Stakeholder & Communication Specialist (PSP Programme) (Fixed Term Contract until 13 May 2030)

Job Description

Purpose of the Job

The Stakeholder & Communication Specialist is responsible for designing and executing stakeholder engagement and communication strategies across the PSP Programme. The role facilitates alignment between government, state-owned entities, regulators, investors, and private sector participants through effective communication, stakeholder coordination and reporting across all phases of the programme lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

Stakeholder Engagement Strategic Focus

• Develop and implement a structured stakeholder engagement strategy aligned to the PSP Programme lifecycle, including RFI, RFQ, RFP, and implementation phases.
• Design and maintain a comprehensive stakeholder mapping framework across government (DoT, NT), state-owned entities (Transnet, PRASA), private sector participants, regulators, and industry bodies.
• Define tailored engagement approaches and communication protocols based on stakeholder influence, interest, and programme impact.
• Implement proactive, sequenced, and milestone-aligned stakeholder engagement across corridor prioritisation and project rollout activities.
• Review and refine engagement strategies based on stakeholder feedback, programme developments, and emerging risks or sensitivities.

Stakeholder Alignment and Institutional Coordination

• Facilitate alignment and coordinate communication across key institutions, including DoT, National Treasury, Transnet, PRASA, and investors.
• Support structured engagement forums, including bilateral meetings, intergovernmental forums, and technical working groups.
• Embed a consistent understanding of PSP Programme objectives, including private sector participation models, project sequencing, and institutional roles and responsibilities.
• Identify and manage misalignment risks, including policy-to-implementation gaps, coordination challenges, and divergent stakeholder expectations.
• Support resolution of stakeholder issues through structured communication, escalation pathways, and follow-up mechanisms.

Procurement Engagement Management

• Coordinate stakeholder and market-facing communication during RFI, RFQ, and RFP processes to ensure transparency, consistency, and compliance with procurement requirements.
• Develop communication components of bid documentation, including bidder briefing materials, clarification protocols, and communication guidelines.
• Manage bidder engagement processes, including briefing sessions, clarification responses, and formal communication channels.
• Verify in collaboration with Supply Chain Management that all bidder communication are consistent, non-preferential, transparent, and fully auditable in line with SCM requirements.
• Maintain complete and structured records of all procurement-related communication for governance and audit purposes.

Communication and Reporting

• Develop high-quality executive presentations, briefing notes, reports, and submissions for EXCO, Board, ministerial engagements, and investor forums.
• Translate complex technical, financial, and legal information into clear, concise, and decision-ready communication outputs.
• Maintain consistency in messaging across all PSP Programme communication materials.
• Prepare formal memoranda and governance submissions aligned to DBSA standards and compliance requirements.
• Tailor communication outputs to diverse stakeholder audiences, ensuring clarity, professionalism, and strategic alignment.
• Prepare regular stakeholder engagement and communication reports, including status updates, risks, issues, and progress tracking.
• Provide inputs into Board, EXCO, governance reports, and audit documentation requirements.

Governance and Document Management

• Maintain structured, auditable records of all stakeholder engagement and communication activities.
• Comply with DBSA and National Treasury requirements for all communication processes, particularly during procurement.
• Maintain a centralised repository of stakeholder records, including meeting notes, correspondence, decisions, and follow-up actions.

Stakeholder Risk and Reputational Management

• Identify, assess, and manage stakeholder-related risks, including misalignment, communication breakdowns, and reputational sensitivities.
• Develop and implement targeted risk mitigation strategies, including escalation protocols and stakeholder-specific engagement plans.
• Monitor stakeholder sentiment and engagement outcomes to proactively identify emerging risks.

Investor and Market Engagement Support

• Support the design and implementation of market engagement strategies to attract private sector participation in PSP Programme projects.
• Prepare investor-facing materials, including programme overviews, project briefs, and corridor opportunity documentation.
• Support engagement with infrastructure investors, operators, financiers, and development finance institutions.
• Ensure investor communication clearly articulates value propositions, investment opportunities, and risk-return considerations.
• Support market sounding exercises, investor briefings, and roadshows.

Key Measurement of Outputs

• Effectiveness and coverage of stakeholder engagement strategy implementation across PSP Programme phases.
• Level of alignment achieved across key institutions (DoT, NT, Transnet, PRASA, investors) on programme objectives and decisions.
• Timeliness, quality, and compliance of RFI, RFQ, and RFP communication processes and bidder engagement activities.
• Accuracy, consistency, and quality of executive-level presentations, reports, and governance submissions.
• Reduction in stakeholder misalignment, communication gaps, and escalation incidents.
• Quality and completeness of investor and market engagement outputs and materials.
• Effectiveness of investor engagement activities in supporting market participation and interest in PSP opportunities.
• Compliance with SCM, governance, and audit requirements in all communication processes.
• Accuracy, completeness, and audit readiness of stakeholder engagement records and documentation.
• Stakeholder satisfaction with communication clarity, responsiveness, and engagement effectiveness.
• Contribution to the successful delivery of PSP Programme milestones through effective stakeholder coordination and communication.
• Alignment of communication activities with programme milestones.

Expertise & Technical Competencies

Minimum Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Communication, Commerce, Marketing, Public Relations, Public Administration or related field.

Minimum Requirements

• A minimum of 8 years’ experience with a proven track record of successful implementation of stakeholder engagement and communication strategies in a programme or related environment.
• In-depth experience in working with Supply chain and procurement processes in the public sector and procurement-related communication processes (RFI, RFQ, RFP).
• Demonstrated experience in public sector engagement, infrastructure programmes, or large-scale transformation initiatives.
• Extensive experience working with government institutions, SOEs, regulators, and private sector stakeholders.
• Proven experience preparing executive-level presentations, reports, and governance documentation.
• Experience managing stakeholder risks, reputational issues, and sensitive communication in complex environments.

Desirable Requirements

• A postgraduate Communication, Commerce, Marketing, Public Relations, Public Administration or a related field
• Experience in infrastructure, transport, logistics or public-private partnership programmes.

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

Communication (Written and Verbal)

• Is relied on by others to help them write complex technical and non-technical documents and briefs.
• Can determine which aspects of this knowledge area need to be transferred to others to achieve organisational goals.
• Coache