Job Description

The Infrastructure Fund (IF) announced by the President in September 2018 addresses the need for a dedicated blended financing facility for infrastructure programme projects. The aim of the IF is to transform public infrastructure financial provisioning using "blended" finance - combining capital from the public and private sectors and Development Finance Institutions (DFIs)/Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). This will be dedicated to meeting the financing requirements for hybrid projects.



The mandate of the Infrastructure Fund has been captured in a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the National Treasury, Infrastructure South Africa (ISA), and the DBSA, entered into on 17 August 2020. The Programme Management Specialist is responsible for designing and implementing multiple programmes leading to

funding opportunities for the IF. These programmes, amongst others, are large-scale infrastructure projects and

programmes that involve Public Private Partnerships.

Key Responsibilities

Key Performance Areas:

1. Strategic Support


Develop, implement and monitor a portfolio of large-scale infrastructure projects and programmes involving

multiple stakeholders from cradle to completion.

Facilitate early and privileged access to the pipeline of large infrastructure projects to position the organisation

for improved funding opportunities and strategic deal participation.

Prepare investment proposals for management and the Board of Directors to consider.


2. Deal Flow and Origination



Support the steady flow of deals in the IF through:

a) Project Preparation Support

o Partner with project owners, sponsors, and public institutions to transform concepts into bankable

opportunities.

o Provide technical input into prefeasibility and feasibility studies, designs, and cost estimates.

o Identify and address technical, environmental, social, and commercial gaps affecting bankability.

o Ensure alignment with sector standards, regulatory frameworks, and investment criteria.

o Support project structuring to attract blended finance and private sector participation.



b) Technical Due Diligence & Appraisal

o Conduct independent technical due diligence for projects under credit/investment review.

o Review design, technology choices, cost assumptions, and construction/operational plans.

o Assess alignment with international standards (FIDIC, IFC Performance Standards, ECSA, national building

codes).

o Prepare technical reports and red-flag assessments for investment committees.



c) Risk Assessment & De-risking

o Identify and evaluate technical, commercial, regulatory, and implementation risks.

o Recommend risk mitigation measures (e.g., performance bonds, insurance, O&M structures).

o Assess the accuracy of risks factored into financial models and pricing to support bankability.

o De-risk the technical and commercial risk aspects of projects.

o Facilitate improved understanding, assessment and pricing of project risks.



d) Monitoring & Implementation Oversight

o Verify the fulfilment of technical conditions precedent to support disbursement.

o Monitor construction progress, completion testing, and commissioning milestones.

o Conduct site visits, review progress reports, and flag deviations (cost overruns, delays, technical failures).

o Recommend corrective actions to safeguard project performance and repayment.



e) Portfolio-Level Support

o Provide sector technical insights to guide pipeline development and portfolio strategy.



o Develop benchmarks, cost libraries, and sector guidelines to support future projects.

o Capture lessons learned from completed projects to strengthen institutional knowledge.



3. Programme Management


Design, develop and implement project/programme plans, budgets, resources and deliverables according to the

clients' and funders' agreements.

Identify and implement measures to prevent project/programme delays by actively engaging and managing

multiple project/programme offices.

Prepare/develop project costing methodologies, cost control procedures and financial monitoring systems to

ensure that projects/programmes are completed within budget and on time.

Prepare detailed programme documentation, including phased plans, implementation schedules, budgets and

variance reports, resource allocations, and work plans aligned with IF objectives.

Provide status reporting regarding programme milestones, deliverables, dependencies, risks and issues,

communicating across leadership and identified stakeholders.

Lead the procurement of adequate resources to achieve programme objectives within planned timeframes.

Perform other strategic and other duties as assigned.

Key Measurements of Outputs:

1. Value of bankable projects

2. Quality of investment book

3. Number of new clients and projects

4. Number of potential projects worked on

5. Management of client relationships and key stakeholders

6. Investor satisfaction with invested projects/programmes

7. Clean audit

Expertise & Technical Competencies

Qualifications and Experience:

Minimum Requirements



1. A Bachelor's Degree or BTech in Engineering.

2. A minimum of 8 years experience in infrastructure projects/programmes implementation.

3. A track record in sourcing viable and bankable projects, structuring and closing investments in SA will be an

advantage.

4. Proven ability to manage large-scale infrastructure projects and programmes, PPPs and project finance.

5. Demonstrated ability in working on new or innovative projects/programmes.

6. A track record in participating in projects and programmes involving multiple stakeholders.



7. Knowledge of legislation, regulations, policies, processes and procedures governing the infrastructure planning and

development in South Africa (e.g. PFMA).

8. Good understanding of the complex legal and regulatory environment for infrastructure and infrastructure

procurement in SA.

9. Proven ability to prepare good quality reports, documents and presentations for Executive Management, Board and

high-level stakeholders.

10. Good understanding of the infrastructure landscape, financial markets, political economics, macroeconomics, as

well as socio-economic development issues, challenges and opportunities in South Africa and the rest of Africa.

11. Proven ability to put yourself in the client's / funders' shoes and understand the motivations that underlie

behaviours of interest.

12. Demonstrated ability to undertake complex strategic initiatives and successfully execute projects to successful

execution.



Desirable Requirements



1. Postgraduate qualification in Engineering.

2. Qualification in Project / Programme Management.

3. Project / Programme Management experience in the public infrastructure sector.

Technical Competencies:

a) 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.


b) Business Development



Pro-actively pursues 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. Supports Lead Programme Management Specialist with 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. Prepares presentations for an organisation and can participate in 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.

Promotes compliance and alignment with the strategic imperatives of both individual clients and the

organisation of investment and development interventions.

Builds capacity to coordinate, control and manage the activities and efforts required for the implementation of

the plan.

Builds capacity to conduct project origination exercises.

c) Business Acumen



Good understanding of commercial drivers and can make decisions based on an assessment of alternatives

concerning complex business situations.

Good understanding of economic priorities of South Africa and Africa and how they can be implemented to meet

the organisation's strategic objectives.

Good 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.

d) Deal Origination



Identify, conceptualise and structure projects and opportunities and develop new and alternative financing

mechanisms.

Formulate and develop new and alternative financing mechanisms and concepts that can be replicated

elsewhere within and outside SA.

Conceptualise and develop innovative funding instruments (equity, venture capital, mezzanine, debt,

securitisation of projects, etc.) to finance infrastructure that would otherwise not be possible, relying on the

market only to develop and propose these investment opportunities.

Proactively develop impact concepts to take to the market. Formulate new products.

e) Negotiation Skills



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.

f) 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.

Identifies complex issues that need escalation and proposes appropriate corrective actions.

g) Planning & Organising



Demonstrates advanced planning and organising skills. Identifies and acts on opportunities to partner with other units in the department to achieve desired results. Develops integrated plans for the work unit and others that interface with the function's budget.

h) 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.

i) Reporting & Communication



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. Designs, reviews and improves reporting processes and provides guidance. Assists with the production of complex environment reports, takes an editorial role, determines content and level

of detail, and ensures consistent messaging and branding.

Is relied on by others to help them write complex technical and non-technical documents and briefs. 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.

j) 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:

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 the IF'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) Teamwork & Cooperation

Acts to promote a friendly climate and good morale and resolves conflicts.

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Creates opportunities for cross-functional working.