INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (IDC) VACANCIES

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CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER - LOCALISATION SUPPORT FUND (LSF)
Job number IDC00399
Job Grade E Band
Closing date 03-Nov-2024
 
Synopsis
Purpose of the Role
The CEO of the Localisation Support Fund (LSF) will be responsible for leading the strategic and operational direction of the organization, ensuring it effectively delivers on its mandate of promoting industrial growth, competitiveness and localisation in South Africa. Reporting to the Board, the CEO will build and lead a capable team, ensuring the organization has the necessary skills in key areas such as programme and project development; project management; deal-making; strategy; research; advocacy, stakeholder engagement; and monitoring and evaluation.
This role requires an individual with a deep understanding of the South African manufacturing landscape and the ability to foster relationships with public and private stakeholders to drive the LSF’s strategic objectives
 
Job Description
 
Overview of the LSF
Established as a non-profit company in 2021 and funded by private sector contributors, the LSF exists to catalyse and enable deepening industrialisation through programmatic interventions that enhance the competitiveness of South African manufacturing in ways that both grow exports and increase localisation.
The LSF’s strategy is focused on promoting industrial growth through export competitiveness and localisation in key sectors within South Africa, with an emphasis on enhancing the country’s manufacturing capabilities. This strategy aims to identify and unblock export and localisation opportunities by providing targeted technical support at cluster and firm level, fostering strategic partnerships, implementing initiatives that drive competitiveness and value chain development in ways that address regulatory barriers, and binding constraints in the manufacturing ecosystem and related and supporting industries. The LSF prioritizes technical support, project development, stakeholder engagement, and research-backed decision-making to ensure impactful interventions.
As a network orchestrator within the localisation ecosystem, the LSF facilitates end-to-end connection and alignment between supply- and demand-side participants. It enhances the value of these interactions by funding industry research and deploying technical expert resources to accelerate or unblock growth opportunities in the manufacturing sector.
 
Qualification and Experience
 
Qualifications:

• A relevant tertiary-level qualification in business, economics, industrial policy, or related fields.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in a leadership role within a public or private sector entity, ideally with exposure to industrial development, localisation, or economic development at an Executive level.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multi-disciplinary teams and oversee complex projects.
• Experience in dealing with government entities, policy development, and stakeholder management is highly advantageous.

 
Roles and Responsibilities
 
Strategic Leadership

• Execute the LSF’s overall strategy, ensuring alignment with its mission of catalysing industrial growth through export competitiveness and localisation.
• Ensure that the organization’s programmes of support are scalable, impactful, and aligned with the LSF’s strategic goals.
• Lead the design and implementation of new initiatives that address key manufacturing competitiveness challenges in priority sectors with a view to growing exports and/or localisation.

Operational Leadership and governance

• Manage the organisation in line with the strategic plan, in strict compliance with the Articles of Association and the regulatory requirements as a Public Benefit Organisation, and within the limits of authority delegated to the CEO by the board from time to time;
• Develop annual objectives and periodic business, funding and operating plans and budgets for the organisation, recommend such objectives, plans and budgets to the board for adoption, monitor and report such organisational performance to the Board;
• Ensure the efficient allocation of the financial, human and other resources required by the organisation to achieve its strategic goals;
• Oversee the implementation of effective control, monitoring and performance standards and systems relative to the utilization of all organisational resources;
• Ensure appropriate and timely disclosure of material information with respect to the organisations affairs; and

Organizational Development

• Build and lead a multidisciplinary team capable of delivering high-impact projects across different manufacturing value chains.
• Foster a results-oriented organizational culture focused on performance, continuous learning, and adaptability.
• Ensure organizational growth by securing necessary technical, financial, and human resources to deliver on the LSF’s mandate.

Programme Development and Management

• Oversee the proactive identification, development, and implementation of programmes and projects that upgrade local manufacturing competitiveness.
• Establish and enhance processes for evaluating project proposals and ensuring alignment with LSF’s strategic goals.
• Lead the team in managing and executing projects efficiently and effectively, ensuring delivery within set timelines and budgets.

Stakeholder Engagement & Advocacy

• Act as the primary advocate for the LSF, representing the organization at key forums and ensuring close collaboration with stakeholders across government, industry, and research.
• Build strategic partnerships with industry associations, businesses, and investors to further LSF’s localisation objectives.
• Drive advocacy efforts to promote the importance of industrialisation and localisation in South Africa.

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Develop robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks to track the impact and success of LSF interventions.
• Ensure that projects are aligned with the LSF’s defined success metrics and that results are measured and reported to stakeholders.

Project Development

• Expertise in identifying, scoping, and developing high-impact localisation projects.
• Experience in assessing industry needs and translating them into actionable projects.

Project Management

• Strong capacity to manage complex, multi-stakeholder projects from inception to completion.
• Ability to ensure that projects are delivered on time, within scope, and budget.

Deal Making

• Proven track record in structuring and securing deals, particularly in the context of public-private partnerships and funding arrangements.
• Negotiation skills to engage with government entities, financial institutions, and industrial players.

Strategy & Research

• Expertise in conducting industry research and developing strategic initiatives to inform policy and programming.
• Ability to align research outcomes with broader strategic goals of industrialisation.

Stakeholder Outreach & Advocacy

• Deep networks within the public and private sectors.
• Strong advocacy skills to build consensus around industrialisation goals and drive support from key stakeholders.

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Experience in designing and implementing M&E frameworks to track progress and impact.

Ability to gather insights and make data-driven decisions to improve future interventions.
 
Job Requirements
 
Leadership & Management

• Hands-On Leadership: Actively involved in setting strategic direction and day-to-day operations while empowering the team while keeping an un-relenting eye on strategic direction. A real team player, neither deferential nor hierarchical, but decisive and takes ownership and accountability.
• Team Development: Focuses on developing and nurturing talent, building a strong, cohesive team, and fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement while being very much part of that team.
• Decision-Making: Makes informed decisions, taking the team and stakeholders along.

Operational Expertise:

• Structure & Process creation and optimization: Strong ability to design, shape and determine the most effective and efficient operating dynamic all the way from strategy-setting all the way through to project implementation, translate processes into powerful tools for performance tracking and management.
• Resource Management: Adept at deploying and managing resources effectively, prioritizing investments (of all descriptions) that maximize ROI.
• Project Management: Skilled in planning, executing, and overseeing multiple projects, ensuring they align with the LSF’s strategic goals.

Strategic Capability:

• Strategic Agility: Ability to connect strategy to operational plans allowing the team to refine strategic thinking and plans and action continuously.
• Scale-Oriented: Focuses on scaling impact, identifying new opportunities, and expanding the LSF’s impact footprint.
• Innovation-Driven: Encourages innovation within the team, looking for new ways to deliver value to stakeholders.
• Stakeholder-Centric: Deep understanding of the needs of stakeholders and the manufacturing eco-system, and a commitment to delivering exceptional value through partnerships.

Strategic Relationship Management

• Understanding of manufacturing value-chain and ecosystem stakeholder landscape, ensuring that the LSF is geared towards partnerships and collaborations appropriate to its strategic impact aspirations in a complex system dynamic.
• Securing and building trust-based, mission-aligned, robust and balanced relationships with key stakeholders.
• Deploying a style of empathy and influence, rather than mandate, with key stakeholders and soliciting input from all sides before making key strategic decisions.
• Negotiating contracts, agreements and partnerships balancing between commercial and impact terms with vigour and resilience.
• Creating a stakeholder-oriented mindset and accountability across the team.

Financial Acumen:

• Budget Management: Proficient in managing budgets, forecasting, and ensuring the LSF remains financially judicious and accountable.

Communication Skills:

• Internal Communication: Clear, transparent communicator who keeps the team informed and aligned with the mission and goals.
• External Relations: Ability to represent and amplify the influence of the LSF effectively to stakeholders, funders, and partners.
• Reporting Systems: Oversight of all the necessary systems and processes that allow the LSF to communicate accurately, on financial, operational and impact measures, internally and externally.

 
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SENIOR ECONOMIST
Job number IDC00396
Job Grade M Band
Closing date 03-Nov-2024
 
Job Description
The purpose of the role is to conduct macro-economic and sectoral analysis and forecasting. This includes conducting quantitative and qualitative analyses, contributing to the expansion of IDC modelling capacity, compiling macro-economic research reports, compiling publications, and presentations on economic matters for the IDC, and its stakeholders.
 
Qualifications and Experience

• Honours degree in economics, econometrics (or equivalent qualification)
• Masters degree (e.g. M. Commerce (Economics/Econometrics) or M. Science (Economics/Econometrics)) will be an added advantage.

 
Knowledge and Experience

• 8 to 10 years relevant experience, preferably within an economic research and analysis environment.
• Substantial experience and knowledge in sourcing, compiling, interrogating, testing and analysing statistical information (e.g. national accounts, international trade etc), for use in quantitative analyses.
• Understanding, knowledge and experience of the historical and current economic environment (international and domestic) and factors influencing it.
• Strong understanding, knowledge and experience of macro-economics and development economics theory and principles, as well as their application in industrial development and in the finance environment
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and an ability to understand, integrate and analyse complex information.
• Good understanding, knowledge and experience of the economic and socio-economic environment in South Africa and southern Africa, including transformation and regional development issues.

 
Roles and Responsibilities

• Conduct macro-economic and sectoral trend analysis, forecasting and economic impact assessments.
• Conduct quantitative and qualitative analyses and contribute to the expansion of IDC modelling capacity.
• Compile and present macro-economic research reports, publications, and presentations on economic matters for the IDC, and its stakeholders.
• Assist in planning portfolio priorities and objectives from macro-economic and sectoral perspectives, contributing to market risk analysis.
• Participate in various strategic research projects, particularly from a macro-economic analysis perspective.
• Participate in specific fora and liaise with various external institutions.
• Provide information on economic matters to IDC at large and assist through strategic support which enables effective management of the IDC group.
• Lead and/or coordinate research projects undertaken with other economists within the department.
• Undertake technical analysis of the prices of various commodities (industrial, energy and precious metals). Forecasting of the prices of various commodities (industrial, energy and precious metals).

 
Job Requirements
 
TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

• Statistical software packages (e.g. EViews, R, Python etc)
• Report writing skills
• Strong Analytical and diagnostic skills
• Problem solving
• Business/commercial acumen
• Stakeholder management
• Technical analysis
• Project management skills
• Teamwork

 
BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES

• Negotiating and influencing
• Presentation and communication skills
• Deciding and initiating.
• Planning and organizing
• Operating within a multi-cultural environment
• Coping with pressures and setbacks
• Problem-solving skills

 
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SENIOR INDUSTRY ANALYST
Job number IDC00397
Job Grade M Band
Closing date 03-Nov-2024
 
Job Description
The purpose of the role is to conduct in-depth research and strategic analysis of value chains and industries, as well as ongoing analysis of supply- and demand-side conditions in various markets, leading to the identification of development opportunities and potential interventions to enhance their competitiveness, expand existing production capacity and encourage value addition, contribute to the introduction of new production capacity or industrial activities, and promote economic transformation, in support of the IDC’s industrial and broader development mandate.
 
Qualification and Experience
Qualifications:

• An Honours degree in economics (or equivalent commercial qualification)
• Master’s Degree (e.g. M. Commerce; M. Science (Economics) will be an added advantage

Knowledge and Experience

• 8 to 10 years relevant experience, preferably within an economic research environment.
• Substantial knowledge and experience in conducting in-depth value chain/industry/sectoral research and analysis.
• Substantial experience and knowledge in sourcing, compiling, interrogating, testing and analysing statistical information, for use in quantitative and qualitative analyses.
• Substantial experience as a participant in, and as a contributor to the coordination of economic research projects of a varied nature.
• Sound knowledge and experience of economic policies, as well as a strong understanding of the economic environment (international and domestic) and factors influencing it.
• Experience and knowledge in policy-related research matters, particularly sector- or industry-specific, in order to advise the corporation, or the shareholder, on policy formulation and strategic orientation/alignment.
• Knowledge of the methods/tools/techniques utilised in undertaking industry research and analysis, and their effective application.
• Proficiency in technical analysis.
• Strong understanding of development economics theory and principles, as well as their application in industrial development and in the finance environment.
• Good understanding of the economic and socio-economic environment in South Africa and southern Africa, including transformation and regional development issues.

 
Roles and Responsibilities

• Conducting in-depth analysis of specific value chains/industries/sub-sectors, including their composition, performance, recent trends, outlook, risks and development potential, leading to strategic recommendations and the compilation of reports, publications, speeches and presentations.
• Contributing to the formulation of strategies for value chain/industry/sector development.
• Providing inputs into macro-economic and sectoral forecasting.
• Disseminating value chain/industry-/sector-specific research and information, both internally and externally.
• Assisting in planning portfolio priorities from a sectoral perspective, including investment potential as well as associated developmental returns and risks.
• Analysing, on a continuous basis, supply- and demand-side conditions in various industrial markets and their future prospects, leading to the identification of implications for IDC’s portfolio and of opportunities for further/future development.
• Undertaking technical analysis of competitiveness of industries
• Participating in new product development (e.g., funding/support schemes).
• Representing the IDC’s Research and Information Department at industry/sector specific fora.
• Participating in economic research projects of a varied nature, including research that is oriented towards socio-economic development, regional development, value chain development and/or cluster development.

 
Job Requirements
TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

• Report writing skills
• Analytical and diagnostic skills
• Value chain analysis
• Problem solving
• Business/commercial acumen
• Stakeholder management
• Technical analysis
• Project management skills
• Teamwork

 
BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES

• Negotiating and influencing
• Presentation and communication skills
• Deciding and initiating.
• Planning and organising
• Operating withing a multi-cultural environment
• Coping with pressures and setbacks

 
APPLY NOW