DEVELOPMENT BANK OF SOUTHERN AFRICA (DBSA) VACANCIES - 04 MAY 2026

DEVELOPMENT BANK OF SOUTHERN AFRICA (DBSA)

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT OFFICER

Details

Closing Date

2026/05/08

Reference Number

DBS260424-2

Job Title

Principal Investment Officer

Job Grade

Job Type Classification

Permanent

Location - Town / City

Midrand

Location - Province

Gauteng

Location - Country

South Africa

Job Profile (Downloadable)

Principal Investment Officer Project Finance .docx (1).pdf (271.75 kb) - 4/24/2026 1:42:24 PM

Job Description

The Principal Investment Officer is responsible for formulating and executing the strategic objectives of the business in collaboration with the Transacting Head, whilst generating deal flow and building a robust pipeline of prospective projects for development financing bankability.

Key Responsibilities

Key Performance Areas:

Transaction Assessments

Evaluate the feasibility of investment opportunities with a view to ensure they are commercially viable and align with the DBSA’s strategic objectives and mandate.
Enhance the bankability of transactions by identifying and mitigating key risks, collaborating closely with Credit Risk, Country Risk Specialists, and other Divisions/Units in the Bank.
Provide financial structuring expertise on transactions for the benefit of clients and the organisation through innovative approaches and strategic thinking.

Transaction Execution and Credit Approval

Collaborate with the team to structure and negotiate detailed term sheets with Treasury, Legal, and Loan Administration teams, ensuring transaction approval.
Secure internal approvals and lead or participate actively in closing transactions through successful negotiations.
Manage the credit approval process from early review to final decision by the relevant committees.
Review proposals submitted to approval committees to ensure they are well-structured and documented for informed decision-making.
Resolve potential constraints in the lending value chain in collaboration with the Head of Transactions.
Implement risk management procedures across financing functions, ensuring investment risks are appropriately structured and mitigated during operations.
Capture and apply learning opportunities post-transaction to drive continuous improvement and successful deal delivery.
Contribute to and lead input into certain strategic initiatives that are driven for the benefit of the organisation.

Lead Transaction Execution Functions

Lead transaction teams in conducting assessments, executing deals, and driving the credit approval process.
Coach and mentor Senior Investment Officers and Investment Officers, guiding them toward achieving transaction bankability and to enhance their skills and performance.

Relationship Management and Stakeholder Relations

Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, global and regional private businesses, banking and multilateral partners and government officials to further develop specific investment opportunities.
Manage relationships at various levels with the relevant project stakeholders, partners, and lead promoters, following the project’s development objectives.
Maintain communication with clients and manage client relations; ensure that they submit all the Bank’s requirements to facilitate the appraisal process.
Provide feedback on the status of their application timeously and advise them on the bank’s processes and procedures.
Ensure continuous communication with clients/ projects that the DBSA has funded to adequately support the division’s monitoring function.
Identify clients’ pain points to coordinate DBSA’s solution offerings to address them.
Network and maintain relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.
Undertake other tasks as assigned by the line manager, from time to time.

Key Measurements of Outputs:

*The list is not exhaustive

Revenue performance in terms of Interest Income and Fees generated.
Delivery on the agreed Operations Mandate; these include:
Growth rate in assets of the loan book:

oAnnual disbursements, commitments and approvals

oQuality of loan book

o% of loan book in priority geographies and sectors

oNumber of new clients

oNumber of potential deals/ pipelines

Management of client relationships and key stakeholders.

Expertise & Technical Competencies

Qualifications and Experience:

A postgraduate qualification or equivalent in Business (such as an MBA) or Finance (CA or CFA), or Engineering, or Economics.
A minimum of 10 years of relevant work experience in appraising, negotiating, due diligence and closing project finance, corporate finance, or structured finance transactions in a financial institution.
Experience in leading, initiating and developing new business strategies and opportunities to create a pipeline of development impact projects, ensuring deal flow and bankability.
Experience in securing infrastructure investment deals in relevant sectors/geographies in SA and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Comprehensive knowledge of the complex financial and regulatory environments.
Proven experience in working with senior stakeholders in highly political environments in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Successful track record in leading project teams with high-level stakeholders and qualified professionals.
Strong credit, financial, analytical, and financial modelling skills.
Strong networks and relations with clients, global and regional private investors and banks to identify and source viable projects/investments.
In-depth knowledge and understanding of the infrastructure market and financial markets.
Demonstrable experience in identifying client challenges and playing an active part in structuring innovative solutions.

Technical Competencies:

Project Management

Defines, plans, and manages large and/or strategic projects, including those with a high degree of technical complexity, with impacts across the organisation and/or with national implications.
Assembles and leads diverse and multi-disciplinary teams, ensuring maximum effective resource utilisation.
Successfully manages substantial project budgets and reports directly to senior managers on the progress and results of projects.
Identifies complex issues that need escalation and proposes appropriate corrective actions.

Deal Structuring

Uses credit enhancement techniques to structure deals and optimise pricing in terms of Basel principles.
Has an in-depth and practical understanding of how to optimise the Capital Structure, collateral package, and debt repayment profile.
Interrogates financial models, including those with a high degree of complexity, to develop an optimal structure.
Identifies complex structural issues that need escalation and proposes appropriate bankable structures.
Demonstrates knowledge of advanced structuring, including the use of derivatives, syndicated loans, synthetic loans, securitisations, Inflation-linked debt, credit default swaps and subordinated debt.
Prepares specialised or tailored reports relating to new innovative instruments, gathers information from a variety of sources, analyses and includes in a report to new product approval committees.
Compiles comprehensive specialist reports as required for inclusion into credit committee submissions.

Solution Focus

Identifies broad, highly complex problems based on a multitude of factors, many of which are complex and sweeping in nature, difficult to define and often contradictory.
Creates procedures to articulate the nature of problems and to identify and weigh alternate solutions.
Evaluates the effectiveness of solutions using approaches tailored to the situation.

Financial Analysis

Serves as subject matter expert.
Evaluates and determines fiscal, operational, and service impacts; analyses and evaluates legislation; and implements and evaluates statistical models in their subject areas.
Demonstrates in-depth technical and administrative knowledge of the rules and regulations in the subject area and to defend analyses, testimony, and recommendations relating to a variety of issues before management and commissions.

Risk Management

Drives integration and standardisation of risk management processes across the organisation.
Advises on the application of the organisation’s risk management policies, industry best practices and constructs organisation guidelines.
Analyses trends in risk management and internal control, evaluates implications, defines, and implements organisation-wide response.

Attention to detail

Quickly identifies relevant and irrelevant information to support accurate decision making.
Maps out all the logistics and details of a situation to ensure smooth and flawless implementation.
Consistently identifies all relevant details that are not obvious in complex situations.
Requires the highest standards for accuracy and quality for their work.
Establishes processes to ensure accuracy and quality of services delivered by the team.

Negotiation

Has an appreciation of cultural sensitivities and differences.
Effectively employs a variety of advanced behavioural/interpersonal competencies to control the negotiation situation.
Can take the lead in a variety of sensitive negotiation situations requiring high levels of tact and diplomacy.
Can place a discrete negotiation situation within the context of a broader long-term relationship and is not threatened by conceding ground to protect the longer-term interests of DBSA.

Commercial Awareness

Deep understanding of commercial drivers and can make decisions based on an assessment of alternatives concerning complex business situations.
Deep understanding of DBSA economic priorities and how they can be implemented to meet DBSA's strategic objectives.
Deep understanding of DBSA's core sector role in achieving DBSA's strategic objectives.
Deep understanding of the need to coordinate efforts with many government entities, the private sector, community groups and individuals to ensure effective implementation of new policies and regulations.

Research

Demonstrates expert skill levels in strategic and operational research techniques, including process analysis, modelling, and forecasting.
Adapts, creates, and designs new research techniques to meet the organisation's requirements.
Provides specialist coaching and guidance to researchers and other organisation employees.
Promotes the professional reputation of the organisation by maintaining a respected profile with relevant external organisations and the research community in general.

Communication and Reporting

Able to communicate complex problems or concepts by making them simple and understandable for others.
Adapts language to the level of the audience to ensure that the message has a positive impact and is interesting to the audience.
Is articulate, demonstrates a wide range of vocabulary, and is confident when talking to large/high-level audiences.
Designs / customises reports to meet user needs.
Prepares complex or tailored reports, gathers information from a variety of sources, analyses and includes in a report.
Keeps standard reports under review and proposes improvements to meet user needs.

Innovation

Develops innovative business solutions that shape industry practices.

Presentation Skills

Knows how to deliver arguments persuasively by employing a range of advanced presentation techniques (e.g., the appropriate use of body language, how to close a presentation so that the audience continues to think about the subject matter, etc.).
Knows various feedback mechanisms to check levels of audience understanding.

Required Personal Attributes

Leadership/Behavioural Competencies:

Achievement Orientation

Focuses on new or more effective ways of improving own work and meeting targets.
Focuses on raising quality, customer satisfaction and revenues.
Makes specific changes to systems and processes to improve efficiency and quality.
Formulates own objectives and action plans to achieve a measurable improvement in the future.

Analytical Thinking

Identifies multiple elements of a problem and breaks down each of those elements in detail, showing causal relationships between them.
Uses several analytical techniques to identify several solutions and weighs the value of each.

Conceptual thinking

Creates new concepts that are not obvious to others and not learned from previous education or experience to explain situations or resolve problems.
Looks at things in a significantly novel way, breakthrough thinking.

Strategic and Innovative thinking

Recognises opportunities or problems emerging in patterns and trends, and their impact on the business and profitability drivers.
Applies learning from previous situations and experiences.
Sees underlying causality in the current situation. Applies business acumen to make sound decisions.
Recognises opportunities or potential problems, before they become obvious, by seeing the connections in a range of sources of information, including insights from outside DBSA.
Restates complex knowledge in a way that makes it easier for others to understand.

Commercial Business Acumen

Understands business fundamentals.
Analyses and comprehends organisational goals and strategies.
Understands tactical business fundamentals in the public sector environment and incorporates them into decision-making.

Teamwork

Acts to promote a friendly climate and good morale and resolves conflicts.
Creates opportunities for cross-functional working.
Encourages others to network outside of their own team/department and learn from their experience.

Policy

The Development Bank of Southern Africa will endeavor to make appointments in line with its Employment Equity Policy and Plan. Applications from suitably qualified designated groups, especially people with disabilities, are encouraged.

The DBSA corporate culture fit requires clear, logical and analytical thinking grounded in good interpersonal skills, a sense of urgency and results orientated execution of duties. The ability to work collaboratively and finding practical yet innovative solutions is critical to success in a work environment that demands emotional resilience, accountability and responsible risk taking and management.

The DBSA reserves the right to amend or remove vacancies in line with organisational requirements.

All vacancies can be viewed on the DBSA website (www.dbsa.org) under Careers.

PLEASE APPLY HERE

ANALYST: PROJECT FINANCE

Details

Closing Date

2026/05/08

Reference Number

DBS260424-1

Job Title

Analyst: Project Finance

Job Type Classification

Permanent

Location - Town / City

Midrand

Location - Province

Gauteng

Location - Country

South Africa

Job Profile (Downloadable)

Analyst - Project Finance Final April 2026 Final .docx.pdf (269.01 kb) - 4/24/2026 1:25:09 PM

Job Description

The purpose of this role is to provide an entry-level role for graduates who have completed the DBSA graduate programme or other similar programmes, as a stepping-stone into a career opportunity in Project Finance. This role is primarily responsible for supporting the structuring of deals, as well as appraising, negotiating, and closing Project Finance transactions. This role will also support the generation of deal flow and build a strong pipeline of prospective projects for development financing.

Key Responsibilities

1. Deal Origination and Assessment

Liaise with clients to provide or request information, to assist in the deal execution and/or gather critical information for the bank.
Conduct research on clients, their business, operations and performance, as well as trends in their specific industries.
Support due diligence activities for infrastructure finance projects and provide recommendations on raising new funding and debt restructurings.
Support evaluation on the feasibility of investment opportunities/project transactions to assess the commercial viability for debt financing and alignment with the DBSA’s strategy and mandate.
Compile and analyse information regarding sales activity and business pipeline and support the development of client plans.
Keep abreast of developments, trends and investment opportunities in specific priority sectors and make recommendations to management regarding the competitive dynamics and landscape.
Conduct periodic review of the Bank’s investment portfolio performance trends and provide comprehensive analytical inputs and reports.
Capture learning opportunities post transaction conclusion for continuous improvement and ensuring the successful delivery of deals.
Assist in the development of new business opportunities in climate change adaptation, resilience and mitigation activities in line with relevant country strategies

2. Project/ Programme Administration

Prepare and update project plan documents and assist in the preparation of the project plan.
Develop feedback reports, presentations and performance dashboards per project/programme.
Update the scope change request register and applicable project documentation and registers.
Schedule meetings, consolidate information for meetings, and disseminate minutes.
Follow up on project action list by liaising with responsible parties to ensure delivery.
Monitor and track programme and/or project operational financial models.

3. Investment Research and Screening

Research trade flows, market trends, and sector developments.
Analyse gaps and opportunities in target regions or sectors.
Support pipeline development through data-driven insights.
Analyse macroeconomic trends, trade flows, and sector-specific developments to inform transaction strategy and opportunity identification.
Assist in the early-stage screening of potential transactions by evaluating alignment with institutional mandate, risk appetite, and strategic priorities.

4. Financial Modelling and Reporting

Assist in the assessment and structuring of project finance transactions.
Compile and analyse data to support the preparation of internal reports, dashboards, and presentations for management and stakeholders.
Conduct financial analysis required for pricing project finance transactions.
Monitor data quality and reporting accuracy, identifying gaps and engaging the team to address inconsistencies.
Assist in the preparation of materials for pipeline reviews, portfolio updates, and strategic planning sessions.

Key Measurements of Outputs

Annual client plans– number and quality.
Quality due diligence reports with accurate assessments.
Successful project administration of agreed projects, programmes and assignments.
Turnaround time for financial analysis and modelling deliverables.
Quality transaction documents prepared.
Timeliness and completeness of condition precedent documentation.
Number of risk assessments and pricing analyses supported.
Data quality improvement rate in reporting outputs.

Expertise & Technical Competencies

a) Financial Modelling

Demonstrating expertise in developing, analysing, and interpreting complex financial models to support strategic decision-making and business planning. This involves creating accurate and reliable models that forecast financial performance, assess business scenarios, and evaluate investments or projects.

b) Financial Analysis

Basic general knowledge of applicable statutes, regulations, entity/company practices and concepts.
Interprets and applies laws and regulations, analyses information and evaluates the impact of policies/procedures and practices.
Accumulates data; summarises information into pertinent, understandable, and presentable form; discerns valid from invalid comparisons of data; and
seeks an explanation for variations in the data.
Initiates and maintains working relationships with stakeholders.

c) Data Collection and Analysis

Based on knowledge of the reasons behind the analysis, can define the most appropriate means of data collection.
Is able to develop formats for data collection.
Is able to define the most appropriate internal and external data/information sources.
Identifies key facts in an array of data, recognises when pertinent facts are incorrect, missing, or require supplementation or verification.
Breaks down data into parts to understand the nature and relationship of the parts.
Has a broad knowledge of statistical data-handling techniques.
Can undertake more comprehensive analysis of data/information, but is not required to conclude.

d) Reporting

Prepares both standard and non-standard reports to time and quality standards.
Collate and analyse readily available data for inclusion in a report.

e) Written Communication

Technically experienced and fully competent writer: can write independently various technical and nontechnical documents.
Uses a clear and easily understood writing style when communicating technical information to nontechnical employees or individuals.

f) Presentation Skills

Understands how to present objectives in a compelling manner and maintain the interest of the audience.
Knows how to deliver presentations appropriately (e.g. maintaining eye contact, the appropriate use of hand gestures, etc.) and at the correct pace.
Knows how to clarify and confirm people’s feelings, concerns and needs.

Minimum Qualification

Bachelor’s degree in finance, Business, Accounting, Economics, or a related field.

Minimum Experience

A Minimum of 2 years of experience in banking, investments or corporate/project finance.
Exposure to corporate/project finance transactions, including financial modelling and documentation preparation.
Experience supporting transaction processes, including pricing, rate risking, and condition precedent clearance.
Familiarity with corporate/project finance instruments such as guarantees, letters of credit, senior debt, and mezzanine debt.
Experience in preparing reports, dashboards, and presentations to support team engagements and decision-making.

*The KPA’s, competencies and relationships listed in this document are not exhaustive, and the incumbent will be expected to undertake additional duties within their capacity to meet the needs of business and/or the business unit.

Required Personal Attributes

a) Customer Service Orientation

Tries to understand the underlying needs of customers and matches these needs to available or customised products and services.
Adapts processes and procedures to meet ongoing customer needs.
Utilises the feedback received by customers, in order to develop new and/or improve existing services/ products that relate to their ongoing needs.
Thinks of new ways to align DBSA’s offerings with future customer needs.

b) Self-Awareness and Self-Control

Withholds effects of strong emotions in difficult situations.
Keeps functioning or responds constructively despite stress.
May apply special techniques or plan ahead of time to manage emotions or stress.

c) Strategic and Innovative Thinking

Experiments with new approaches, tests scenarios, questions assumptions and challenges conventional thinking.
Creates new concepts that are not obvious to others, leveraging internal and external sources of information, to build incremental revenue and growth opportunities.

d) Driving Delivery of Results

Sets challenging goals that will have a significant impact on the business or support the organisational strategy.
Commits significant resources and/or time to ensure that challenging goals are achieved, while also taking action to mitigate risk.

e) Organisational Awareness

Recognises unspoken organisational limitations, what is and is not possible at certain times or in certain positions.
Recognises and/or uses the corporate culture (language, etc.) that will produce the best response.
Recognises and/or uses ongoing power and political relationships within the organisation (alliances, rivalries) with a clear sense of organisational impact.

f) Impact and Influence

Adapts a presentation or discussion to appeal to the interests and level of others.
Anticipates and prepares for others’ reactions.

g) Teamwork and Cooperation

Acts to promote a friendly climate and good morale and resolves conflicts.
Creates opportunities for cross-functional working.
Encourages others to network outside of their own team/department and learn from their experience.

Policy

The Development Bank of Southern Africa will endeavour to make appointments in line with its Employment Equity Policy and Plan. Applications from suitably qualified designated groups, especially people with disabilities, are encouraged.

The DBSA reserves the right to amend or remove vacancies in line with organisational requirements.

All vacancies can be viewed on the DBSA website (www.dbsa.org) under Careers.

PLEASE APPLY HERE

SUSTAINABILITY SPECIALIST (LOAN BOOK)

Details

Closing Date

2026/05/08

Reference Number

DBS260423-2

Job Title

Sustainability Specialist (Loan Book)

Job Grade

Job Type Classification

Permanent

Location - Town / City

Midrand

Location - Province

Gauteng

Location - Country

South Africa

Job Profile (Downloadable)

Sustainability Specialist (Loan Book)_Job Profile April2026.pdf (313.73 kb) - 4/23/2026 4:09:38 PM

Job Description

Lead the integration and implementation of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles across the Bank’s investment activities by applying robust safeguard policies and procedures. The role is responsible for appraising, structuring, and monitoring transactions to ensure alignment with the Bank’s Environmental and Social Safeguard Standards (ESSS) and international best practice.

It further supports the Bank and its partners in delivering sustainable infrastructure and financing solutions that drive longterm developmental impact, strengthen institutional governance, and contribute to inclusive and resilient economic growth.

Key Responsibilities

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Advisory, Transaction Support and Oversight
Support the development and implementation of sustainability policies, strategies, financing instruments, and products aligned with international best practice, sustainable infrastructure delivery, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Ensure consistent application of the Bank’s Environmental and Social Safeguard Standards (ESSS) across the project lifecycle, from origination to exit.
Lead ESG due diligence for investment transactions, including identification of environmental, social, governance, and climate-related risks and opportunities; define mitigation measures and value-creation actions.
Present ESG findings and recommendations to internal decision-making structures (e.g., Investment Committees and Board Credit Committees), ensuring ESG considerations are embedded in investment decisions.
Integrate cross-cutting priorities such as gender, climate resilience, biodiversity, and social inclusion into project appraisal through tools such as the Gender Marker System and climate risk screening methodologies.
Provide ongoing portfolio monitoring of ESG compliance and performance, including tracking of covenants, action plans, and development outcomes; recommend corrective actions where required.
Support clients and investees with ESG advisory services to strengthen environmental and social performance, institutional governance, and sustainable infrastructure delivery.
Contribute to the structuring of sustainable finance solutions (e.g., green, social, sustainability-linked instruments) to enhance development impact and crowd in private capital.
Conduct research and apply global best practices and emerging trends (e.g., climate finance, just transition, nature-based solutions) to continuously strengthen ESG integration.
Mentor and support junior staff and graduates, building institutional ESG capability and technical depth.

Impact Measurement, Reporting & Portfolio Analytics

Contribute to the development and implementation of the Bank’s Impact Framework, including indicators, methodologies, and tools to measure development effectiveness.
Assess and track environmental, social, institutional, and governance outcomes of investments to evaluate overall development impact.
Produce high-quality ESG and impact reports for internal governance structures and external stakeholders, including development partners and platforms such as the International Development Finance Club (IDFC).
Monitor portfolio-level ESG risks, trends, and performance metrics; generate insights to inform strategic decision-making and portfolio optimisation.
Ensure alignment of reporting with international frameworks and standards (e.g., impact measurement, climate disclosure, and sustainable finance taxonomies where applicable).
Strengthen data quality, integrity, and consistency in ESG and impact reporting systems.
Provide evidence-based recommendations to enhance sustainability integration in strategic and investment planning.

Bank-wide Capacity Building and Integration

Design and deliver ESG and sustainability training programmes tailored to investment teams and operational units.
Promote awareness and consistent application of ESG principles, safeguard standards, and sustainability frameworks across the Bank.
Embed sustainability considerations into processes, tools, and decision-making frameworks to support a culture of responsible investing.
Facilitate knowledge-sharing and learning initiatives to drive continuous improvement in ESG practices.
Stay abreast of global developments in sustainability, climate finance, and regulatory frameworks, ensuring institutional relevance and thought leadership.

Stakeholder Engagement and Thought Leadership

Build and maintain strategic partnerships with investors, lenders, development partners, and technical experts to strengthen ESG integration and co-financing opportunities.
Represent the Bank in technical forums, industry platforms, and sustainability networks to promote thought leadership and collaboration.
Support engagement with clients, regulators, and industry bodies on ESG-related matters, including policy alignment and best practice adoption.
Contribute to positioning the Bank as a leader in sustainable infrastructure and development impact.

Key Measurements of Outputs

Number of policies, financing products and services developed and applied to promote sustainable financing and GIIP.
Quality and effectiveness of ESG due diligence including risk identification, mitigation, design and influence on investment decisions.
Contribution to structuring bankable, sustainable transactions, including integration of climate, gender and impact considerations.
Proportion of portfolio compliant with ESSS, effectiveness of monitoring, and resolution of ESG non-compliance issues.
Measurable environmental, social, and institutional outcomes achieved across the portfolio, aligned with strategic targets.
Number and quality of sustainability-linked products, instruments, or frameworks developed and implemented.
Timeliness, accuracy, and credibility of ESG and impact reports aligned with international standards and stakeholder expectations.
Quality of ESG data management, analysis, and insights generated to inform decision-making.
Effectiveness in building strategic partnerships and contributing to co-financing and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
Reach and effectiveness of training programmes and evidence of ESG integration across business units.
Contribution to research, policy development, and positioning the Bank in sustainability and development finance discourse.

Expertise & Technical Competencies

Minimum Qualification

A relevant postgraduate qualification (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Environmental Science, Sustainability, Development Studies, Economics, Finance, Engineering, or a related field.

Minimum Experience

A minimum of 8 years’ experience in preparing and appraising projects for investment, quantifying development outcomes, identifying and mitigating environmental, social/governance risks.
The experience must include a minimum of 4 years’ experience in assessing climate-related risks at a transaction/investment level.
Extensive experience in the development and/or infrastructure sectors (sustainable infrastructure, social infrastructure, biodiversity, water, energy, transport or similar).
Demonstrate experience/ understanding in the application of good international industry practice principles in ESG, such as but not limited to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment, UN Global Compact, the IFC Performance Standards, the Equator Principles, and relevant national legislation such as the National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998.
Demonstrate knowledge of the rule of law, justice, applicable environmental and social legislative requirements, and their application to investment processes in Africa.
Demonstrate knowledge of corporate governance and its principles (particularly within a public sector, municipal and utilities context), ESG, and responsible investing.
Working knowledge of BBBEE and gender considerations.
Innovative approaches/experience on how to improve sustainability within development finance institutions and the financial services sector.
Good knowledge of financial markets and ESG considerations in the development finance, financial services, and investment sector.
Proven ability to undertake research, analyse, and synthesise diverse ESG-related data (especially climate-related) and information to deliver independent, high-quality professional reports.
Proven ability to communicate ideas clearly and confidently, and present ideas to clients and industry partners.
Must be able to travel for business purposes.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
Understanding of ESG reporting requirements and frameworks such as TCFD, Sustainability frameworks/assessments, Green House Gas Protocol, etc.
Basic knowledge of carbon footprinting, carbon footprinting tools and the ability to apply the tools
Understanding of gender mainstreaming and grievance redress mechanisms.

Desirable Requirements

Professional registration with a relevant professional body.
Professional certifications in sustainability or ESG (e.g., ESG investing, environmental and social risk management, climate finance).

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

Presentation Skills

Can reinforce key presentation points with examples.
Is able to translate technical terminology into language understandable to the audience.
Has insight into the audience’s behaviour and motivation and responds appropriately and professionally, adapting communication style as appropriate.

Reporting

Designs / customises reports to meet user needs.
Prepares complex or tailored reports, gathers information from a variety of sources, analyses and includes in a report.
Keeps standard reports under review and proposes improvements to meet user needs.

Problem Solving

Identifies complex problems based on a broad range of factors, many of which are ambiguous or difficult to define.
While remaining guided by organisational values, identifies optimal solutions, thinking first in terms of possible approaches and flexibilities in the system vs. blind adherence to rules or procedures.
Implements solutions to complex problems, then evaluates the effectiveness and efficiency of solutions and identifies needed changes.

Planning and Organising

Plans and manages multiple priorities and deadlines.
Uses effectively advance time management processes to deal with high workload and tight deadlines.
Organises, prioritises, and schedules tasks so they can be performed within budget and with the efficient use of time and resources.
Achieves goals in a timely manner, despite obstacles encountered, by organising, reprioritising, and re-planning
Can model a range of scenarios covering all potential business circumstances and highlight potential risks/opportunities.

Environmental, social & governance expertise

Has an in-depth understanding of environmental and social science and law and can analyse reliable, relevant, and verifiable information, test hypotheses, and conclude.
Knowledge on how to approach socio-institutional risk at the transactional/ investment level
Ability to apply environmental, social and governance risk analysis to an investment scenario and propose mitigants to close investment deals.
Knowledge of relevant environmental, social and governance tools and operating models applicable to the infrastructure sector and uses that knowledge to identify best practices.
Able to draw on environmental, social and governance knowledge to identify unique opportunities to enhance business performance for potential DBSA clients.
Has some knowledge around the Task Force for Climate Related Disclosures and/ or the Green House Gas Protocol/ Carbon accounting/ carbon footprinting
Understands the application of GIIP with the infrastructure sector and can communicate this to clients and position the DBSA as a leader in green infrastructure financing.
Ability to analyse and interpret financial information and unpack the ESG implications for transactions.

Research & Analysis

Ability to propose investment solutions through analysis and solutioning.
Proactively identifies the need for, initiates, plans and manages research projects as necessary.
High level of skill in the use of advanced/complex analytical techniques, tools and models covering all potential business circumstances (such as GHG screening, resource utilisation and quantification) and highlighting potential risks/opportunities.
Translates research reports into lucid and valid summaries and gives effective presentations of the findings.
Able to translate findings into reports and present findings to key stakeholders and important meetings.
Advises on the formulation and revision of policy in the light of research findings.

Business Acumen

Uses a methodical problem-solving approach to support effective decision-making, considering importance, urgency, and risk.
Thorough and in-depth understanding of the business environment, reviews outputs of analysis to relate these to operational circumstances.
Monitors the environment and continuously seeks opportunities to align DBSA operations with national, regional, and international GIIP and standards environment.
Understands South African public and private stakeholder community issues/challenges and can build win-win relationships with them.
Envisions, creates, and facilitates connections to develop and enhance partnerships, alliances and networks that advance shared interests.

Project Management

Defines, plans and manages large and/or strategic projects, including those with a high degree of technical complexity, with impacts across the organisation and/or with national implications.
Assembles and leads diverse and multidisciplinary teams, ensuring maximum effective resource utilisation.
Successfully manages substantial project budgets, required SCM processes and reports directly to senior managers on the progress and results of projects.
Identifies complex issues that need escalation and proposes appropriate corrective actions.

Risk Identification & Assessment skills

Advises on applicable aspects of risk identification and assessment.
Assesses and links short-term tasks in the context of long-term business strategies or perspectives.

Required Personal Attributes

LEADERSHIP/BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES

Achievement Orientation

Ability to act on feedback and take/ use constructive criticism to revise the course of a deliverable or action, should this be required.
Flexibility and the ability to identify and work with different views and perspectives
Undertakes challenging assignments and strives to complete them.
Sets priorities and chooses goals on the basis of calculated costs, anticipated benefits and improvement of performance.
Aims at exceptional performance; setting out to achieve a unique standard.
Constantly analyses outcomes to ensure the achievement of business goals.
Identifies short-term opportunities or potential problems, aiming to achieve better outcomes.

Customer Service Orientation

Tries to understand the underlying needs of customers and matches these needs to available or customised products and services.
Adapts processes and procedures to meet ongoing customer needs.
Utilises the feedback received by customers to develop new and/or improve existing services/products that relate to their ongoing needs.
Thinks of new ways to align DBSA’s offerings with future customer needs.

Integrity

Is willing to end a business relationship because it was associated with unethical business practices.
Is capable of challenging senior management (in an appropriate and respectable manner) in order to act on espoused values.

Leading and Empowering Others

Creates the conditions that enable the team to perform at its best (e.g., setting clear direction, providing appropriate structure, getting the right people, obtain needed resources).
Monitors performance against clear standards, addresses performance issues promptly and takes action to get performance back to desired levels.
Proactively asks for feedback on own performance from team members, aiming to become more effective.
Ensures tasks are delegated so that team members are empowered to deliver results and develop their capabilities.

Strategic and Innovative Thinking

Recognises opportunities or potential problems, before they become obvious, by seeing the connections in a range of sources of information, including insights from outside DBSA.
Restates complex knowledge in a way that makes it easier for others to understand.
Experiments with new approaches, tests scenarios, questions assumptions and challenges conventional thinking.
Creates new concepts that are not obvious to others, leveraging internal and external sources of information, to build incremental revenue and growth opportunities.

Teamwork & Cooperation

Acts to promote a friendly climate and good morale and resolves conflicts.
Creates opportunities for cross-functional working.
Encourages others to network outside of their own team/department and learn from their experience.

Policy

The DBSA reserves the right to amend or remove vacancies in line with organisational requirements.

All vacancies can be viewed on the DBSA website (www.dbsa.org) under Careers.

PLEASE APPLY HERE

PRINCIPAL PROJECT PREPARATION OFFICER

Details

Closing Date

2026/05/08

Reference Number

DBS260423-1

Job Title

Principal Project Preparation Officer

Job Grade

Job Type Classification

Permanent

Location - Town / City

Midrand

Location - Province

Gauteng

Location - Country

South Africa

Job Profile (Downloadable)

Principal Project Preparation Officer _Job Profile.pdf (338.08 kb) - 4/23/2026 12:51:18 PM

Job Description

The purpose of this role is to lead the preparation of projects from the end of pre-feasibility through to the commitment of project preparation funding to increase the DBSA’s investment pipeline and disbursements in priority sectors in South Africa, the SADC Region and Selected African Countries in line with the approved Project Preparation Strategy.

Key Responsibilities

Project Preparation Planning

Contribute to the development of the strategic and operational direction to prepare projects in collaboration with Governments, State-Owned Entities (SOEs), Regional Economic Communities (e.g. SADC), the Private Sector and other Project Preparation Facilities.
Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to develop a pipeline of quality projects in priority sectors and focus countries:
Economic cost-benefit analysis.
Confirm the development impact of the project and structure accordingly.
Conduct innovative structuring of complex transactions.
Appropriate structuring of the project (project finance or corporate finance) to finance, own, operate and maintain the project.
Liaise with a multidisciplinary team to support programme implementation, identifying funding needs for the project development.
Provide inputs to prepare bankable feasibility data packs to enable financial modelling, investment appraisal, and structuring.

Project Preparation Implementation

Identify sectoral and product experts and specialists required to undertake the necessary project preparation work.
Conduct financial and commercial assessments to test project affordability, revenue models, commercial structures, and risk allocation frameworks.
Appraise accepted projects for the preparation facility by preparing early review reports and appraisal reports and present them to DBSA decision-making structures for approval consideration.
Verify the contents of the appraisal report, including the scope of work, terms of reference and outstanding preparation work needed to advance the project to bankability stages.
Negotiate with the sponsor on the preparation facility agreement and oversee the implementation of feasibility study activities in line with the preparation facility's implementation plan.
Prepare presentations and submissions for Investment Committees and transaction preparation governance structures.
Provide guidance and support to junior team members to ensure effective execution of their functions.

Due Diligence and Regulatory Compliance

Review projects for compliance with legislation impacting infrastructure development.
Coordinate with relevant specialists for Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) and associated management plans in accordance with IFC/World Bank standards, local regulatory requirements, and climate-resilient development principles.
Validate and adhere to all legislative, sector policy, and regulatory conditions that are embedded into feasibility outputs.
Maintain a risk register covering commercial and execution risks and provide risk mitigation strategies.

Relationship Management and Stakeholder Relations

Facilitate continuous communication with clients/ projects that the DBSA has funded to adequately support the Division’s monitoring function.
Network and maintain relationships with key internal and external stakeholders to develop specific investment opportunities further.
Build and maintain strong relationships with clients at global, regional, and local levels, including businesses, banking and multilateral partners and government officials, to further develop specific project preparation opportunities.
Manage relationships at various levels with the relevant project stakeholders, partners, and lead promoters, in accordance with the project’s preparation objectives and products.
Undertake other tasks as assigned by the line manager, from time to time.

Key Measurements of Outputs

Number and quality of Project Preparation Appraisal Reports (PAR) submitted, approved and committed.
Quality loan book as represented by reduced non-performing loans.
% of the loan book in priority geographies and sectors.
Number of new clients and projects.
Number of potential projects worked on.
Management of clients.
Demonstration of thought coaching and or mentoring to transfer skills.
Clean Audit.

Expertise & Technical Competencies

Minimum Qualification

A Postgraduate Degree in Business, Economics, Engineering, Finance or related.

Minimum Experience

A minimum of 10 years’ experience in appraising, negotiating and committing project preparation in support of corporate finance, or structured finance transactions in a financial institution.
Understanding of international economic & financial relations, specific experience in doing business in South Africa and outside South Africa is a requirement.
Experience in dealing with development finance institutions at the various levels of government and business.
Demonstrated expertise in financial modelling and feasibility analysis.
In-depth experience in project finance, mergers and acquisitions, equity finance experience and or property finance structuring.
Understanding of infrastructure project development, feasibility and structuring.
Knowledge of regulatory frameworks and industry best practices.

Desirable Requirements

Experience in working with Development Finance Institutions.
A post-graduate qualification e.g. CA(SA), CFA or MBA.

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

Project Management

Ability to plan, initiate, execute, control and close projects related to a relevant function as well as to track and manage resources, timelines, costs, deliverables and performance, and implement contingency plans if necessary, to ensure projects are successfully.
Defines, plans and manages large and/or strategic projects, including those with a high degree of technical complexity, with impacts across the organisation and/or with national implications.
Assembles and leads diverse and multi-disciplinary teams, ensuring maximum effective resource utilisation.
Successfully manages substantial project budgets and reports directly to senior managers on the progress and results of projects.
Identifies complex issues that need escalation and proposes appropriate corrective action by maintaining a respected profile with relevant external organisations and the research community in general.

Project Preparation

Demonstrates a sound understanding of limited recourse and balance sheet funding, the process required to prepare projects, and financing documentation required to present projects for investment decisions.
Leads an internal team of sector specialists and analysts to appraise and present transactions to internal committees.
Analyses sponsors’ financial statements, understands and reviews financial models.
Demonstrates a sound understanding of the infrastructure sector, including water, transport and energy sectors, to identify potential fatal flaws generally associated with these sectors in projects presented and key risks to be mitigated.

Solution Focus

Identifies broad, highly complex problems based on a multitude of factors, many of which are complex and sweeping in nature, difficult to define and often contradictory.
Creates procedures to articulate the nature of problems and to identify and weigh alternate solutions.
Evaluates the effectiveness of solutions using approaches tailored to the situation.

Financial Analysis

Serves as subject matter expert.
Evaluates and determines fiscal, operational, and service impacts; analyses and evaluates legislation.
Demonstrates in-depth technical and administrative knowledge of the rules and regulations in the subject area and can defend analyses, testimony, and recommendations relating to a variety of issues before management and commissions.

Risk Management

Drives integration and standardisation of risk management processes across the organisation.
Advises on the application of the organisation’s risk management policies, industry best practices and constructs organisation guidelines.
Analyses trends in risk management and internal control, evaluates implications, defines, and implements organisation-wide response.

Negotiation

Has an appreciation of cultural sensitivities and differences.
Effectively employs a variety of advanced behavioural/interpersonal competencies to control the negotiation situation.
Can take the lead in a variety of sensitive negotiation situations requiring high levels of tact and diplomacy.
Can place a discrete negotiation situation within the context of a broader long-term relationship and is not threatened by conceding ground to protect the longer-term interests of DBSA.

Commercial Awareness

Deep understanding of commercial drivers and can make decisions based on an assessment of alternatives concerning complex business situations.
Deep understanding of DBSA economic priorities and how they can be implemented to meet DBSA's strategic objectives.
Deep understanding of DBSA's core sector role in achieving DBSA's strategic objectives.
Deep understanding of the need to coordinate efforts with many government entities, the private sector, community groups and individuals to ensure effective implementation of new policies and regulations.

Communication and Reporting

Able to communicate complex problems or concepts by making them simple and understandable for others.
Adapts language to the level of the audience to ensure that the message has a positive impact and is interesting to the audience.
Is articulate, demonstrates a wide range of vocabulary, and is confident when talking to large/high-level audiences.
Designs / customises reports to meet user needs.
Prepares complex or tailored reports, gathers information from a variety of sources, analyses and includes in a report.
Keeps standard reports under review and proposes improvements to meet user needs.

Presentation Skills

Knows how to deliver arguments persuasively by employing a range of advanced presentation techniques (e.g., the appropriate use of body language, how to close a presentation so that the audience continues to think about the subject matter, etc.).
Has knowledge of various feedback mechanisms to check levels of audience understanding.

Required Personal Attributes

BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES

Achievement Orientation

Focuses on new or more effective ways of improving own work and meeting targets.
Focuses on raising quality, customer satisfaction and revenues.
Makes specific changes to systems and processes to improve efficiency and quality.
Formulates own objectives and action plans to achieve a measurable improvement in the future.

Analytical Thinking

Identifies multiple elements of a problem and breaks down each of those elements in detail, showing causal relationships between them.
Uses several analytical techniques to identify several solutions and weighs the value of each.

Conceptual thinking

Creates new concepts that are not obvious to others and not learned from previous education or experience to explain situations or resolve problems.
Looks at things in a significantly novel way, breakthrough thinking.

Strategic and Innovative thinking

Recognises opportunities or problems emerging in patterns and trends, and their impact on the business and profitability drivers.
Applies learning from previous situations and experiences.
Sees underlying causality in the current situation. Applies business acumen to make sound decisions.
Recognises opportunities or potential problems, before they become obvious, by seeing the connections in a range of sources of information, including insights from outside DBSA.
Restates complex knowledge in a way that makes it easier for others to understand.

Commercial Business Acumen

Understands business fundamentals.
Analyses and comprehends organisational goals and strategies.
Understands tactical business fundamentals in the public sector environment and incorporates them into decision-making.

Teamwork

Acts to promote a friendly climate and good morale and resolves conflicts.
Creates opportunities for cross-functional working.
Encourages others to network outside of their own team/department and learn from their experience.

Policy

The DBSA reserves the right to amend or remove vacancies in line with organisational requirements.

All vacancies can be viewed on the DBSA website (www.dbsa.org) under Careers.

PLEASE APPLY HERE

INVESTMENT OFFICER (X2): CORPORATE FINANCE (SA)

Details

Closing Date

2026/05/08

Reference Number

DBS260319-2

Job Title

Investment Officer (X2): Corporate Finance (SA)

Job Grade

Job Type Classification

Permanent

Location - Town / City

Midrand

Location - Province

Gauteng

Location - Country

South Africa

Job Profile (Downloadable)

Investment Officer Generic_Job Profile_Corporate Finance SA.docx.pdf (260.64 kb) - 4/23/2026 4:05:20 PM

Job Description

The purpose of the Investment Officer role is to support the generation of deal flow and build a strong pipeline of prospective projects for development financing. This role is also responsible for structuring deals, as well as appraising, negotiating, and closing Project Finance, Corporate Finance, or Structured Finance transactions.

Key Responsibilities

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS

1. Investment and Loan Transactions

Originate, identify, structure and execute infrastructure investment opportunities in key strategic sectors/investment themes.
Perform detailed analysis of investment opportunities, including commercial analysis, financial modelling and risk and institutional analysis.
Negotiate and review transaction agreements (including finance agreements) and project documents.
Facilitate deal closure by taking responsibility for optimal financial, institutional and legal structuring.
Provide innovative and flexible financial structures for complex transactions.
Prepare Investment Committee and Board papers on investment opportunities for consideration by management and committees (including the Board).
Manage relationships at various levels with the relevant project stakeholders, partners, and lead promoters, in accordance with the project’s development objectives.
Identify and report growth opportunities to enhance market presence and implement structured and targeted marketing strategies to promote services.

2. Transaction Execution and Credit Approval

Collaborate with the Treasury, Legal, Credit and Loan Administration teams to structure and negotiate detailed term sheets, ensuring transaction approval.
Secure internal approvals and lead or participate actively in closing transactions through successful negotiations.
Manage the credit approval process from early review to final decision by the relevant committees.
Review proposals submitted to approval committees to ensure they are well-structured and documented for informed decision-making.
Resolve potential constraints in the lending value chain in collaboration with the Head of Corporate Finance.
Implement risk management procedures across financing functions, ensuring investment risks are appropriately structured and mitigated during operations.
Capture and apply learning opportunities post-transaction to drive continuous improvement and successful deal delivery.

3. Relationship Management and Business Development

Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, and private businesses, banking and multilateral partners and government officials to further develop specific investment opportunities.
Undertake business development in South Africa and position DBSA as the preferred lender/investor/partner.
Ensure continuous communication with DBSA-funded project clients to support the division’s monitoring function.
Undertake other tasks as assigned by the line manager, from time to time.

Key Measurements of Outputs (*The list is not exhaustive)

Number of transactions that are committed for DBSA funding to black-owned entities (50% shareholding and above) and fund managers.
Quality of signed agreements/mandates.
Clients and Stakeholders' service rating.
Number and quality of early review reports (ERR’s) submitted.
Revenue performance in terms of interest income and fees generated.
Percentage of the loan book in priority geographies and sectors.
Annual disbursements, commitments and approvals.
Management of relationships with new/ existing clients.

INTERNAL LIAISON RELATIONSHIP (*The list is not exhaustive)

Executive Management and applicable Board & Management committees (BCIC and Investment Committee)
Project Preparation, Origination, Risk, Strategy, Finance and Infrastructure Delivery Divisions

EXTERNAL LIAISON RELATIONSHIP (*The list is not exhaustive)

Service Providers
DBSA stakeholders and clients
National & Provincial Government
Municipalities
Governments and government departments
Public utilities
Private sector
SMMEs’ communities

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Minimum Requirements

A postgraduate qualification or equivalent in Business (such as an MBA) or Finance (CA or CFA), or Engineering, or Economics or Actuarial Science.
A minimum of 3-5 years’ experience in appraising, negotiating and closing project finance, corporate finance, or structured finance transactions in a financial institution.
Experience in working on investment projects through an established approval process.
Experience in successful investment, appraisal, analysis and implementation is required.
Experience in executing infrastructure transactions in South Africa is a requirement.
Demonstrable track record of originating, structuring and closing infrastructure transactions.
Understanding of the types of agreements/contracts typically used in corporate finance and/or limited recourse project finance.
Demonstrated ability to structure a variety of complex financial instruments (debt and equity) and analyse financial models.
Capacity to deal with conflicting priorities and deliver high-quality work on schedule; ability to work successfully in multicultural teams and across boundaries.
Commitment to ethical standards and to sustainable development with sensitivity to social and environmental challenges.
Outstanding interpersonal, diplomatic and partnership skills required for building and maintaining collaborative relationships with key stakeholders.

Expertise & Technical Competencies

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

a) Project Management

Defines, plans, and manages large and/or strategic projects, including those with a high degree of technical complexity, with impacts across the organisation and/or with national implications.
Assembles and leads diverse and multi-disciplinary teams, ensuring maximum effective resource utilisation.
Successfully manages substantial project budgets and reports directly to senior managers on the progress and results of projects.
Identifies complex issues that need escalation and proposes appropriate corrective actions.

b) Business Development

Takes overall lead for proactive business development at the national and international level.
Initiates, reviews, and interprets competitor environment reviews and takes actions accordingly.
Formulates and modifies market approaches based on competitor analyses.
Leads the formulation, development and implementation of the business development strategy to generate new business opportunities in public and private sector delivery of infrastructure.
Identifies and develops new markets, products and clients.
Leads the participation and presentation of the organisation at investment conferences and roundtable discussions.
Coordinates business activities to ensure that investment initiatives are in support of government BEE strategies, broader national and regional economic development strategies.

c) Solution Focus

Identifies broad, highly complex problems based on a multitude of factors, many of which are complex and sweeping in nature, difficult to define and often contradictory.
Creates procedures to articulate the nature of problems and to identify and weigh alternate solutions.
Evaluates the effectiveness of solutions using approaches tailored to the situation.

d) Deal Structuring

Uses credit enhancement techniques to structure deals and optimise pricing in terms of Basel principles.
Has an in-depth and practical understanding of how to optimise the Capital Structure, collateral package, and debt repayment profile.
Interrogates financial models, including those with a high degree of complexity, to develop an optimal structure.
Identifies complex structural issues that need escalation and proposes appropriate bankable structures.
Demonstrates knowledge of advanced structuring, including the use of derivatives, syndicated loans, synthetic loans, securitisations, inflation-linked debt, credit default swaps and subordinated debt.
Prepares specialised or tailored reports relating to new innovative instruments, gathers information from a variety of sources, analyse and include in a report for new product approval committees.
Compiles comprehensive specialist reports as required for inclusion in credit committee submissions.

e) Financial Analysis

Serves as subject matter expert.
Evaluates and determines fiscal, operational, and service impacts; analyses and evaluates legislation; and implements and evaluates statistical models in their subject areas.
Demonstrates in-depth technical and administrative knowledge of the rules and regulations in the subject area and to defend analyses, testimony, and recommendations relating to a variety of issues before management and commissions.

f) Financial Acumen

Makes sound financial decisions after having analysed their impacts on the organisation, partner agencies, and community.
Effectively prepares budgetary submissions and forecasts for own department.
Knows the internal and external factors that impact resource and asset availability.
Can interpret management account reports in an operational/commercial context and take action as appropriate to maximise revenues and control costs.

g) Attention to detail

Quickly identifies relevant and irrelevant information to support accurate decision making.
Maps out all the logistics and details of a situation to ensure smooth and flawless implementation.
Consistently identifies all relevant details that are not obvious in complex situations.
Requires the highest standards for accuracy and quality for their work.
Establishes processes to ensure accuracy and quality of services delivered by the team.

h) Negotiation

Has an appreciation of cultural sensitivities and differences.
Effectively employs a variety of advanced behavioural/interpersonal competencies to control the negotiation situation.
Can take the lead in a variety of sensitive negotiation situations requiring high levels of tact and diplomacy.
Can place a discrete negotiation situation within the context of a broader long-term relationship and is not threatened by conceding ground to protect the longer-term interests of DBSA.

i) Commercial Awareness

Deep understanding of commercial drivers and can make decisions based on an assessment of alternatives concerning complex business situations.
Deep understanding of DBSA economic priorities and how they can be implemented to meet DBSA's strategic objectives.
Deep understanding of DBSA's core sector role in achieving DBSA's strategic objectives.
Deep understanding of the need to coordinate efforts with many government entities, the private sector, community groups and individuals to ensure effective implementation of new policies and regulations.
Takes actions to fit business strategy.
Assesses and links short-term tasks in the context of long-term business strategies or perspectives.
Reviews own actions against the organisation's strategic plan; includes the big picture when considering possible opportunities or projects, or thinks about long-term applications of current activities.
Anticipates possible responses to different initiatives.
Understands the projected direction of the industry and how changes might impact the organisation.

j) Research

Demonstrates expert skill levels in strategic and operational research techniques, including process analysis, modelling, and forecasting.
Adapts, creates, and designs new research techniques to meet the organisation's requirements.
Provides specialist coaching and guidance to researchers and other organisation employees.
Promotes the professional reputation of the organisation by maintaining a respected profile with relevant external organisations and the research community in general.

k) Communication and Reporting

Able to communicate complex problems or concepts by making them simple and understandable for others.
Adapts language to the level of the audience to ensure that the message has a positive impact and is interesting to the audience.
Is articulate, demonstrates a wide range of vocabulary, and is confident when talking to large/high-level audiences.
Designs / customises reports to meet user needs.
Prepares complex or tailored reports, gathers information from a variety of sources, analyses and includes in a report.
Keeps standard reports under review and proposes improvements to meet user needs.

l) Presentation Skills

Knows how to deliver arguments persuasively by employing a range of advanced presentation techniques (e.g., the appropriate use of body language, how to close a presentation so that the audience continues to think about the subject matter, etc.).
Knows various feedback mechanisms to check levels of audience understanding.

Required Personal Attributes

BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES

a) Customer Service Orientation

Tries to understand the underlying needs of customers and matches these needs to available or customised products and services.
Adapts processes and procedures to meet ongoing customer needs.
Utilises the feedback received by customers to develop new and/or improve existing services/ products that relate to their ongoing needs.
Thinks of new ways to align DBSA’s offerings with future customer needs.

b) Integrity

Acts consistent with basic values of openness and honesty.
Acts consistent with values and beliefs.
Acts on values when it is not easy to do so.
Acts on values when a significant cost or risk is associated with doing so.

c) Self-awareness and Self Control

Withholds effects of strong emotions in difficult situations.
Keeps functioning or responds constructively despite stress.
May apply special techniques or plan ahead of time to manage emotions or stress.

d) Achievement Orientation

Undertakes challenging assignments and strives to complete them.
Sets priorities and chooses goals based on calculated costs, anticipated benefits and improvement of performance.
Aims at exceptional performance; setting out to achieve a unique standard.
Constantly analyses outcomes to ensure the achievement of business goals.
Identifies short-term opportunities or potential problems, aiming to achieve better outcomes.

e) Analytical Thinking

Identifies multiple elements of a problem and breaks down each of those elements in detail, showing causal relationships between them.
Uses several analytical techniques to identify several solutions and weighs the value of each.

f) Conceptual thinking

Creates new concepts that are not obvious to others and not learned from previous education or experience to explain situations or resolve problems.
Looks at things in a significantly novel way, breakthrough thinking.

g) Strategic and Innovative thinking

Experiments with new approaches, tests scenarios, questions assumptions and challenges conventional thinking.
Creates new concepts that are not obvious to others, leveraging internal and external sources of information, to build incremental revenue and growth opportunities.
Recognises opportunities or problems emerging in patterns and trends, and their impact on the business and profitability drivers.
Applies learning from previous situations and experiences.
Sees underlying causality in the current situation. Applies business acumen to make sound decisions.
Recognises opportunities or potential problems, before they become obvious, by seeing the connections in a range of sources of information, including insights from outside DBSA.
Restates complex knowledge in a way that makes it easier for others to understand.

h) Commercial Business Acumen

Understands business fundamentals.
Analyses and comprehends organisational goals and strategies.
Understands tactical business fundamentals in the public sector environment and incorporates them into decision-making.

i) Driving delivery of results

Sets challenging goals that will have a significant impact on the business or support the organisational strategy.
Commits significant resources and/or time to ensure that challenging goals are achieved, while also taking action to mitigate risk.

j) Teamwork

Acts to promote a friendly climate and good morale and resolves conflicts.
Creates opportunities for cross-functional working.
Encourages others to network outside of their own team/department and learn from their experience.

Policy

The DBSA reserves the right to amend or remove vacancies in line with organisational requirements.

All vacancies can be viewed on the DBSA website (www.dbsa.org) under Careers.

PLEASE APPLY HERE

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