Prinicpal Programme Development Specialist (ICT)

Lead the origination, structuring, and development of strategic infrastructure programmes and projects. The role provides deep technical, legal, or financial expertise to unlock bankable projects and support DBSA’s investment pipeline. It also contributes to innovative programme design, stakeholder engagement, and institutional capacity-building to accelerate infrastructure delivery and investment readiness. The role is sector-specific and will be to ICT, ensuring specialised expertise and tailored programme development within the sector.

Minimum Qualification

A Postgraduate Degree in Engineering, Law, Finance, Accounting, Finance or related field.

Minimum Experience

A minimum of 10 years’ experience in infrastructure programme development and financing with a proven track record in deal origination, sourcing viable and bankable projects, structuring and closing investments in SA and the rest of Africa.

Demonstrated excellence in the field of business origination and development.

Comprehensive knowledge of the complex financial and regulatory environments across Africa.

In-depth knowledge and understanding of the infrastructure market, financial markets and the macro landscape.

Experience in engaging with high-level government officials, dignitaries and stakeholders in South Africa and the rest of Africa.

Experience working with innovative financing models and public-private partnerships.

Exposure to strategic planning and policy development in infrastructure sectors.

Familiarity with investment governance processes and programme preparation funding mechanisms.

Experience in project development in the specific allocated sector (Energy, Transport & Logistics, ICT or Social Infrastructure).

Desirable Experience

A postgraduate qualification, CA or CFA or MBA.

Registration with relevant Sectoral Professional Body.

Project finance, private equity and/or venture capital experience and track record.

Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams and managing complex programme portfolios.

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

a) Sector Expertise

Demonstrates global thought leadership, including speaking at international conferences, sharing work via knowledge management, documenting business cases, white papers, and articles.

Understands dynamics of other sectors and uses that knowledge to draw comparisons and insights about the given sector.

Foresees trends in the given sector industry at a global level and actively communicates/publishes opinions and insights.

Understands sector industry dynamics, trends and key players at the global level and uses that knowledge to position DBSA as an economic policies authority of repute within the global market.

b) Deal Origination

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.

Leads and mentors project teams.

Formulate new products.

c) Business Acumen

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) Project Management

Seasoned ability to plan, initiate, execute, control and close projects aligned to DBSA sustainable infrastructure investment mandate.

Translates business objectives into practical, prioritised and organised action plans; ensures plans are safely and successfully implemented.

Makes effective use of resources when executing; ensures processes are in place to achieve outcomes aligned to operational excellence standards.

Risk Identification & Assessment skills.

Advises on applicable aspects of risk identification and assessments.

Assesses and links short-term tasks in the context of long-term business strategies or perspectives.

e) Financial Acumen

Makes sound financial decisions after having analysed their impacts on the organisation, partner agencies, and community.

Knows the internal and external factors that impact on resource and asset availability.

Is able to interpret management account reports in an operational/commercial context and take action as appropriate to maximise sustainable development outcomes, revenues, and control costs.

f) Business Development

Takes overall lead for pro-active business development at national and regional level.

Initiates, reviews, and interprets competitor environment reviews and take actions accordingly.

Formulates and modify market approaches on the basis of competitor analyses.

Leads 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 develop new markets, products, and clients.

Positions the DBSA as the preferred development partner, lender, and advisor.

Leads the participation and presentation of the DBSA at 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.

Promote compliance and alignment with the strategic imperatives of both individual clients and the DBSA 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.

g) Analytical Ability

Ability to propose solutions to support investment through analysis and solutioning.

Thorough and in-depth understanding of the business environment, reviews outputs of analysis to identify anomalies and draw conclusions, and able to relate these to operational circumstances.

High level of skill in the use of advanced/complex analytical techniques and able to use judgement to decide upon the most appropriate analytical techniques to solution according to the situation.

Proven ability to apply relevant estimating techniques, tools and models covering all potential business circumstances (such as cost benefit analysis) and highlight potential risks/opportunities.

Able to translate findings into reports and present findings to key stakeholders.

1. Strategic Planning

Contribute to the development and refinement of DBSA’s infrastructure strategy.

Align programme initiatives with national priorities and DBSA’s investment objectives.

Support long-term planning and institutional positioning.

Contribute to the design of sector-specific programme frameworks.

Support the development of investment policies and programme governance models.

2. Programme Origination and Structuring

Lead the development of programme origination strategies to unlock infrastructure projects in South Africa, SADC and rest of SSA through project preparation.

Identify, originate and design projects/programmes at a macro level that support the annual disbursement target and the division's strategic objectives.

Structure complex infrastructure programmes and projects.

Provide subject matter expertise (legal, technical, or financial) to support project development.

Support negotiations of programme agreements and prepare and present programme development proposals for approval by various governance committees.

Drive development of bankable projects, including feasibility studies, permitting, and sponsor support.

3. Programme Development

Develop sector-specific strategies to promote the development of programmes / projects aligned to the development priorities of the DBSA:

Conduct market research and needs analysis to ascertain the gaps and requirements;

Understand legislation impacting infrastructure development, e.g., the Division of Revenue Act,

Conditional infrastructure grant guidelines, sector governance frameworks, etc;

Profiling and identifying the gaps for infrastructure development for South Africa, SADC and select African countries; and

Comprehensively map industry or sector opportunities to generate a list of potential programmes to be developed.

Develop detailed project development workplans and schedules covering feasibility studies, Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), technical designs, grid and geotechnical studies, and permitting processes.

Conduct in-depth macro-level feasibility assessments to provide insight into the programmes:

National, Provincial and Local landscape sector-specific challenges;

Environmental and regulatory assessments; and

Community structures and needs.

Develop pilot projects to test the design, measure the success of the programmes and review the design for final development and execution handover.

Programme implementation, identifying funding needs for the programme and development of funding structures for projects developed through the programme.

Develop funding strategies, initiate innovative fundraising, and mobilising programme preparation funding.

Provide a steady flow of deals into the programme by:

Identify and structure project opportunities from a project developer/sponsor perspective;

Define project concept and scope; and

Engage with clients and obtain a mandate as a project developer.

Support efficient risk management of projects (programmes), provide opportunities for equity investments in projects and improve the quality of the loan book by:

De-risk the technical and commercial risk aspects of projects;

Facilitate a better understanding, assessment and pricing of project risk; and

Ensure DBSA has the right of first refusal to finance projects that are prepared through the programmes developed.

Actively manage programmes developed:

Manage pilot projects for the programme and initiate the preparation thereof;

Identify service providers required to undertake project preparation on projects developed;

Appraise projects and programmes (prepare proposals for DBSA’s governing structures for approval)

Structure the PMO governance and structure;

Negotiate MoA with programme owner;

Develop profiles for PMO resources and initiate the recruitment process; and

Provide comprehensive reporting on expenditure and progress on all programme management offices (PMO).

4. Stakeholder Management

Build and maintain strong relationships with clients at global, regional, and local levels, including businesses, banking and multilateral partners and government officials to further develop specific project preparation opportunities.

Manage expectations from programme owners and ensure third-party programme mandates are understood by the DBSA teams.

Liaise with Investment divisions' peers to develop a pipeline for the DBSA market at large.

Contribute to the development of the DBSA’s brand and reputation through positioning the bank as a partner of choice for end-to-end infrastructure development and financing across Africa.

5. People Management

Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning to maximise individual and collective potential.

Drive talent development initiatives, including coaching, performance management, and career pathing, to build and retain a skilled and motivated team.

Provide direction and management to the team, to enable strategy execution.

Attract, retain, develop talent and ensure succession planning and sufficient capacity and capability in all critical functions, supporting diversity strategies and initiatives as well.

Promote DBSA values and a culture of high performance through implementing performance management in line with the planned strategic objectives, goals, quality standards and agreed key performance measures using sound performance management principles.

Contribute to building synergies & cooperation across functions in the DBSA.

Key Measurement of Outputs

1. Number of programmes developed.

2. Fee income generated.

3. Value of funds committed and disbursed towards programme preparation.

4. Value of infrastructure catalysed.

5. Successful development and implementation of sector strategies.

6. Value and number of projects approved and committed by the Bank.

7. Value of funds mobilised towards projects developed and programme preparation.

8. Management of client relationships and key stakeholders

9. Team behavioural KPI’s.

10. Coaching and mentoring to transfer skills

11. Clean audits of programmes.