General Manager-SANPC Refinery

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL VACANCY: GENERAL MANAGER-SANPC REFINERY

CEF is a Schedule 2 state owned diversified energy company reporting to the Department of Mineral & Petroleum Resources. The Mandate of CEF is to contribute to the security of energy supply of South Africa and the Region through exploration, acquisition, development, marketing and strategic partnership. It is derived from the CEF Act (No 38 of 1977) and the Ministerial directives issued thereafter.

JOB PURPOSE:

To lead, coordinate, and oversee the implementation of the merger of the South African National Petroleum Company (SANPC) by providing strategic direction, structured programme oversight, integrated change management, and cross-functional alignment.

REQUIRED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Honours degree (NQF8) in Engineering, Finance, Business Administration or Organizational Development or related field.
• Minimum of 5 to 8 years’ experience in organisational transformation and strategy execution and of which 1 to 3 years’ experience must be in enterprise programme management.
• Proven experience leading complex, enterprise-wide transformation initiatives (preferably in a public-entity or highly regulated environment).
• Strong experience in stakeholder management, executive facilitation, and turnaround leadership.
• Proven experience in managing multidisciplinary teams and external providers.
• Master’s degree (NQF 9) in Engineering, Finance, Business Administration or Organizational Development or related field will serve as an added advantage.

DESIRED ADDITIONAL SKILLS/ COMPETENCIES:

• Proven experience in Change Management, Programme/Project Management, or Agile will serve as added advantage.
• Sound knowledge and experience in the PFMA, Companies Act and King V report.
• Organisational design and resource prioritisation.
• Systems Thinking and complexity navigation.
• Strategic influence and executive communication.
• Decision-making in ambiguity and cross-functional collaboration.
• Sound understanding of parliamentary protocols
• High level analytical skills.
• Good understanding of different business environments.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:

Orchestrate complex processes across multiple initiatives

• Lead, coordinate, and oversee the implementation of the merger through the transfer of the assets from the identified entities to SANPC.
• Lead complex, multi-dimensional turnaround programmes comprising numerous discrete initiatives.
• Apply a structured methodology to ensure disciplined turnaround execution and alignment with organisational turnaround objectives.
• Facilitate effective reporting, risk identification, issue resolution, and escalation processes across all workstreams.
• Manage initiative prioritisation to ensure the highest value interventions receive focus and resources.
• Recommend, manage, and oversee external advisors/consultants supporting transformation projects.

Manage financial and resource requirements for turnaround initiatives

• Assess resource availability and capability readiness; proactively identify capability gaps and direct investments to close those gaps.
• Ensure alignment with budgets, governance frameworks, and approved transformation targets.
• Promote and facilitate cross-functional collaboration to achieve integrated organisational outcomes.
• Oversee financial governance for transformation initiatives, ensuring compliance with policies, procedures and PFMA principles.

Lead and manage overall turnaround execution

• Fully accountable for achieving turnaround objectives across all workstreams and functional areas.
• Drive organisation-wide performance, change, and growth to meet transformation targets.
• Mobilise senior managers and executives — including the Group CEO — to participate in key decision-making, review sessions, and mobilisation forums.
• Ensure that line managers take ownership of change delivery, maintaining high ambition and prompt execution.
• Balance the deployment of scarce organisational resources across competing transformation priorities.
• Enable a network model of execution by integrating organisational structures, functions, and talent across silos.
• Sustain transformation momentum over the longer term and embed new ways of working.
• Provide timely and accurate progress reporting to EXCO and the Group CEO.

Facilitate a connected and agile approach to transformation

• Act as the face of transformation-setting the tone, inspiring commitment, and constructively challenging existing mindsets.
• Integrate agile principles to increase execution speed, flexibility, and learning across transformation streams.
• Craft and communicate a compelling transformation narrative, amplified through continuous stakeholder education.
• Engage external ecosystem partners and stakeholders to enhance capability, insight, and alignment.

Publish date:   28 May 2026

Closing Date:  06 June 2026

NOTE: The successful candidate/s for the advertised position/s will be required to undergo personnel suitability checks, which includes, criminal records, citizenship, financial checks, qualifications and previous employment (Reference checks). It is the responsibility of the applicant to make sure that foreign qualifications are evaluated by the South African Qualifications Authority and the evaluation certificate is attached to the application on submission. If you do not hear from the CEF SOC three months after the closing date of the advertisement, consider your application unsuccessful.  CEF SOC reserves the right not to fill this position. CEF SOC is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer, and it is committed to the achievement and maintenance of diversity and equity in employment, especially in respect of race, gender and disability. This position will be filled in accordance with the CEF SOC Employment Equity Plan. “Appointment at the Refinery is subject to the successful completion of a pre-employment medical examination".