SENIOR RESEARCHER: ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION CLUSTER

QUALIFICATIPON AND EXPERIENCE
• A Masters Degree in Economics, Accounting and Finance, Public Management/Administration, Social Science or equivalent and at least 5 years experience as a policy or academic researcher in the field of Public service,
• At least three years experience of Managing Research Projects and proven track record of successful completion of such projects,
• Experience in setting up and managing monitoring and evaluation systems for the Public sector
• Excellent people management skills, in particular in relation to coaching and mentoring sub ordinates
• Proven experience of working with research institutes, Civil Society Organisations, Academia and Government Departments in the Economic Transformation sector,
• Excellent communication and writing skills,
• A good publication record

REPORTS TO: RESEARCH MANAGER

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES:

• Analytical Thinking: the ability to analyze a situation, collecting and evaluating available data, identifying and solving the problem.
• Organizational Ability: allocate human, financial, and other resources such as time and equipment according to goals and objectives; evaluating progress against plan and adapting resources to changing situations.
• Flexibility: recognizes the merit of new ideas, the willingness to move from one’s own and adapt to new ideas according to available information.
• Goal Directed: focused on the achievement of goals set by one’s self or the organization.
• Proactive: the inclination and nature to take responsibility and action, without having to be told; to respond to the situation, having considered the long term purpose, goals and objectives.
• Customer Service Excellence (Internal & External): Demonstrating awareness and commitment to identifying customer expectations and strives towards continuously exceeding them.
• Assertive: assert his/her authority in a decisive, influential manner in order to produce customer-orientated outputs without arousing hostility or aggression.
• Team Work: Display sound interpersonal relations & ability to work in a team.
• Work under pressure: Able to work under pressure

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Display excellent knowledge of the role of Legislatures in a democratic state,
• Demonstrate knowledge and skill to apply various research methodologies and techniques, especially in a legislative environment,
• Display ability to create new knowledge, including application of such knowledge to enhance processes
• Have knowledge of the research networks on public service and development within the Gauteng Province, South Africa, SADC, Africa and the World,
• Have excellent organisational ability, Presentation Skills and People Management skills
• Possess a high level of verbal, written communication skills as well as report writing skills,
• Be able to make presentations to the elected members and office bearers of the legislature,
• Have an excellent knowledge of current political, economic and public policy issues in South Africa, SADC, Africa and the World;
• Be familiar with the entire Microsoft Office suite of software. Familiarity with other software would be an added advantage.

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS:

KPA 1: Budget Management

• Developing and managing the budget of research projects within the cluster
• Developing Quarterly expenditure projections for research projects for the cluster

KPA 2: Risk Management

• Participate in the compilation of the Research Unit risk register and action plans.

KPA 3: Research Cluster Management

• Writing research papers that support oversight, public participation and law making.
• Developing monitoring and evaluation Systems (i.e. Research output form)
• Contributing on knowledge management systems on oversight, public participation and law making
• Compiling a best practice dictionary
• Implementing research projects

KPA 4: Reporting

• Compiling research Project Evaluation report
• Compiling monthly reports on cluster activities
• Developing oversight indicators on the priorities of the Cluster
• Providing feedback reports on seminars, roundtable debates
• Performing quality assurance on research outputs

KPA 5 Stakeholder Relations

• Participate in internal and external stakeholder engagement session
• Develop and maintain database of Research networks for the cluster

KPA 6: Human Capital Management

• Developing staff workplans for the Cluster
• Conducting Quarterly and Annual performance reviews
• Conducting training needs analysis for Cluster
• Developing training plans for the Cluster
• Coaching and mentoring implementation plans and reports of Researchers

Closing date for applications: 22 February 2015