Director

Klipfontein Road, Athlone, Cape Town, South Africa

About the Organisation

The Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children (SBCWC) is a leading one-stop centre providing holistic support to women and children who are survivors of abuse.

Operating at the intersection of care, advocacy, and systems change, SBCWC delivers critical psychosocial, shelter, legal and empowerment services, while actively contributing to shaping responses to gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) in South Africa.

The Opportunity

SBCWC is seeking to appoint a Director, a purpose-driven, strategic leader who will guide the organisation into its next phase of impact, sustainability, and growth.

This is not only an operational leadership role, it is also an opportunity to:

● Shape the future of survivor-centred care.
● Influence policy and systemic responses to GBVF.
● Strengthen SBCWC’s position as a leading voice and model in the sector.

The successful candidate will combine strategic vision with operational excellence, ensuring the organisation remains both deeply compassionate and highly effective.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership & Governance

● Provide overall strategic leadership aligned to SBCWC’s vision and mandate.
● Work closely with the Board to drive organisational sustainability and impact.
● Position SBCWC as a thought leader and credible partner in the GBVF sector.
● Champion and oversee the development of GBVF related research.
● Provide overall strategic direction to the Centre by developing and implementing a robust, sustainable organisational strategy aligned with its mission and long-term vision.
● Lead execution of the strategy, ensuring alignment across programmes.
● Ensure the development and sustainability of the centre’s programmes while overseeing the effective delivery of all organisational operations.

2. Fundraising, Partnerships & Sustainability

● Develop and lead diversified, multi-year fundraising strategies.
● Build and steward relationships with government departments, donors and partners.
● Strengthen donor confidence through impact-driven reporting and engagement.

3. Brand, Communications & Advocacy

● Lead the development and execution of an integrated communications and positioning strategy.
● Elevate SBCWC’s voice, visibility, and influence in public discourse.
● Oversee media engagement, storytelling and advocacy initiatives.
● Oversee the development and implementation of a communications strategy to strengthen the Centre’s visibility, positioning, and impact.
● Guide the development of external communications, including digital platforms, marketing materials, and stakeholder communications, to ensure consistency and alignment with organisational values.

4. Operational Leadership & Programme Oversight

● Ensure effective and efficient day-to-day management of the Centre.
● Oversee delivery of high-quality, trauma-informed services.
● Strengthen internal systems, processes and programme effectiveness.
● Oversee monitoring and evaluation, compliance and risk strategies.

5. Stakeholder Engagement

● Build and maintain strategic partnerships with government, civil society, donors, and the private sector to advance the Centre’s mission and priorities.
● Leverage corporate social responsibility opportunities and mobilise financial resources.
● Lead partnerships with the business sector to support income-generating initiatives, including enabling businesses to buy and sell products made at the Centre.
● Strengthen relationships with key stakeholders to enhance collaboration, community awareness, and programme reach.

6. People & Culture Leadership

● Provide leadership across all Human Resource functions.
● Build and nurture a values-driven, resilient and high-performing team.
● Foster a culture of care, accountability, collaboration and professional excellence.
● Promote SBCWC’s feminist ethos.

7. Human Resource and Governance

● Provide oversight of human resource management, including staff development, performance management, and organisational capacity building.
● Ensure compliance with relevant statutory requirements, including those related to audits, taxation, and reporting to relevant authorities.
● Stay informed of the latest developments in the legal and regulatory frameworks that may impact the work of the organisation.
● Inspire a positive, inclusive, and values-driven organisational culture.

8. Financial Stewardship

● Oversee the responsible and transparent management of all financial resources.
● Ensure compliance with governance, audit and regulatory requirements.
● Support long-term financial sustainability and resilience.
● Lead the development and implementation of diverse fundraising strategies aligned with the Centre’s strategic priorities.
● Oversee budgets and expenditure to ensure effective, compliant, and cost-efficient use of resources.
● Ensure financial oversight including reporting, audits, and compliance with regulations.

Requirements

● Minimum of 7-10 years senior leadership experience in the NGO / social justice sector.
● Proven track record in fundraising, donor engagement and resource mobilisation.
● Strong experience in strategic communications and stakeholder management.
● Demonstrated ability to lead complex organisations and multidisciplinary teams.
● Solid understanding of GBVF within the South African context.
● Experience in HR leadership, organisational development and policy implementation.
● Tertiary qualification in Law, Gender Studies, Social Work or relevant field (postgraduate qualification advantageous; RPL considered).
● Valid driver’s license, own transport and police clearance certificate.

Key Competencies & Attributes

● Deeply purpose-driven with a commitment to social justice.
● Strong emotional intelligence and ability to lead with empathy.
● High levels of integrity, resilience and self-awareness.
● Strategic thinker with strong execution capability.
● Ability to operate effectively in high-pressure, complex environments.
● Experience in working with Boards and other relevant stakeholders.
● Strong financial acumen.

Additional Advantages

● Based in or able to relocate to Cape Town.
● Experience in the GBVF or related social justice sector.
● Established networks within donor, corporate or social justice sectors.

Willingness to travel locally and/ or regionally.

Closing Date for Applications: Midnight 3 September 2026

First Interview Dates: TBC September 2026

How to Apply

• To apply for this role, please email your tailored CV and 2-page Cover Letter outlining your suitability to recruitment@charitycareersafrica.com
• Please note that if you previously applied for this role, you will unfortunately not be considered.
• Due to the public holiday, there may be a delay in communication.
• As you have enquired about one of our vacancies, you will automatically be added to our job alert distribution list so that you can receive notifications about all our vacancies. If, however, you do not wish to receive these, you can simply tick the unsubscribe button at the bottom of these notifications.

Non Profit Organization Reg. No. 014-121 NPO

M. Komote (Chairperson), C. Blouws (Vice Chairperson), L. Woldson ( Secretary), L. O’ Brien (Treasurer), S. Didiza (Board member).B. Bachar (Director), S. Roliyanti (Staff Representative).