Honours Research Coordinator

MANCOSA; Natal; Hybrid; BRL 57,000 - 95,000; Part time

Job summary

MANCOSA, a DHET registered distance education provider, seeks a Research Coordinator to oversee proposal tracking, student support, and research events. The role requires coordinating marking of proposals, guiding students through the research process, and ensuring timely feedback and ethical compliance.

Qualifications include a relevant Masters and at least 12 months’ experience in a higher education setting; research coordination experience is a plus.

Qualifications

• Master's degree required
• Minimum 12 months experience in a higher education institution
• Research coordination experience is advantageous

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and administer marking of research proposals
• Provide pastoral care and assist students with the research process
• Track proposal submissions and maintain weekly trackers
• Assist with ethical clearance applications and MHREC processes
• Attend and support research meetings and training initiatives
• Assist with events and research initiatives as needed

Skills

Excellent communication

MS Office proficiency

Multitasking

Working under pressure

Handling students

Honesty & integrity

Education

Master's degree

Tools

MS Office

Excel

PowerPoint

Outlook

Job description

Job category: Others: Education and Training

Contract: Fixed Term Contract

EE position: Yes

Introduction

MANCOSA, a DHET registered and CHE accredited private higher education distance education provider, offering undergraduate and postgraduate business qualifications has the following vacancy available: RESEARCH COORDINATOR

CORE PURPOSE

Coordinate and administer marking of research proposals, manage and monitor research process. Consult and provide pastoral care to students and organise and facilitate research events.

CORE FUNCTION

TRACKING OF PROPOSAL SUBMISSIONS

• Construct and update a proposal tracker spreadsheet throughout the proposal processing phase
• Trackers should be updated on a weekly basis to ensure accurate reporting
• Tracking should be utilised to ensure timeous pastoral care is conducted

STUDENT SUPPORT

• Timeously answer student calls and attend to student complaints
• Confirmation of receipt of emails done daily
• Hold consultations with students to assist with the research process and/or research content
• Resolution of queries to be done timeously
• Be knowledgeable in topic areas surrounding research and programme subject matter
• Provide students with relevant guidelines, resources and templates to assist them through the research proceses
• Provide students with feedback on proposals within 5 working days from date of allocation
• Process the proposal on Turnitin and provide the student with the Turnitin Originality Report
• Hold plagiarism and referencing consultations with students whose Turnitin Originality Report show excessive plagiarism
• Proposal feedback should be thorough, clear, aligned to the guidelines and academically sound
• Consider and bring to the attention of the student all possible technical, ethical and methodological concerns
• Ensure that the relevant stakeholders are copied in on proposal feedback

ETHICAL CLEARANCE APPLICATIONS

• Advise students on the process of applying for ethical clearance
• Review all ethical clearance applications consisting of the research proposal and appendices, ensuring that it meets the minimum requirements of the MHREC
• Consider and bring to the attention of the student and Supervisor all possible technical and ethical concerns
• Submit reviewed and approved ethical clearance applications as per the process communicated by the MHREC Subcommittee
• Track and conduct pastoral care to ensure timeous processing of ethical clearance applications
• Process ethical clearance applications within the SLA
• Feedback provided on ethical clearance applications to be academically sound and consistent
• Obtain panel approval with first time ethical clearance submissions

ATTENDANCE AT RESEARCH MEETINGS AND TRAINING INITIATIVES

• Punctual attendance at Catch-up meetings
• Punctual attendance at ad hoc Research meetings
• Punctual attendance at training initiatives communicated by the Research department

ASSISTANCE WITH AD HOC RESEARCH AND MANCOSA EVENTS

• Assist with Research initiatives as and when required
• Assist departments within MANCOSA with events
• Training of colleagues on Proposal processes

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum requirements: A relevant Masters Degree

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• At least 12 month’s experience within a higher education institution
• Research Coordination experience advantageous

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Excellent communication skills (verbal and written)
• Proficient in MS office (word, excel, PPT, outlook)
• Ability to multitask
• Ability to work under pressure
• Ability to handle difficult students
• Honesty and Integrity

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must be able to work during weekends when requested