General Manager: Strategic Partnerships and

**Job Advert Summary**:
The Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), an initiative of the Department of Science and Innovation, has a mandate to enable and support technology innovations across all sectors of the economy in order to achieve socio-economic benefits for South-Africa and to enhance its global competitiveness.

TIA is a public entity with the aim of enhancing the country’s capacity to translate a greater proportion of local research and development from higher education institutions, science councils, public entities and private research institutions into commercial technology products and services.

In executing its mandate, the organisation provides funding and non-funding support to stimulate innovation so that it provides a catalytic impact to the economy whilst improving people’s lives and protecting the environment.

TIA is a talent driven, customer
- centric and impact focused organisation. In our endeavour to support technology innovation with socio-economic outcomes, we seek to infuse the organisation with team players that find resonance as value creators, agile thinkers, progressive attitudes, customer-centricity, dynamic work ethic and an optimistic disposition. We aim to harness these attributes in a manner that they culminate into a culture of teamwork, impact and accountability.

The Agency reserves the right not to make an appointment.

**Purpose of the Position**:
To promote increased collaboration and partnerships to advance the organisation’s strategic priorities through third-party funding. In doing so, the job incumbent will be expected to lead and coordinate fund-raising activities and drive strategic positioning of the Technology Innovation Agency nationally and internationally.

**Minimum Requirements**:
**Qualifications**
- ** **Postgraduate degree in Social Sciences/Economics/International Relations or related fields (NQF Level 8)
- Master’s Qualification will be an added advantage.

**Experience**
- ** **Ten (10) years’ experience in a business development management or stakeholder relations position.
- At least 5 years proven experience in a senior management position with responsibility for strategy development and implementation as well as people and financial management.
- Experience in engaging senior stakeholders at Executive and Board level.

**Knowledge and Skills**
- ** **Knowledge of corporate governance and corporate relations management
- Commercial decision making
- Financial budgeting and reporting
- Report writing skills
- Relationship building
- Assertive

**Duties and Responsibilities**:
**Strategic Management**
- Identify, build and nurture trust and collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
- Lead conversations with industry around issues and specialisation. Act as an industry expert.
- Interact closely with CEO, EXCO, Board, government officials, the public and other stakeholders in maintaining positive relationships for the organisation.
- Engage with industry stakeholders to position the organisation strategically.

**Operations Management**
- Responsible for the development and implementation or work plans to guide the implementation of projects.
- Ensure communication, knowledge sharing and interdependence across divisions to maximise efficiency in the organisation.
- Make use of analytics for decision-making and forecasting purposes.
- Approve the costing of projects in line with delegation of authority.
- Understand and define the key requirements to take initiative to market.
- Oversee project management including review and project reporting, pre-approval, on-going progress reporting and close out.
- Determine the appropriate next stage to follow on projects and pro-actively engage with appropriate sponsors to socialise the projects and attract next stage funding and keep momentum of project going.
- Oversee negotiation of contracts with stakeholders.
- Drive implementation of technology on projects/programmes if appropriate.

**Financial Management**
- Responsible for the preparation and presentation of the annual budget for investment divisions in line with the PFMA.
- Ensure the financial focus is aligned to the strategy of the organisation.
- Obtain approval for multi-year disbursement targets.
- Make decisions around how and where awarded money is spent.
- Monitor and advise staff on achieving disbursement targets.
- Procure, manage and supervise third
- party contractors or service providers.
- Critical review of the monthly reporting and analyse and investigate and / or action all areas of discrepancy.
- Monitor and evaluate all projects to ensure success completion within agreed parameters.
- Proactively investigate and action any items of over expenditure.
- Oversee risk and compliance for the division and raise any areas of concern.
- Raise additional funding

**Governance, Risk Management and Management Reporting**
- Consolidate, approve and submit monthly, quarterly and annual reports on the perfo