Fund Leader - 3 Year Fixed Term Contract Gauteng

Mintek is actively recruiting for a Fund Leader - 3 Year Fixed Term Contract position in Gauteng. This is an excellent opportunity for professionals in the Science sector looking to advance their careers.

• Experience Level: 3 - 5 years • Educational Background: Master or equivalent • Industry Focus: Science • Location Preference: in Gauteng

The Fund Leader - 3 Year Fixed Term Contract position is an important role within the Science sector, offering meaningful career development and professional growth opportunities.

This role in Science offers valuable career progression opportunities aligned with your experience level and professional aspirations.

When applying for this Fund Leader - 3 Year Fixed Term Contract position, ensure your CV highlights: • Relevant experience matching the 3 - 5 years requirement • Educational qualifications in line with Master • Specific achievements in the Science field • Any certifications or specialized training

The Science sector in South Africa continues to show strong demand for skilled professionals. This position represents a valuable opportunity in the current job market.

---

Leadership

Provide active stage-gating and governance for commercialisation investments to prevent passive R&D expenditure. Exercise foresight, creativity, and professional judgment when making decisions or recommendations that directly impact research direction and the commercial outcomes of the Mintek IP portfolio. Guide technical research teams toward meeting critical, clearly defined commercial milestones.

Strategy & Innovation

Establish and refine mandates, application criteria, and evaluation procedures for internal commercialisation funding instruments. Assess the local and international funding landscape to identify investment opportunities aligned with Mintek’s focus areas. Transform identified opportunities into high-quality proposals for externally funded commercial de-risking. Act as a "business mirror" to technical teams to ensure investment decisions are informed by clearly articulated commercial & market opportunities. Continually refine stage-gating and review procedures to ensure technologies move efficiently through the institutional commercialisation pipeline.

Financial Sustainability

Support the development of robust internal funding proposals and systematically manage the portfolio of internal seed funds. Leverage internal seed funding to attract external co-investment, strategic partnerships, and DFI funding. Ensure that external revenue contributions from successful proposals actively support Mintek’s broader commercialisation programmes.

Execution, People and Planning

Drive reporting mechanisms and quarterly reviews for all commercialisation investments, acting as the primary secretariat for funded projects. Manage large, multi-year funding programmes, executing comprehensive resource and timeline planning for funded milestones. Coordinate project inception meetings to closely align technical development with commercial de-risking activities.

Compliance Management

Establish and monitor the operational systems and mandates required for sound governance of externally funded commercialisation projects and internal Seed Fund investments. Provide operational oversight of the work of applicants and technical staff to ensure absolute compliance with funding mandates. Proactively assess, profile, and manage all risks related to the commercialisation funding programs and individual projects in the portfolio.

Relationship Management and Reporting

Prepare highly professional statistical and narrative reports for internal funding committees, Exco, and external institutional stakeholders. Engage deeply with applicants pre- and post-award to ensure milestones are commercially geared. Lead, guide, and mentor researchers and technical staff as they navigate the complex commercialisation funding landscape.

Minimum requirements

Master’s degree in science / engineering PhD in a scientific or technical field and/or Business qualification (MBA qualification would be an advantage) 3–5 years of experience directly related to technology transfer or investment fund management. Nature of Experience: Proven experience within a technology transfer function in a University or Science Council managing seed-funding projects or investment funds and associated governance processes.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Strong knowledge of high-tech product development processes and commercialisation hurdles. Ability to negotiate complex funding terms and a thorough understanding of the statutory reporting requirements of the IPR Act. Excellent communication, organisational, and technical integration skills