Closing date: 13 February 2026

To provide strategic analysis, procurement design, and policy translation capacity that enables the IPPO to fulfil its mandates inclusive ofprocuring and delivering new generation capacity. The Senior Strategy Specialist will ensure alignment of procurement strategies with theIntegrated Resource Plan (IRP) and Ministerial Determinations, support the institutionalisation of the IPPO, and guide the Office in delivering both current and future energy mandates within South Africa’s evolving socio-economic and fiscal context

Minimum qualification:

Postgraduate qualification in Energy Policy, Economics, Engineering, Finance, or Strategy.
Minimum 12 – 15 years’ experience in energy strategy, project structuring, or policy advisory of which 7 years must be at senior management/specialist/executive level/roles).
Proven track record in Strategy Development.
Excellent stakeholder engagement skills — government, DFIs, commercial banks, developers and community stakeholder

KEY PERFORMANCE AREA:

Strategic Planning & Policy Translation
Monitoring, Reporting & Accountability
Strategic Advisory and Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration
Strategic Risk Management & Continuous Improvement
Institutional Strategy Development

COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE POSITION

Knowledge:

In-depth knowledge of South Africa’s energy sector, IRP and Ministerial Determinations
Understanding of renewable energy, gas, storage, hybrid technologies and grid integration challenges.
Knowledge of project finance and bankability frameworks.
Familiarity with PFMA, Treasury Regulations, King IV, ISO 31000.
Knowledge of socio-economic development frameworks (B-BBEE, local content, SMME/community development)
Awareness of international IPP procurement models.
In-depth knowledge of various legislation, regulations, and structures related to the functioning of the IPP Office
Broad-based understanding of the business operating model
Awareness and commitment to both the highest expressed and implied ethical responsibilities
Knowledge and understanding of the multi-disciplinary facets of project and PPP finance transactions.
Knowledge and understanding of procurement processes, methodologies and methods of implementation to ensure best practice and international standards in the rollout of PPP / IPP Bid Window

Skills:

Advanced strategic and analytical thinking.
Business and market analytics.
Policy analysis and scenario modelling.
Commercial and financial modelling.
Strong communication, writing, facilitation and presentation skills.
Stakeholder engagement and negotiation.

Behaviours:

Integrity and accountability.
Results orientation and delivery focus.
Collaborative and adaptive.
Problem-solving under uncertainty.
Strategic vision with attention to detail.
Commitment to socio-economic and economic transformation.

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS (OUTPUTS)

Strategic Planning & Policy
Translation

Develop and maintain a 3–5-year strategic framework aligned with IPPO’s mandate and national priorities
Produce regular market intelligence reports (technology trends, investor appetite, cost curves etc) to inform and continuously refine the strategic implementation plans
Translate IRP, Ministerial Determinations and other mandates into actionable roadmaps.
Support development and review of the IPPO Strategic Plan and APP.
Benchmark international best practices to inform the strategy of the IPP Office

TRACKING SOURCES / TOOLS

Approved IPP Office Strategy
Approved Annual Plans
Market intelligence report

Monitoring, Reporting &
Accountability

Establish / refine indicators and data collection systems for outcomes of the IPP Office strategy
Track performance of each deliverable as indicated by the performance plans
Identify risks, gaps and recommend corrective actions where required.
Produce regular reports for internal leadership, government oversight, and public disclosure as needed

TRACKING SOURCES / TOOLS

Quarterly performance tracking report
Risk and Gap analysis
Action plans report for risk mitigation

Strategic advisory and
Stakeholder Engagement &
Collaboration

Engage DEE, NERSA, Eskom/NTCSA, National Treasury, DBSA, private investors, developers, IPP’s and communities.
Build frameworks that enhance investor confidence.
Support collaborative problem-solving to unlock bottlenecks relating to the achievement of the strategic plans

TRACKING SOURCES / TOOLS

Strategic Risk Dashboard for the IPP Office

Strategic Risk Management &
Continuous Improvement

Identify risks and barriers to achieving strategic outcomes and propose mitigations.
Advise IPPO leadership and DEE on risks/opportunities
Carry out periodic reviews post implementation of the IPP Office strategic plans for effectiveness, benchmarking against international best practice.
Incorporate learnings into future Strategic and Annual plans
Develop and publish a comprehensive governance framework, including decision-making protocols, financial controls, and risk management policies where required, and continuously refine where needed.

TRACKING SOURCES / TOOLS

Strategic Risk Dashboard for the IPP Office

Institutional Strategy
Development

Drive the Institutionalisation investigation and exercise to ensure sustainability of the IPP Office:
Integrate IPP Office strategy with national energy policy to formalise the IPP Office’s role by ensuring its procurement plans are directly aligned with and regularly integrated into national energy and infrastructure planning frameworks, such as the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP).
Formalize robust governance and oversight: Codify the office’s operational and financial processes to ensure transparency, accountability, and a rule-like status within the organization. This mitigates the risk of inconsistencies and ensures longevity beyond the terms of specific individuals.
Ensure that a comprehensive governance framework, including decision-making protocols, financial controls, and risk management policies is developed.
Ensure a formal communication plan with defined quarterly reporting routines and channels for public and private sector engagement is created.
Establish regular forums to discuss policy, market conditions, and project outcomes with all relevant stakeholders

FOR JOB RELATED QUERIES CONTACT MZWANDILE AT 083 805 1591

SENIOR SPECIALIST: STRATEGY

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