Research Group Leader: Sustainability Economics and Waste

• Responsible for leading a multidisciplinary team of professionals focused on developing scientific evidence and decision support for both the public and private sector aimed at integrating sustainability into policy, planning and economic activity. unlocking green and circular economic development opportunities and supporting a just transition towards a green and circular economy in Africa. 

Responsibilities of the Role:

• Conduct business development / networking activities to attract funding from existing and new sources, including the building of sustainable relationships with clients, as well as the planning and costing thereof.
• Conceptualize, secure, and ensure delivery on multidisciplinary and multi-agency projects producing research and development outputs, including peer reviewed journal articles and conference proceedings, books, research reports, guidelines, and policy briefs, and decision-support tools/ methods and technologies.
• Provide scientific and thought leadership to the people in the research group through an excellent grasp of the relevant fields.
• growth and the development of new capabilities.
• Lead the team in the annual development and implementation of the Group and contribute to Impact Area and Cluster, strategic and operational plan ensuring organisational alignment and remaining competitive and responsive to market needs and trends.
• Manage the financial and human capital sustainability of the group, including secured contract research and development income, running expenses, overhead costs, staff deployment, and meeting capacity/capability requirements.
• Travel locally and internationally from time to time for business purposes.
• Promote a culture of Science, Engineering, and Technology (SET) excellence (both quality and delivery) and effectively performance manage a diverse team of staff based in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban, and Stellenbosch.
• Manage, motivate, and develop the people in the research group to enable their career

Minimum Requirements:

• A Doctoral degree in sustainability science, environmental management, economics, waste management, environmental/chemical engineering, or related field.
• A relevant professional registration is recommended.
• At least 10 years’ experience in applied research, development and innovation related to two or more of the following fields: integrated waste management, circular economy, green economy, and sustainable development as well as evidence of a national and international profile and associated network in these fields.
• Specific expertise related to several of the following domains: sustainable consumption and production, life cycle thinking, macro-economic / development economics / environmental economics, behavioural change, sustainability science, systems thinking and/ or systems design for sustainability.
• Illustrated experience with several of the following or similar tools: systems modelling, socio-economic impact assessment, macro-economic modelling (e.g., CGE modelling), financial modelling, feasibility studies, life cycle costing, life cycle assessment, product environmental foot printing, material flow analysis and or value chain analysis.
• Experience in managing a multidisciplinary team of research and development staff with expertise across the natural and social sciences and engineering. with proven strategic leadership skills, and strong business and financial acumen.
• Demonstrated capabilities in networking and business development, including building long-term relationships with clients.
• Evidence of securing funding from public, private and international funders for undertaking multiple medium (~R2m p/a)- to large-scale (>R5m p/a) research and development projects. and leading and successfully delivering on these projects to completion.
• Proven track record of research outputs, including contract research reports, peer-reviewed journal articles, conference presentations / papers, guidelines/ standards, decision-support models and tools.
• Demonstrated experience in mentorship and/or supervision of students and/or junior researchers.
• An understanding of the research-to-market 'innovation' value chain and evidence of bringing research outputs to the ‘user’ to achieve real-life outcomes.
• Experienced in facilitation, good interpersonal skills and a solution-seeking orientation.
• Effective communication skills (oral, written, and presentation).
• Programming and modelling software skills will be an advantage.