategic Planning: Create and execute long-term strategy to boost rural economies, infrastructure and community services.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build strong ties with government bodies, local communities, traditional leaders and private sectors.
• Project Oversight: Direct initiatives in agriculture, rural development, small business growth and development of other sectors.
• Financial Management: Oversee the annual budget, secure grants, and ensure proper use of public and private funds.
• Team Leadership: Hire, guide, develop high-performance culture and orientate all staff towards achievement of organisational goals.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Qualifications

·       NQF level 7 qualification in Agriculture; Agricultural Economics; Rural Development; Development Economics; or any related qualification 

·       A master’s degree (NQF Level 9) in Development Economics, Agricultural Economics, Rural Development, Public Administration, Business Administration/Leadership, Development Finance, Finance, Investment Management or a related field. 

·       A valid driver’s license

·       A relevant PhD in any of the specified areas will be an added advantage.

Experience

·       A minimum of 10 years’ experience at executive level, with at least 5 years managing economic development, rural development, community development, development finance or comparable programmes.

·       Experience as a Chief Executive Officer, Managing Director, Executive Director, Accounting Officer or Head of a comparable organisation will be a strong added advantage.

·       Experience in development finance, blended finance, investment management, credit and loan portfolio management, project finance, capital raising or development banking will be an added advantage.

SKILLS

·       Expert knowledge on rural development policy, rural development strategies, strategic thinking skills, fundraising, lobbying for partnerships, project management, networking, etc.

·       Proven successful institutional transformation within the public or private sector.

·       Extensive knowledge of the Treasury Regulations, Practice Notes and Instruction Notes.  

·       Demonstrable experience in change management, people management, business transformation, business restructuring, and organisational culture transformation.

·       Demonstrated understanding of fiduciary duties and standards of conduct applicable to directors in terms of the Companies Act, Act No. 71 of 2008, as amended, and applicable governance frameworks.

·       Demonstrated knowledge and application of PFMA, Treasury Regulations, King IV and V, governance, ethics, risk management and public sector accountability.

·       Broad experience in stakeholder engagement and management.

·       Ability to communicate on behalf of the Board of Directors with Shareholder, stakeholders, employees, and the public. 

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS

1.   Fiduciary Duties

·       Optimise both the short-term and the long-term performance of the ECRDA 

·       Enable the Board to arrive at balanced and objective decisions in the performance of its agreed role and functions. 

·       Ensure that the objectives of the ECRDA, as agreed by the Board, are full, promptly, and properly carried out.

·       Ensure that Board resolutions are implemented effectively, timeously and in accordance with approved governance processes.

2.   Leadership

·       Exercise appropriate level of leadership for the ECRDA, manage the culture and build a team atmosphere.

·       Effectively communicate a vision, management philosophy, and business strategy to the ECRDA's employees.

·       Actively seek to motivate and inspire employees to adopt the ECRDA's values and to realise its vision 

·       Develop and maintain sound Labour Relations.

·       Ensure that there is clarity of objectives and focus for all employees, and clear and appropriate standards and measures of performance 

·       Champion change management 

3.   Corporate Strategy formulation and implementation

·       Develop, under the direction of the Board, a long-term, sound strategy for the ECRDA that is intended to optimise service provision, as well as meeting the needs of rural beneficiaries, employees, and other stakeholders

·       Put in place processes that encourage effective strategic planning

·       Review and facilitate a process for the Board to annually approve the ECRDA’s Strategic Plan.

·       Ensure that ECRDA strategies are effectively implemented with timely progress towards strategic objectives

·       Obtain and allocate resources consistent with strategic objectives and make timely adjustments in strategies when operating conditions demand change 

4.   Financial Performance

·       Carry out a comprehensive budgeting process and monitor the ECRDA’s performance against the budget 

·       Propose fitting annual and medium-term budget objectives for the ECRDA 

·       Monitor attainment of financial goals as well as maintain spending in accordance with approved expenditures and other investment budgets 

·       Ensure the development and submission of accurate annual financial statements 

5.   Revenue generation

·       Provides leadership to ensure the identification of potential revenue generation streams

·       Ensure that ECRDAs Fundraising/Revenue Generation Strategy is implemented 

6.   Risks and Opportunities

·       Identify risks and develop a Risk Mitigation Plan for the approval of the Board.

·       Report on the progress against the Risk Mitigation Plan to the Board 

·       Ensure that the ECRDA has appropriate auditing and financial control processes in place to protect assets, maintain effective control of operations, and provide accurate and complete public disclosure of results,

·       Foster a culture of ethical behaviour, and promote compliance with the Code of Conduct and proactively ensure the ECRDA complies with legal obligations 

7.   Board Relations

·       Keep the Board fully informed of all important issues and aspects of the ECRDA performance, opportunities and rural development trends and developments, whether positive or negative 

·       Ensure sufficient and appropriate information is distributed timeously to the Board members to allow the Board to exercise its oversight responsibility.

·       Encourage candid debate and challenges in Board discussions 

·       Attend Board and Committee meetings as required in support of governance and accountability responsibilities

·       Attend annual meetings and such other Shareholder and parliamentary meetings as required.

·       Act as a member of such committees of the Board as the Board shall decide 

·       Place on the agenda for meetings of the Board or Committees any matter relating to the ECRDA's business which should be discussed, including but not limited to the matters stated to be decided by or referred to the Board in the ECRDA’s Corporate Governance Guidelines

·       Ensure decisions of the Board are fully, promptly, and properly carried out 

8.   Management and administration

·       Provide general oversight of all projects, day-to-day rural development operations, and activities, and ensure a smoothly functioning, efficient ECRDA 

·       Assure programme quality and organisational stability through development and implementation of standards and controls, systems and procedures, and regular evaluation thereof 

·       Assure a work environment that recruits, retains, and supports quality permanent staff, and fixed-term staff 

·       Ensure Board-approved processes are in place for the recruitment, development, motivation and evaluation of staff; oversee the appointment of personnel, the negotiation of professional contracts, and the development and maintenance of appropriate salary structures.

·       Specify accountabilities for management personnel, and evaluate performance regularly 

·       Assure the process of acquiring, developing, managing, and securing information systems, technology, networks, and databases 

9.   Stakeholder Relations and Management

·       Facilitate the integration of the ECRDA into the fabric of society by using effective stakeholder relations management and communications activities 

·       Act as an advocate, within the public and private sectors, for issues relevant to the ECRDA, its services and beneficiaries

·       Listen to stakeholder groups, shareholders, Legislature, and various rural communities to improve services and generate communities’ involvement 

·       Assure rural communities’ awareness of the ECRDA’s response to rural communities’ needs

·       Serve as Chief Spokesperson for the ECRDA, assuring proper representation of the ECRDA to the communities.

·       Initiate, develop, and maintain cooperative relationships and partnerships with key constituencies 

·       Work with legislators, regulatory bodies, volunteers, and representatives of non-profit organisations (NGOs) to promote and encourage a robust rural development agenda and address the issues of ECRDA’s beneficiaries 

10. Succession

·       Develop an evolving Succession Plan for all executive and senior levels in the ECRDA.

·       Ensure that there is an effective plan for attracting, retaining, motivating and developing candidates for executive and senior management positions for the long-term success of the ECRDA 

·       Drive an effective performance evaluation programme and a Leadership Training Programme to develop and train new managers 

11. Delegation of executive officer powers and duties

·       Delegate strategically, i.e. be aware of where you are needed most and what you do best, and making delegation decisions accordingly

·       Delegate responsibility for developing Business Plans, budgets and Strategic Plans, and implementing these plans, budgets and strategies 

·       Delegate identifying and managing of operational risks daily and, where those risks could have a material impact on the ECRDA's operations, formulating strategies for managing these risks 

·       Delegate managing the ECRDA's current financial and other reporting mechanisms as well as its control and monitoring systems to ensure that these mechanisms and systems capture all relevant material information on a timely basis and are functioning effectively 

·       Delegate ensuring that the Board and its various Committees are provided with sufficient information on a timely basis about the ECRDA's operations and, in particular, with respect to the ECRDA's performance, financial condition, operating results and prospects, to enable the Board and those committees to fulfil their governance responsibilities 

·       Delegate implementing of the policies, processes and Codes of Conduct approved or endorsed by the Board 

12.  Other

·       Perform any other related duties as instructed by the Board 

COMPETENCIES REQUIRED: 

Knowledge

·       Superior proficiency level on the following leading competencies:

·       Superior knowledge and understanding of relevant policies and legislation

·       Superior understanding of institutional governance systems and performance management 

·       Superior understanding of organisational governance, strategic planning, public sector administration, and delegation of authority frameworks

·       Good governance 

·       Audit and risk management establishment and functionality; and 

·       Budget and finance management 

Leading Competences

·       Superior proficiency level on the following leading competencies:

·       Strategic Direction and Leadership

·       People Management

·       Programme and Project Management

·       Financial Management 

·       Change Leadership 

·       Governance Leadership 

·       Stakeholder Relations

Core Competences

·       Superior proficiency level on the following core competencies:

·       Moral Competence 

·       Planning and Organizing 

·       Analysis and Innovation 

·       Knowledge and Information Management 

·       Communication

·       Results and Quality Focus

GENERAL INFORMATIOn

The application, which must contain the Application Form, Covering Letter, Curriculum Vitae (CV), certified copies of Identity Document, Qualifications and a valid Driver’s Licence must be submitted to: Recruitment@ecrda.co.za

NB: 

• Without prejudice, correspondence will be limited to the short-listed candidates.
• Further be informed that if you have not been contacted within 1 month of the closing date, please accept that your application was unsuccessful.
• ECRDA is committed to the provisions of the Employment Equity Act (Act No. 55 of 1998) and the ECRDA’s Employment Equity Plan.
• ECRDA reserves the right to appoint or not to make an appointment. 
• Interviews will be conducted in person, unless stated otherwise.
• Administrative enquiries may be directed to Mr. Lungisa Mtumtum at: 0664724002 or mtumtuml2@ecrda.co.za
• Technical enquiries may be directed via email to Ms. A. Nomtshongwana at: 0826200262 or nomtshongwanaa@ecrda.co.za  
• Canvassing will lead to disqualification of an application

Date of issue:   20 September 2026

CLOSING DATE:   12 October 2026 at 16h30. Late applications will not be accepted.