Academic Head

Brentwood Recruitment; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 1 200 000 - 1 800 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational institution in South Africa seeks an experienced individual for an academic leadership role. The candidate should hold a Master's degree or relevant Engineering degree, preferably a PhD, and have at least 5 years of senior management experience in higher education. Responsibilities include academic leadership, policy development, quality assurance, and managing academic teams to promote excellence. Strong knowledge of South Africa's higher education system and compliance frameworks is essential.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall academic leadership in alignment with the institution's mission.
• Lead development and review of academic policies and strategies.
• Ensure industry-aligned programmes compliant with NQF / HEQSF standards.
• Oversee quality assurance and programme review functions.
• Support academic staff recruitment and professional development.
• Manage student administration and support initiatives.
• Act as liaison with regulatory bodies and industry partners.
• Prepare reports for management and regulatory bodies.
• Manage academic budgets and resources effectively.

Skills

Senior academic management experience

Strategic academic leadership

Curriculum development

Quality assurance

Knowledge of higher education regulatory frameworks

Ability to develop academic teams

Education

Masters degree in Education or relevant Engineering discipline

PhD preferred

Job description

Qualifications

• Masters degree in Education or a relevant Engineering discipline; PhD preferred
• At least 5 years of senior academic management experience within South Africa's higher education sector
• Demonstrated experience in strategic academic leadership, including curriculum development, programme management, and quality assurance
• In-depth knowledge of South Africa's higher education system, regulatory frameworks, accreditation processes (CHE, DHET, ECSA), and quality assurance standards
• Proven ability to lead and develop academic teams, manage staff performance, and promote a culture of academic excellence

Responsibilities

• Provide overall academic leadership, ensuring alignment with the institution's mission, vision, and regulatory requirements (CHE, DHET, ECSA).
• Lead the development and review of academic policies, procedures, and strategies.
• Ensure programmes are industry-aligned, compliant with NQF / HEQSF standards, and support clear articulation and progression pathways.
• Oversee the quality assurance and programme review functions, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, while delegating day-to-day QA processes to the Quality Assurance Officer.
• Support and manage academic staff through recruitment, professional development, fair workload distribution, and performance management.
• Oversee student administration, academic advising, student support initiatives, performance monitoring, progression, and the management of appeals or misconduct cases.
• Provide support to lecturers in teaching delivery, academic administration, and student engagement.
• Act as the key liaison with regulatory bodies, professional associations, industry partners, and internal governance structures.
• Support marketing and recruitment initiatives for academic programmes.
• Prepare reports for management, committees, and regulatory bodies.
• Lead re-accreditation and audit preparations in collaboration with relevant staff.
• Manage academic budgets and resources effectively.
• Contribute to general campus administration, operational management, and broader management functions.
• Undertake ad hoc duties as required to support the institution's operations.