Engineering · Circular 29 of 2026
Director: Mechanical Engineering
Department of Public Works and Infrastructure
Overview
Director of Mechanical Engineering at the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure Head Office in Pretoria, requiring NQF 7, professional registration and five years' managerial experience.
Requirements
- A minimum of NQF 7 in Mechanical Engineering as recognised by the SAQA.
- A minimum of 5 years’ experience at a middle or Senior managerial level in mechanical engineering field.
- Registration as a Professional Engineer (Mechanical) with the Engineering Council of South Africa.
- Knowledge: Mechanical Engineering best practice.
- Extensive knowledge of all mechanical engineering aspects of the building and construction environment, Public Finance Management Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act, Supply Chain Management, Contract Management.
- Skills: Ability to undertake critical review/analysis and provide technical advice, Ability to maintain integrity of confidential information, financial administration, Effective verbal communication, Advanced technical report writing, Numeracy, Computer literacy, Organisation and planning, Relationship management, Programme and project management, Problem solving skills, Decision making skills, Motivational skills, Negotiation skills.
- Personal Attributes: Analytical thinking, Innovative, Creative, Solution orientated – ability to design ideas without direction, Ability to work under stressful situations, Ability to communicate at all levels, People orientated, Reliable, highly motivated.
- Willing to adapt work schedule in accordance with professional requirement.
Duties
- Manage the development, implementation and maintenance of mechanical engineering related policies, guideline and professional standards: Develop evaluation criteria that will serve to measure progress and effectiveness of departmental mechanical engineering operations.
- Develop and maintain professional best practice parameters and quality standards and manuals and guideline on professional standards.
- Monitor and ensure the implementation and continuous adherence to policies and procedures, as well as professional and industry-specific standards and regulations.
- Provide technical consulting services for the operation on engineering related matters to minimize possible engineering risks.
- Manage the design, planning and implementation of engineering projects: Perform audits on engineering designs and approve according to design principles or theory.
- Manage design efforts and integration across disciplines to ensure seamless integration with current technology.
- Analyse technology, resources and market demand, to plan and assess the feasibility of projects.
- Oversee production, quality assurance, quality control, testing and maintenance as required.
- Verify compliance with plans, industry and project standards, building codes, legal requirements and more.
- Monitor progress against project schedules and budgets and recommend allocation of resources as required to accomplish goals.
- Manage the maintenance of engineering operational effectiveness: Manage the execution of maintenance strategy through the provision of appropriate structures, systems and resources.
- Set engineering maintenance standards, specifications and service levels to ensure optimum operational availability.
- Monitor maintenance efficiencies according to departmental goals to direct or redirect engineering services.
- Manage mechanical engineering operations budget: Ensure the availability and management of funds to meet the MTEF objectives within the engineering environment.
- Manage the operational capital project portfolio for the operation to ensure effective resourcing according to organisational needs and objectives.
- Manage the commercial value add of the discipline-related programmes and projects.
- Facilitate the compilation of innovation proposals to ensure validity and adherence to organizational principles.
- Allocate, control and monitor expenditure according to budget to ensure efficient cash flow management.
- Manage the Directorate: Establish and maintain appropriate internal controls and reporting systems in order to meet performance expectations.
- Develop and manage the operational plan of the Directorate and report on progress as required.
- Manage performance and development of employees.
- Establish, implement and maintain efficient and effective communication arrangements.
- Compile and submit all required administrative reports.
- Quality control of work delivered by employees.
- Monitor the budget and expenditures for the Directorate.
How to apply
Head Office Applications: The Director-General, Department of Public Works, Private Bag X65, Pretoria, 0001 or Hand deliver at 256 Madiba Street, CGO Building, Pretoria or email to: Recruitment26-66@dpw.gov.za FOR ATTENTION : Ms NP Mudau
Enquiries: Mr S Mdakane at (082) 929 9885
Notes
Applications must be submitted on the prescribed Z83 application form (obtainable from any Public Service Department or on the DPSA website link: https:/www.dpsa.gov.za/newsroom/psvc/, which must be signed, initialled and dated by the applicant, and must be accompanied by a detailed curriculum vitae (CV) only. Candidates are not required to submit certified copies of qualifications and related documents on application. Only shortlisted candidates will be required to submit certified copies of qualification and other related documents on or before the date of interview, which should not be older than six months. Should an application be submitted using incorrect/old Z83 application form, such an application will be disqualified. Further take note of the following on completion of Z83 application form: PART A and PART B must be fully completed. PART C - PART G: Noting that there is a limited space provided applicants may refer to CV or indicate. This will be acceptable as long as the CV has been attached and provides the required information. Page 1 of the Z83 application form must be initialled and page 2 signed and dated by the applicant. Failure to comply with the above instructions may result in an application being disqualified. Applicants applying for more than one advertised post must submit separate Z83 application forms and CVs in respect to each post being applied for. Should an application be received where an applicant has applied for more than one posts on the same Z83 application form, the applicant will be considered for the first post indicated on the Z83 application form only. Applications will be received via post/courier services, hand deliveries or email. Late applications will not be considered. Regulation 57 (c) and 67 (9) of the Public Service Regulations 2016, as amended, requires the executive authority to ensure that he or she is fully satisfied of the claims being made and the finalisation of Personnel Suitability Checks in order to verify claims and check the candidate for purpose of being fit and proper for employment, respectively. Shortlisted candidates must be willing to undergo normal vetting and verification processes. Note: It is the responsibility of all applicants to ensure that foreign qualifications are evaluated by SAQA. Due to large volume of responses anticipated, receipt of applications will not be acknowledged, and correspondence will be limited to shortlisted candidates only. Should you not have heard from us within three months from the closing date, please regard your application as unsuccessful. Entry level requirements 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 Senior Management Pre-Entry programme as endorsed by the National School of Governance (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-entry programme/. All shortlisted candidates, including the SMS, shall undertake two pre-entry assessments. One will be a practical exercise to determine a candidate’s suitability based on the post’s technical and generic requirements and the other must be an integrity (ethical conduct) assessment. All shortlisted candidates for SMS posts will be subjected to a 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, behavioural preferences, emotional intelligence, and integrity. Note: For emailed applications, please submit a single PDF document or one attachment per application to the email address designated on the specific position. Kindly note that the emailed applications and attachments should not exceed 15MB. It remains the candidate’s responsibility to ensure that their application is successfully submitted using the required single pdf document. Encrypted document will not be accepted. All though an email application option is available, applicants are encouraged to hand deliver their application. IMPORTANT: Applicants must submit a separate application for each post applied for, clearly indicating the correct reference number and post title on each application. Applicants who apply for more than one post must submit a separate application for each post. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the application not being considered. MANAGEMENT ECHELON
Post 29/108, sourced from the DPSA Circular 29 of 2026. Apply directly to Department of Public Works and Infrastructure by 11 September 2026 at 16H00, quoting reference 2026/305. This is an unofficial index; the advert in the circular is authoritative.
- Location
- Pretoria
- Salary
- R1 317 384 p/a
- Closing date
- 11 September 2026 at 16H00
- Reference
- 2026/305
Apply directly to the department, by the closing date, quoting the reference.