Assistant Director: National Forestry Advisory Council Support (Reference 323/2013)

Advertiser: Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Location: Pretoria

Directorate: Forestry Regulations and Oversight
Salary: R252 144 per annum

Requirements:
Applicants must be in possession of a National diploma or degree in Forestry, Economics, Natural Resources Management, Environmental Management/Science, Development Studies and/or Policy Studies (you are required to furnish a credit certificate and/or statement of results). Relevant experience in forestry policy and strategy development/formulation and legislation. Sound understanding of the National Forests Act, 1998 (Act 84 of 1998) (NFA) and the National Veld and Forest Fires Act, 1998 (Act 101 of 1998) (NVFFA) as well as other related environmental legislation and policies impacting on the forestry sector. Understanding of the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act 1 of 1999) (PFMA) and Treasury Regulations. Good communication (verbal and written), interpersonal, research and analytical skills. Computer skills in MS Office software. Report writing and project management skills. A valid Code B driver’s licence as well as the willingness to travel extensively and be away from home in the execution of duties.

Duties:
The incumbent will be responsible to provide technical, administrative and professional support to the National Forestry Advisory Council (NFAC) and its committees, namely, Committee for Sustainable Forest Management (CSFM) and Committee on Forest Access (CFA). Conduct policy research to inform Council decisions and advice to the Minister on any matter related to forestry. Conduct policy research to support the functioning of NFAC. Co-ordinate and communicate with the forest sector and its organisations, including support to the NFAC. Render technical support and liaison services to the Council on variety of matters related to the NFAC work programme. Develop a cooperative governance framework within the National and International forest sector. Manage stakeholder and processes for policy development in the forest sector as a whole. Develop linkages of information flow and cooperation. Establish cooperative governance. Interact with other sectors, National and International institutions / organisation. Plan, facilitate and co-ordinate stakeholder participation in policy development processes in line with the NFAC work programme. Develop the consultation schedule. Co-ordinate the implementation and maintenance of the Forest-Sector Stakeholder Consultation Process. Co-ordinate the attendance of the Council members to Departmental meetings or events when the ouncil or its committee members are invited. Provide financial administration services of the NFAC and the National Forest Recreation and Access Trust. Prepare the NFAC and Trust Fund budget and expenditure reports. Provide inputs in preparation of reports on the Trust’s activities. Ensure NFAC compliance with Departmental Financial Instructions (DFI) and National Treasury regulations. Manage the process of procuring of goods and services for the Council.

Enquiries: Mr C. Mkwalo, tel. 012 309 5782

It is the Department’s intention to promote equity through the filling of posts, according to the set Employment Equity targets. To facilitate this process successfully, an indication of race, gender and disability status is required.

Applications:
Applications may be posted to URS Response Handling, P O Box 11506, Tierpoort, 0056 or submitted electronically via email: daff@ursonline.co.za or via fax: 086 654 1824 or online: www.ursonline.co.za or deposited in the URS Response Handling boxes at any one of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ offices indicated below. Enquiries: URS Response Handling, tel. 012 811 1900
Pretoria: Reception, Agriculture Place, 20 Steve Biko Street (formerly Beatrix Street), Arcadia, Pretoria, Gauteng.
Cape Town: Reception (Ground Floor), Foretrust Building, 3 Martin Hammerschlag Way, Foreshore, Cape Town, Western Cape.
Stellenbosch: Reception (Support Building), Quarantine Station, Polkadraai Road, Stellenbosch, Western Cape.
Pietermaritzburg: Reception (5th Floor), Old Mutual Building, 185 Longmarket Street, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal.
King William’s Town: Reception (Ground Floor), Old SABC Building, 2 Hargreaves Avenue, King William’s Town, Eastern Cape.
Nelspruit: Reception (2nd Floor), 27 Brown Street, (Building), Nelspruit, Mpumalanga.
Makhado: Reception (Ground Floor), Magistrates Building, 103 Landros street, Makhado, Limpopo
Mthatha: Reception (3rd Floor), PRD Building, 2 Sutherland Street, Mthatha, Eastern Cape

Note:
Applications must be submitted on a Z83 form (click to download pdf form), obtainable from any Public Service department which must be signed (an unsigned form will disqualify an application) and should be accompanied by a recently updated, comprehensive CV as well as copies of all qualification(s) [Matric certificate must also be attached] and ID-document and Driver’s licence [where applicable]. Non-RSA Citizens / Permanent Resident Permit Holders must attach a copy of his / her Permanent Residence Permit to his/her application. Should you be in possession of a foreign qualification, it must be accompanied by an evaluation certificate from the South African Qualification Authority (SAQA). Failure to submit all the requested documents will result in the application not being considered. Correspondence will be limited to short listed candidates only. If you have not been contacted within three (3) months after the closing date of this advertisement, please accept that your application was unsuccessful. Suitable candidates will be subjected to a personnel suitability check (criminal record check, citizenship verification, financial/asset record check, qualification/study verification and previous employment verification). Successful candidates will also be subjected to security clearance processes. Where applicable, candidates will be subjected to a skills/knowledge test. Successful candidates will be appointed on a probation period of twelve (12) months. The Department reserves the right not to make appointment(s) to the advertised post(s). Applications submitted via email, fax or online must include the post title and reference number in the subject line and a scanned, signed Z83 form (an unsigned Z83 form will disqualify an application) together with all relevant documents as indicated above. Persons with disability are encouraged to apply.

Reference number: 323/2013

Closing date: 30 August 2013