Academic Head

SACOB South African College of Business; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,900,000; Full time

Job summary

SACOB South African College of Business in Cape Town seeks an Academic Head to lead our academic vision across commerce-focused programmes. You will shape curricula, foster quality teaching and build industry relationships, while ensuring regulatory compliance and a thriving academic culture.

The role reports to the Academic Director & Head of Institution and sits at the heart of executive decision-making. Ideal candidates will have substantial experience in higher education leadership, strong

Qualifications

• Master’s or Doctoral degree in commerce or related field.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in academic leadership in higher education with commerce emphasis.
• Experience in higher education administration, programme coordination and student support.
• Comprehensive understanding of SA regulatory landscape for higher education (DHET, SAQA, CHE).
• Proven ability to shape academic strategy, curricula, scholarship and external relationships.

Responsibilities

• Set and communicate the academic vision and strategic direction for SACOB’s commerce-focused higher education provision, aligned with mission and goals.
• Provide intellectual leadership across all academic programmes, ensuring relevance and responsiveness to developments in commerce and higher education.
• Lead the design, development and review of curricula that integrate standards, education principles and industry needs.
• Inspire staff, students and alumni to foster a culture of quality learning, teaching, research and development.
• Build relationships with industry partners and represent SACOB at external meetings and conferences.
• Act as a key member of the executive team contributing an authoritative academic perspective to strategy and planning.
• Direct the academic administration cycle, including calendars, scheduling, assessment, records and reporting.
• Coordinate programme coordination duties and oversee module schedules and student progress.
• Lead recruitment, induction, training and development of academic staff while mentoring Heads of Department and Programme Coordinators.
• Manage workloads, budgets and resources to ensure delivery.
• Coordinate student administration, monitor performance and implement interventions when needed.
• Champion inclusive, student-centered learning and collaborate with admissions/marketing.
• Establish administrative controls and reporting to support executive decisions.
• Oversee QA activities: programme design, review, learning/teaching evaluation, assessment standards and governance.
• Ensure learning outcomes are achieved and curricula remain fit for purpose.
• Lead QA audits, programme reviews and improvement planning with clear actions.
• Use performance data to identify risks and opportunities to improve learning.
• Ensure policies related to the academic project are current and coherent.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and maintain quality assurance.

Skills

Academic leadership

Strategic planning

Stakeholder engagement

Budget management

Programme coordination

Governance

Education

Master’s or Doctoral degree in commerce/related field

Job description

Position Title: Academic Head

Reporting to: Academic Director & Head of Institution

Location: Claremont, Cape Town

Start date: As soon as possible

About SACOB

SACOB South African College of Business is a private higher education provider committed to meaningful, collaborative and career-focused learning. We see education as a bridge from potential to possibility, and our work is guided by a commitment to producing sought-after graduates with the skills and competencies needed for optimal employment and wealth creation. Our online model is structured, supportive and flexible, with a strong focus on helping students overcome the traditional barriers of distance learning.

Role Overview

The Academic Head is a key leadership role at SACOB in the higher education division, primarily responsible for steering the institution’s academic vision, mission and values in the field of commerce. The successful applicant will ensure that SACOB’s programmes, scholarship and educational practice remain relevant, credible and responsive to the needs of students, the commerce sector and the wider higher education landscape.

The position requires a strategic leader who can develop and inspire academic staff, foster a vibrant culture of quality learning, teaching, research and scholarship, and strengthen the institution’s growth and reputation within the South African Higher Education landscape. After academic leadership, the role’s priorities are administrative proficiency in managing the academic enterprise, including a required level of hands-on Programme Coordination, academic quality assurance, and, finally, effective regulation and compliance with the requirements of DHET, SAQA, CHE and other applicable frameworks.

Key Attributes

• Academic Leadership in Commerce and Higher Education: Proven ability to develop and implement a forward-thinking academic strategy for distance provision, grounded in sound educational principles relevant to South Africa and Africa, that aligns with the institution’s goals and vision and advances its standing in commerce and higher education.

• Administrative Proficiency and Programme Coordination: Exceptional capability in managing academic operations, people, resources, curricula, student affairs and institutional processes with consistency, efficiency and sound judgement. Demonstrated ability to perform hands-on programme coordination tasks, including overseeing module rollouts, tracking academic progress, and coordinating delivery across faculties.

• Academic Quality Assurance: Demonstrated ability to maintain and improve the quality of programme design, learning, teaching, assessment and scholarship through rigorous review and evidence-led improvement.

• Regulation and Compliance: Sound understanding of the requirements of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and Council on Higher Education (CHE), applied as an enabling and essential final layer of institutional assurance.

Job Description: Academic Head

Role & Responsibilities

Academic Leadership in Commerce and Higher Education

Primary Key Performance Area

• Set and communicate the academic vision and strategic direction for SACOB’s commerce-focused higher education provision, aligned with the institution’s mission, values, goals and vision.
• Provide intellectual leadership across all academic programmes, ensuring their relevance, currency and responsiveness to developments in commerce, professional practice and higher education.
• Lead the design, development and strategic review of fit-for-purpose curricula that integrate academic standards, sound educational principles and industry needs.
• Inspire academic staff, students and alumni to foster a vibrant culture of quality learning, teaching, research, scholarship and continuous professional development.
• Build and maintain influential relationships with industry partners, professional bodies and other higher education institutions, and represent SACOB at conferences, forums and external meetings.
• Function as a key member of the executive team, contributing an authoritative academic perspective to institutional strategy, planning and decision-making.

Administrative Proficiency

Second Key Performance Area

• Direct the academic administration cycle, including academic calendars, programme scheduling, assessment administration, committee workflows, records, reporting and the timely production of academic collateral.
• Perform direct programme coordination duties for designated qualifications, including the development of systems, and oversight of, module schedules, tracking student academic progress, coordinating assessments, and addressing module-level student academic queries.
• Lead the recruitment, induction, training, performance management and professional development of academic staff, while providing operational guidance and mentorship to Heads of Department and Programme Coordinators.
• Manage academic staff workloads, budgets and resource allocation to ensure efficiency, fairness, accountability and continuity of delivery.
• Coordinate student academic administration, monitor performance and retention, implement appropriate interventions, and ensure academic appeals and grievances are resolved fairly and transparently.
• Direct the academic administration cycle, including academic calendars, programme scheduling, assessment administration, committee workflows, records, reporting and the timely production of academic collateral.
• Champion an inclusive, student-centered learning environment and collaborate with admissions and marketing teams to communicate programme value and attract prospective students.
• Establish clear administrative controls, service standards and management information that enable the academic project to operate reliably and support informed executive decisions.

Academic Quality Assurance

Third Key Performance Area

• Oversee the institution’s academic quality assurance activities as part of an integrated approach to quality assurance, including assisting in programme design, programme review, learning and teaching evaluation, assessment standards, moderation and academic governance.
• Ensure that programme learning outcomes are achieved and that curricula, teaching practice and assessment remain academically sound, coherent and fit for purpose.
• Lead internal and external quality assurance audits, programme reviews and evidence-based improvement planning, with clear accountability for agreed actions.
• Use student performance, retention, assessment and feedback data to identify risks and opportunities and to strengthen the quality of the student learning experience.
• Ensure that policies and procedures related to the total academic project are current, coherent, understood and effectively implemented.

Regulation and Compliance

Fourth Key Performance Area

• Ensure compliance with the applicable requirements of DHET, SAQA and CHE, while remaining abreast of and guided by international standards of good practice in higher education.
• Contribute to the preparation and submission of programme accreditation, audit, evaluation and registration documents with CHE, SAQA and DHET.
• Maintain a fit for purpose quality assurance programme that privileges evidence-based reporting processes for regulatory submissions, conditions, commitments and institutional obligations.

Qualifications & Experience

• A Master’s or Doctoral degree from a recognised and accredited university, preferably in commerce, business, management, economics, accounting, finance, education or a closely related field.
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in academic leadership including in the role of Academic Head (or equivalent) in higher education, with demonstrated standing in commerce-related education and evidence of shaping academic strategy, curricula, scholarship and external academic relationships.
• Substantial experience in the administration of academic operations, staff, resources, student matters, committees and institutional reporting.
• Demonstrated experience in higher education academic administration, including practical involvement in programme coordination, curriculum delivery, and student support management.
• A comprehensive, applied understanding of the South African regulatory landscape for higher education, including DHET, CHE and SAQA requirements.

Competencies & Skills

Exceptional academic leadership, intellectual credibility and the ability to articulate a compelling vision and grounded strategy for commerce and distance higher education.

Strong strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, written and verbal communication, and execution abilities.

Excellent administrative, managerial and motivational skills, including proven ability to establish and manage budgets, resources, systems and teams effectively.

Strong operational programme management skills, with the proven ability to balance strategic academic oversight with practical, day-to-day programme administration and workflow execution

High-level analytical, problem-solving and decision-making capability, supported by disciplined use of academic quality evidence and performance data.

Sound regulatory judgement and the ability to translate compliance requirements into proportionate, reliable institutional processes.