Sen. Manager: Customs Airport Control

In brief

Here is the job description rewritten into the mandatory format: **Overview** This role is for a Senior Manager: Customs Airport Control at the South African Revenue Service (SARS). The purpose of this position is to effectively manage an airport's customs operations to ensure optimal trade facilitation, border security and control, compliance, and revenue collection. **What you will do** You will be responsible for: * Effectively managing an airport to ensure optimal trade facilitation, border security and control, compliance, and revenue collection. * Strategically managing Customs and creating seamless processes with border/ports operations. * Fostering strong partnerships with trade bodies, logistics service providers, the business community, government agencies, and airport stakeholders to improve service delivery, enhance operational coordination, support compliance, and contribute to secure and efficient border management through a whole-of-government approach. * Modelling integrity, accountability, and service excellence as per SARS’s leadership ethos. * Streamlining workflows to reduce delays and enhance compliance monitoring. * Developing operational targets and tactical strategy in support of delivery plans and organisational objectives. * Directing, controlling, coordinating, and optimising budgeted resources to meet objectives. * Ensuring the development and implementation of multiple practices aligned with operational policy and procedural frameworks. * Identifying and recommending opportunities for continuous improvement of functions and systems. * Planning for work outputs, coordinating interdependent activities, and specifying priorities, standards, and procedures. * Proactively identifying interconnected problems, determining their impact, and developing best-fit alternatives and solutions. * Providing periodic reports on performance and progress, using insights to realign operating plans. * Recommending changes to optimise processes, systems, policies, and procedures, and directing the implementation of change. * Communicating policy modifications, objective achievement progress, and critical success factors to stakeholders. * Implementing governance, risk, and compliance policy in own practice areas. * Managing and/or advising on the translation and application of policy in a specific functional area. * Planning and developing enhanced organisational efficiency by addressing development requirements and providing tools for people resources. * Translating performance expectations into specific metrics and goals. * Creating a positive work climate and culture to energise employees and maximise productivity. * Developing and implementing appropriate people capacity plans. * Implementing and monitoring financial control, cost management, and corporate governance. * Drawing up and monitoring budgets, minimising expenditure, and reporting on cost efficiency. * Building and maintaining relationships with clients and internal and external stakeholders. * Developing service level agreements that promote SARS. * Developing and ensuring implementation of practices that build service delivery excellence and an integrated service excellence culture. **Requirements (from the original advert)** * **Education and Experience:** * **Minimum Qualification & Experience Required:** * Honours / Postgraduate Diploma NQF 8 in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Business Management International Trade AND 10-12 years' experience in customs and excise operating environment including trade value chain, of which 3-4 years ideally at middle management level. * **ALTERNATIVE:** * Bachelor's Degree / Advanced Diploma NQF 7, Business Management International Trade AND 12-15 years’ experience in customs and excise operating environment including trade value chain, of which 3-4 years ideally at middle management level. * **Minimum Functional Requirements:** * Strategic management of Customs and create seamless process with border/ ports operations. * Strategic Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement – Fostering strong partnerships with trade bodies, logistics service providers, the business community, government agencies, and airport stakeholders to improve service delivery, enhance operational coordination, support compliance, and contribute to secure and efficient border management through a whole-of-government approach. * Values-based leadership: Model integrity, accountability, and service excellence as per SARS’s leadership ethos. * Process optimization: Streamline workflows to reduce delays and enhance compliance monitoring. * **Behavioural competencies:** * Accountability * Fairness and Transparency * Honesty and Integrity * Problem Solving and Analysis * Respect * Trust * **Technical competencies:** * Border Control and Management * Business Acumen * Change Management * Compliance Inspection * Customs Knowledge * Decisiveness * Effective Business Communication * Functional Policies and Procedures * Legislative and regulatory compliance * Managerial Budgeting * Planning and Organising * Planning, Management and Measurement * Problem Analysis and Judgement * Strategic Planning * **Leadership Competencies:** * Ability to translate strategy into execution * Concern for Impact of own behaviour on others * Develops teams and nurtures interdependency * Inspires others to Positive Action * Nurtures Future Talent * Stewardship and Service Orientation * Strong Results Orientation * Values and Manages Diversity **Who should apply** This role is suited for an experienced Customs and Excise professional, ideally with middle management experience, holding a relevant NQF 8 (Honours / Postgraduate Diploma) or NQF 7 (Bachelor's Degree / Advanced Diploma) qualification in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Business Management, or International Trade. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in the customs and excise operating environment, including the trade value chain. They should be a strategic thinker capable of managing airport customs operations, fostering strong stakeholder partnerships, driving process optimisation, and modelling values-based leadership. Candidates should demonstrate strong technical competencies in border control, customs knowledge, strategic planning, financial management, and people development, along with a results-oriented and accountable approach. **Deadline** 22nd October, 2026 **Reference** Original posting: https://www.myjobmag.co.za/job/sen-manager-customs-airport-control-the-south-african-revenue-service-sars Source: myjobmag

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At a glance

• At least 10 years of experience.

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