Director: Early Childhood Care & Education Directorate

Requirements

• An applicable qualification at NQF level 7 as recognized by South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).
• 5 Years of experience at a middle/senior managerial level.
• Valid Code B/EB Driver’s license.
• Preference will be given to candidates with strong conceptual and formulation skills; strong leadership skills with specific reference to the ability to display thought leadership and co- ordination of complex applications; strong interpersonal skills; excellent verbal and written communication skills; outstanding planning, organizational and people management skills; computer literacy; a highly developed interpretative and conceptualization/ formulation ability; the ability to render advice and guidance in an objective and dedicated manner;
• The ability to multi-task, deal with ambiguity and manage under rapidly changing and pressurized circumstances; the ability to persuade and influence; the ability to lead and direct teams of professionals and service providers and ability to deal with complex situations.

Duties

• Ensure effective and efficient coordination and overall management of the Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE) service in the province.
• To manage the implementation of strategic plan, Annual Performance Plan and the Operational Plan.
• To manage the performance of the unit in term of the Children’s Act 38 of 2005 pertaining to partial care and Child Protection as well as the implementation of the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) and all other applicable legislations in the ECCE sector.
• Ensure proper financial management and coordination in the ECCE sector in line with the PFMA and related policies.
• Monitor and ensure timely transfer payments to ECDs.
• Ensure proper planning and coordination of professional development of Social Workers and ECCE practitioners in the ECD sector.
• To ensure that Partial care database/registers are in place and monitored.
• Ensure that all ECCE service is uploaded on the agreed upon Learner Management System.
• Ensure that capacity building support programs and training are conducted and monitored for ECCE management and governance and output assessed.
• Ensure that the district quarterly review sessions are arranged and guidance is provided on the expected outcomes.
• Ensure the expansion of the ECCE service within the province by providing the necessary support across the districts.
• Facilitate Inter-Sectoral Coordination to improve and better the ECCE service.
• Manage the provision of partial care facilities and programmes in the Free State.
• Manage the provision of Early Childhood Care and Education programmes.
• Develop and manage the implementation of norms and standards for Early Childhood Care & Education Centre’s.
• Manage a comprehensive electronic information Management system.
• Manage funding of partial care and Early Childhood Care & Education facilities and programmes.

How to apply

New to the Z83 form? Read the application guide.

Enquiries

Notes from the department

• It is the intention to promote representativity in the Department through the filling of these posts.
• The candidature of applicants from designated groups especially in respect of people with disabilities, women and youth will receive preference.
• A recent comprehensive, detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV) containing, inter alia, a complete chronological record of training, experience, competencies, and previous employment record as well as the names and telephone numbers of three persons willing to act as referees.
• Applicants are not required to submit copies of qualifications and other relevant documents on application.
• (Only shortlisted candidates will be required to submit certified documents).
• All shortlisted candidates will be subjected to personnel suitability checks on criminal records, citizenship verification, financial records, qualification verification and applicants could be required to provide consent for access to their social media accounts.
• Correspondence will be limited to shortlisted candidates only.
• Separate applications must be submitted for every vacancy.
• Failure to comply with the procedure outlined above, will lead to an application being rejected.
• Applicants who terminated their services with voluntary severance packages may not apply; salary progression on the salary scales is subject to performance assessment;
• The FSDoE reserves the right not to fill advertised positions.
• It is expected of candidates to be available for selection interviews on a date, time and place determined by the Free State Department of Education.
• It is the applicants’ responsibility to have foreign qualifications evaluated by the South African Qualification Authority (SAQA).
• Non-RSA residents/permanent residents will submit proof only when shortlisted.
• Applicants are respectfully informed that if no notification of appointment is received within 4 months of the closing date, they must accept that their application has been unsuccessful.
• Introduction and general measures:
• NB: as of 1st July 2006, all new appointments in the public service have to be part of the Government Employee Medical Scheme (GEMS) in order to qualify for a Government Medical Subsidy.
• Correspondence will only be entered into with shortlisted applicants.
• Entry level requirement for SMS posts:
• In terms of the Directive on Human Resource Management and Development on Public Service Professionalisation Volume 1, a requirement for appointment into SMS posts is the successful completion of the Nyukela (Compulsory Pre- Entry Certificate for entry into the SMS) Senior Management Pre-Entry programme as endorsed by the National School of Government (NSG).
• The Course is available at the NSG under the name Certificate for entry into SMS and the full details can be obtained by following the below link: https:www.thensg.gov.za/training-course/sms-pre- entryprogramme/.According to the Explanatory Guide on SMS Competency- Based Assessment, paragraph 5.1, All shortlisted candidates for SMS posts will be subjected to technical exercise and interview.
• Following the technical exercise and interview, a maximum of three (3) SMS candidates will undergo psychometric assessments to assess cognitive capabilities, behavioral preferences, emotional intelligence, and integrity.
• According to the Directive on Human Resource Management and Development on Public Service Professionalisation Volume 1, paragraph 1.32.1, all shortlisted candidates, including SMS, shall undertake two pre-entry assessments.
• One must be a practical exercise, and the other must be an Integrity (Ethical Conduct) Assessment.
• Selection panels shall score both technical exercises as an additional criterion in the interview process.