British High Commission Head of Economic Diversification Jobs in South Africa

British High Commission Head of Economic Diversification Jobs in South Africa

Main purpose of job:

The British High Commission in South Africa delivers a portfolio of activities to support the broad-based and inclusive growth needed for poverty reduction in South Africa. Unemployment is sky high at 33%, and 61% for youth - the rates are far higher if we include those who have given up searching for work altogether.

There is a particularly acute need to support economic diversification in Mpumalanga in order to provide the alternative employment that will enable a just transition away from coal-fired power. Our strategic priorities within the Economic Growth team include supporting trade and investment, improving business environment and economic reform, driving productivity in key sectors through employment and skills development, improving digital access, support for entrepreneurship and SMEs and sustainable urban development.

The post-holder will be the lead for our skills development and job creation work in South Africa, building and managing strategic stakeholders across all levels of government, including with the Presidency as well as with programme delivery partners, civil society and private sector. The holder will work as part of the BHC’s Economic Growth team, reporting to the Head of the Economic Development team, and work with other colleagues across the pillars of the South Africa Country Plan.

This role will be expected to oversee a portfolio of programmes and activities that deliver against our priorities for supporting economic diversification through skills development and job creation including:

Skills for Work: the UK’s programme supports skills policy and systems development with the Government of South Africa, to strengthen the pathways between education and employment. The programme will further directly fund skilling, apprenticeships, and job placement for young South Africans in high growth sectors.

Commercial Agriculture: the UK’s programme supports investment attraction and access to finance for commercial farms with the potential to scale and create jobs, with a particular focus on Mpumalanga and enabling a just transition away from coal. This is a pan-African programme, with a distinct South African focus.

SME Growth: the UK’s programme will support the growth of SMEs with the potential to scale and create jobs by assisting with business development and access to finance. This programme is currently under design, and is likely to be structured as a public-private partnership co-funded by the UK government and a large UK company.

These programmes will also help deliver the UK’s commitment to support implementation of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), especially SDG 8 “decent work and economic growth” and, but also SGD 1 “No Poverty, SDG 5 “Gender Equality”, and SDG 10 to “reduce inequalities”.

Roles and responsibilities:

Policy Co-ordination and strategy

Work across all programmes, High Commission teams and with the British Council, to develop, own and promote a collective narrative on UK support to economic diversification through job creation and skills development in South Africa.

Monitor and report on South Africa's skills, employment and job creation landscape including the emerging trends and developments in South Africa's approach to driving economic growth through these areas. This would include developing and reporting on the President’s Youth Employment Initiative and well as the job creation and skills initiatives for the Just Energy Transition Partnership.

Shape current and future programming drawing on a clear understanding of skills and job creation priorities in South Africa (including an assessment of political economy) including the multi-million-pound portfolio pipeline in these areas.

Proactively develop, manage, and strengthen UK-SA skills and job creation contacts through effective stakeholder engagement.

Help to influence key decision making at national and sub-national government, in civil society and private sector- in support of the policy objectives in the area. This will involve building relationships that help to drive forward

UK and SA priorities for skills and job creation, driving policy shifts through engagement and leveraging the programme and our wider levers to enhance progress.

Publicly represent the British High Commission as a credible voice on skills development and job creation priorities and as necessary lead on briefings, presentations, reporting and communications.

Portfolio delivery

Oversee the activities of the Skills Development and Job Creation Programmes in South Africa as delivered by the High Commission and/or contracted implementing partners, in coordination with the Programme Management Unit and central teams as relevant. This will require an ability to apply portfolio oversight, coordination, impact monitoring, financial management, risk management and stakeholder engagement skills.

Build relationships with the implementing partners to ensure delivery is monitored and impact realised. This will include pre-empting risks and ensuring that project activities deliver the expected outcomes.

Act as focal point for internal and external communication on these programmes in South Africa, ensuring the Programme’s visibility is properly managed. The post holder will support implementation of the Programmes’ communications strategy as approved by the Programmes’ governance structure. The post holder will also support the organisation and delivery of key visits, related to the implementation and promotion of these programmes.

Lead organisation of programme governance and coordination mechanisms; this means working as part of the broader South Africa Economic Growth and with the PMU, to ensure programme delivery is coherent with the BHC’s broader objectives, including those of economic growth and climate change.

Cross-cutting and Corporate support

As all other staff at post, the post holder is expected to participate in wider British High Commission activities. These may include being active on various committees and in other corporate roles.

The post holder will also need to ensure Gender Equality Act compliance and support BHC ambitions on women’s economic opportunities, inclusive growth and poverty reduction throughout the team.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

University degree, preferably in economics, public policy, international relations, development, social sciences or another related course

Minimum 5 years of work experience, ideally with skills, employment, labour market, private sector development or job creation policy insight and project/programme management experience, preferably with international stakeholders

Experience managing delivery partners

Understanding of skills, employment, job creation and private sector development issues in South Africa

Strong interpersonal, communication and relationship skills

Demonstrable experience of delivery and managing a large and/or complex portfolio of projects

Fluency in written and spoken English

Excellent presentation skills

Team player, driven by values

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience

Policy experience in at least one of the following will be essential, and awareness of / interest in a further areas will be highly desirable: skills, technical vocational education and training, employment, labour market, human capital development, private sector development and SME growth and finance

Experience at policy, regulatory as well as field level will be considered relevant

Experience of working in an international development context, including managing/working with development programmes, including in South Africa

Experience of working in or with government in South Africa. Experience of working in the private sector or organised civil society in relevant fields (e.g. skills, employment, job creation)

How to Apply

For more information and job application details, see; British High Commission Head of Economic Diversification Jobs in South Africa

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