SABEN Project Manager

Background:

The TVET Colleges Connection Project (TCCP) is an ICT infrastructure initiative by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) funded through a National Skills Fund (NSF) grant to connect Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College campuses to the South African National Research Network (SANReN). The purpose of this project is to solve bandwidth poverty at South Africa’s TVET Colleges by connecting them to the SANReN, thereby enabling them to contribute to meeting the goals of the developmental state.

The TCCP Project is to deploy the last mile access between the TVET College Campuses and the South African Broadband Education Network.

TCCP Project Management Requirement:

SABEN is looking to contract an experienced Project Manager who will implement the TCCP with the goal of delivering the project on time, within budget and within scope.

Experience in the deployment of high-speed networks using fibre and/or wireless is important.

Contract duration: 22 months (1 May 2019 – 28 Feb 2021)

Location: Wynberg, Cape Town

Key responsibilities:

1. Project Management
• Develop detailed project schedules to connect the required sites and monitor and track the progress of these plans by:
o Assisting in the definition of project scope and objectives;
o Involving relevant stakeholders, i.e. site representatives, SANREN staff, internal staff;
o Ensuring technical feasibility;
o Reporting on project progress to the programme lead and technical subcommittee;
o Managing service providers;
o Managing changes to the project scope, schedules, and costs; and
o Coordinating internal resources, site resources and third parties / vendors for the execution of the sub-projects.
• Create and maintain comprehensive project documentation (where necessary) that is accurate and easily accessible.
• Provide data to, and facilitate access to project team members and stakeholders, for service providers contracted to review the project.

2. Procurement Management
• Managing and tracking open, competitive and transparent procurement practices in the acquisition of necessary products and services including:
o Participation in the development of Requests for Proposals (RFPs);
o Responding to queries from potential bidders, receiving and recording proposals received, managing the evaluation committee;
o Generation of reports on the evaluation of each proposal;
o Assisting in the evaluation of proposals; and
o Assist with drawing up and managing the contracts.

3. Financial
• The Project Manager will be responsible for financial management of all the TCCP site connectivity projects by:
o Managing and tracking project finances; and
o Accounting for all expenditures.
• The Project Manager will work with the SABEN Project Financial Manger to ensure accurate financial reporting.

4. Communications
• Develop and implement a strategy to regularly communicate with the beneficiary TVET’s, in order to successfully manage the relationships
with the college and campus sites.
• Reporting on project progress to the programme lead and TCCP technical meetings or as needed.
• Conducting an initial needs analysis for all TVET’s that manage remote campuses and subsequent needs analyses if necessary.

5. Risk Management
• Perform risk management to identify and manage project and sub-project risks.
• Report on risks and risk management to the monthly technical meetings.

6. Qualifications, skills and experience requirements
• A formal relevant tertiary qualification.
• Certification in project management (e.g. Prince2, PMBoK etc.) will be an advantage.
• Considerable network deployment project management experience (5 years) and a proven track record are essential.
• Experience in the deployment of high-speed networks using fibre and/or wireless is critical.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Excellent problem solving, planning and organizational skills.
• Ability to accept responsibility, make decisions and operate without close supervision.
• Experience of working with tertiary education facilities will also be an advantage.

7. General requirements:
The contracted Project Manager will be required to provide own laptop and cell phone.

The position calls for a positive, flexible attitude, the ability to work independently, the ability to think in project system and process terms without being rigidly bound by them, and an understanding of the objectives of higher education and research institutions.

Closing date for applications: 29 March 2019.

Candidates with appropriate CVs may be invited for an interview.
SABEN decisions regarding this appointment are final and SABEN reserves the right not to make an appointment.