Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
THE Sports and Recreation Commission have resumed their seemingly never-ending hunt for a substantive director-general that has stretched for over two years now.
After suspending the process late last year, the Sports Commission yesterday flighted press advertisements for the post.
The Sports Commission have been operating under an acting director-general Joseph Muchechetere since the retirement of Charles Nhemachena in 2016.
They began their search for a substantive director-general early last year when they first advertised for the post in April and held interviews afterwards.
But they were forced to re-advertise the post in October as they revealed that the short-listed candidates from the interviews, including Muchechetere had been unsuccessful.
However, after re-advertising the post, they did not finalise the process as the interviews that were scheduled for November did not take place with no clear explanation. And they have for the third time re-advertised the post.
In an advert flighted in The Sunday Mail yesterday, the Sports Commission said they are looking for a person with a first degree and a relevant post-graduate Business or Sports Administration degree.
Sports Commission’s chairman Edward Siwela while admitting there were applicants after their second advertisement, could not reveal why they have re-advertised for the post instead of proceeding with the aborted interviews.
“We went over this route last time and I think what is critical for us is to tell you that we haven’t filled the post, which is why we have re-advertised it and we will actually be considering applicants.
“We didn’t proceed with any interviews after the last advert that you are referring to. There were applicants.
“I really don’t want to complicate the selection process you know by going back to say who applied, what happened. What is important is that the post remained vacant, which is why we have re-advertised it.
“And we are hoping that the people who will apply whether those that had applied previously and fresh ones this is the information that we are calling for, so that we are able to proceed expeditiously with the selection process.
“That is really what we are doing because I am not sure that the history will help us in terms of what happened last time and that kind of thing. I think what is clear is when a post is re-advertised it means that the post remains vacant,” said Siwela.
The candidate is expected to have experience in sports administration at executive committee or board level and a minimum of 10 years’ experience at senior management level.
According to the Sports Commission, some of the responsibilities of the director-general, who will be reporting to the board are: “Providing overall leadership to the day-to-day operations of the Commission. Developing the Commission’s strategic and business plans, obtaining board approval and leading strategy execution in order to achieve the Commission’s strategic goals.
“Formulating organisational policies and recommending them to the board for approval. Preparing budgets and submitting them for board approval,” read part of the advert.
The director-general will also be responsible of managing stakeholder relations and representing the Commission at various forums as well as preparing agreed periodic activity and performance reports for the attention of the board.