Chief Operating Officer

A Consulting Engineering Company is looking for a highly experienced and professionally registered engineer to join the team as the Chief Operating Officer. The position is based in Head Office (Midrand) and will report to the Chief Executive Officer. The incumbent will be responsible for managing the day-to-day business operations, and secure business functionality to drive extensive and sustainable growth.

PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE ROLE:

The role is responsible for the implementation of the Companies business and operations strategy and overseeing the successful delivery of various projects across all multidisciplinary engineering service lines. The core objective of this role is to ensure the sustainable growth and profitability of the organization.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Act as Program Director for all projects across service lines (i.e.Civil & Structural, Mechanical, Energy, Project Management, and Roads & Transport).
• Responsible for developing and forecasting budgetary requirements for the various operations departments.
• Ensure that the operations departments are optimally structured and resourced to leverage each opportunity.
• Develop and implement business plans to commercialize Company product offerings to key market segments across the country and beyond the SA borders.
• Engage the organization in managing and enhancing customer relationships, revenue, and profit.
• Plan, develop and evaluate information and communication strategies that present the organization to the public, clients, and other stakeholders.
• Ensure that the respective policies and procedures are implemented to manage the overall risk to the Organisation.
• Assess and ensure that organizational level agreements and service level agreements are met in terms of deliverables.
• Ensure that all relevant legislation is adhered to in the formulation and development of the various operations and project deliverables.
• Provide leadership and direction to ensure that organizational standards are maintained and followed.
• Enrich company visibility through personal involvement in key stakeholders’ activities.
• Solicits final construction permits with other stakeholders to ensure all appropriate approvals are granted prior to commencement of construction.
• Lead and oversee the implementation of the Company’s long and short-term plans in accordance with its strategy.
• Develops professional standards, policies, and procedures that convey specifics to ensure there’s a clear understanding of the field conditions and challenges.
• Assess principal risks of the Company and ensure that these risks are being monitored and managed.
• Ensure effective internal controls and appropriate management information systems are in place
• Harness business development opportunities.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering
• Master’s degree in Engineering or business management
• Postgraduate qualification (advantages)
• Professional registration with ECSA (mandatory)
• Project Management qualification preferred.

KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE:

• At least 10 years post-professional registration experience.
• Experience in a Consulting Engineering environment (advantageous).
• Must have occupied a leadership/senior management role within the Engineering Consulting industry for 5 or more years.
• Good understanding of the built environment.
• Project Financing and Management.
• Business Development experience and knowledge.
• Contracts Management
• Quality Management.

COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS REQUIRED:

• Excellent Financial Reporting skills.
• Report writing & presentation skills.
• Planning and organizational skills.
• Risk management.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Analytical & Critical thinking skills.
• Professionalism.
• Change Management.
• People Management.
• Achievement Orientation (results-orientated).
• Strong leadership skills/qualities.
• Strong business & commercial acumen.
• Problem Solving Skills.
• Excellent negotiation skills.
• Persuasiveness (ability to influence).