- Published on
SOUTH AFRICAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION (SALGA)
ADVISOR: PLANNING & IDP
(12 months Fixed-Term Contract)
Based in Kwazulu-Natal (Durban) – Ref: 26/06/24
Cluster: Infrastructure Delivery & Spatial Transformation & Sustainability
Remuneration package: A competitive salary package with benefits
“Our promise to our employees is to give them an opportunity to grow their careers through experiences and connections that inspire them to make an impact.”
ROLE OVERVIEW
Reporting to the to the Senior Advisor Built Environment and Planning, the incumbent will be responsible for identifying and implementing possible solutions to municipal challenges relating to the Built Environment and Planning, with the guidance of the Senior Advisors and Specialists and within policies provided. Support Senior Advisor: Built Environment & Planning with providing advice, support and capacity building initiatives to ensure awareness and to better support municipalities with Development, Spatial Planning and IDP processes.
THE CANDIDATE PROFILE
· Sound understanding of policy and legislative frameworks in Built Environment and Planning
· Knowledge of the SALGA business and sustainability requirements
· Understanding of project management principles
· Understanding of expense management principles and regulations
· Knowledge of the province and institutional knowledge of municipalities in the respective province
· Sector Knowledge and a sound understanding of the policy, legislative and regulatory frameworks governing the sector; and in particular those applying to the LG Sector and SALGA
· Staying abreast of new developments in the area or responsibility
· Working Knowledge of the LG Sector and the relevance of SALGA in the space
· Working Knowledge of SALGA Mandate, value chain, business model; and core business objectives
· Culture fit: SALGA desires an individual who will share and buy-in, in our core values, mission and vision, demonstrating a commitment to our ethos beyond just doing the job. An Undergraduate Degree (NQF Level 7) in Development Planning, Town and Regional Planning, or a related field.
· A minimum of 5 years' relevant experience of which at least 1 years have been at an equivalent level within a medium to large sized organisation;
· Valid Driver’s License & Travelling Required
· Demonstrates a sound understanding of the Local Government Sector
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
KEY PORTFOLIO AND PERFORMANCE FOCUS AREAS
Research and Benchmarking:
· Collects, categorizes and tracks relevant information required for specific tasks and projects.
· Perform support activities to benchmarking exercises under guidance from Senior Advisors and Specialists.
· Under leadership and guidance from Senior Advisors and Specialists, perform desktop research on issues related to municipal challenges within the sector/ professional discipline (Collect data, examine relevance and synthesize).
· Support the gathering and channelling of information to build and update municipal profiles.
· Provide administrative support with the arrangements of knowledge sharing / peer learning sessions/ presentations to SALGA staff and external stakeholders. May include providing inputs to content and packaging of information for the sessions.
Representation at IGR & Other Fora (Lobbying and Advocacy):
· Support the participation in Development Planning related forums
· Support the participation in all IDP processes
· Liaise with stakeholders in ensuring the credibility of the municipal IDPs and be the voice of municipalities on all IDP matters
· Represent municipalities at relevant forums/ meetings/ committees within the sector/ professional discipline
· Attend policy conferences in topics related to area of accountability
· Support the Senior advisors to develop content on a number of complex issues relevant to a SALGA position for mandating.
· Support the development of reports to the working groups
· Understand the national and provincial governance structures of SALGA and the institutional structures of the Sector/ Professional discipline and key role players in the area of specialization.
· Represent SALGA and the Municipalities at relevant external fora.
· Support Advice and capacity building
· Guide, support and provide advice to municipalities in the implementation of the IDP framework and processes in accordance with the programme plan.
· Provide hands-on support to strengthen municipal capacity/ improve programme implementation
· Coordinate the logistical arrangements for training programmes/ peer learning sessions in the areas of focus/ professional discipline.
Programme Monitoring and Evaluation and Reporting:
· Implement project management methodologies and disciplines; and support the management of the full project cycle on assigned projects including M&E
· Ensure that projects are conducted against contract specification and payments are based on agreed milestone
· Maintain records as per SALGA policy and ensure that all project records are up loaded into the company knowledge management system
· Support the reporting on progress against milestones
· Support the preparation of audit files for each project prior to audit
Stakeholder Management:
· Within the scope of area of accountability build and maintain relevant stakeholder relationships/partnerships in the area of responsibility
· Ensure appropriate and timely communications with all stakeholders
· Build partnerships with relevant stakeholders to ensure programme success and to increase SALGA’s capacity to make an impact
· Support the creation of reports to communicate about the programme and provide updates for website
· Governance, Compliance and Risk Management
· Uphold sound corporate governance principles in the day-to-day operation of the area of responsibility/professional discipline
· Ensure compliance with organizational policies and procedures
· Support the identification and mitigation of organizational and operational risks identified in the area of responsibility/ professional discipline
Teamwork:
· Work as a multi-disciplinary and integrated team to find possible solutions to complex challenges in municipalities
· Support organizational priorities and the implementation of resource mobilization systems and processes.
· In line with the SALGA organizational culture, align personal and organizational values for improved performance.
· Support the Executive and Senior Management Team in building a high-performance culture in SALGA.
· Implement the performance management and development processes in SALGA to drive high performance on an ongoing basis.
Suitably qualified and experienced candidates can apply online on at www.cvspaces.co.za or by following the link below:
Closing Date: 02 July 2026
NOTE: Communication will be limited to short-listed candidates only. SALGA reserves the right not to proceed with the appointment for any of the vacant position. All appointments will be made in line with the SALGA’S Employment Equity Plan