Associate Professor

UWC Online - University of the Western Cape; Bellville; On-site; ZAR 800 000 - 1 200 000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent South African university is seeking an Associate Professor (Senior Manager & Regional Representative) to lead its new global office. The role involves strategic leadership and oversight, fostering academic collaborations, and ensuring compliance with higher education requirements. Candidates should hold a relevant Doctoral degree and possess extensive leadership experience, with strong communication skills preferred. This position is crucial for enhancing international partnerships and research initiatives.

Qualifications

• 5-10 years of experience in research administration or higher education leadership.
• Demonstrated success in managing partnerships and complex initiatives.
• Proficiency in Afrikaans and/or isiXhosa.

Responsibilities

• Lead regional representative for UVA in South Africa.
• Develop and implement an outreach strategy.
• Facilitate collaborative research and academic programs.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Strong communication skills

Cross-cultural leadership

Financial management

Education

MBChB or Doctoral degree in relevant field

Job description

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR (Senior Manager & Regional Representative: UVA South Africa Global Office)

CENTRE FOR HUMANITIES RESEARCH (FACULTY OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES)

UNIVERSITY OF THE WESTERN CAPE

The Centre for Humanities Research (University of the Western Cape), in partnership with the Office of the Vice Provost for Global Affairs (University of Virginia, USA)
Type of Position: 5-year Contract (renewable)
Location: University of the Western Cape Iyatsiba Lab / Cape Town, South Africa

The University of Virginia (UVA), based in Virginia, USA, and the University of the Western Cape (UWC) share a longstanding commitment to advancing global scholarship, social justice, and innovation in higher education. UVA and UWC are partnering to establish the UVA South Africa Global Office within UWC’s Centre for Humanities Research. This partnership is rooted in a vision of creating meaningful, equitable collaborations that cross borders and disciplines.

The UVA Global Office in South Africa will serve as a hub for academic exchange, research collaboration, student mobility, and alumni engagement, deepening transhemispheric links between Africa and the United States. The UVA South Africa Global Office, housed at UWC’s Centre for Humanities Research, represents UVA’s first global office in Africa and the second in an emerging network of locations outside the Commonwealth of Virginia. This UVA Global Office provides a South African platform to:

• Foster transformative, collaborative research;
• Expand mutual learning opportunities;
• Engage and support UVA alumni communities across the region;
• Amplify UVA’s profile in South Africa for recruiting and admissions.

The Associate Professor (Senior Manager & Regional Representative) will be at the heart of this effort - shaping strategy, guiding operations, and building partnerships that will define the future of UVA’s global engagements in Southern Africa.

The Associate Professor (Senior Manager & Regional Representative) provides leadership and oversight of the South Africa Global Office. This role blends high-level institutional representation with strategic and operational management, ensuring that the office delivers on its mission to advance academic, research, and community partnerships between UVA, UWC, and regional stakeholders.

Reporting to the Director of the Centre for Humanities Research (UWC) and the Director of Global Initiatives (UVA), the successful applicant will be responsible for:

Strategic Leadership & Representation

• Serve as UVA’s senior in-country representative in South Africa and the region.
• Strengthen partnerships with universities, government, NGOs, and industry.
• Develop and implement a regional communication and outreach strategy.
• Lead alumni engagement, donor cultivation, and development activities.
• Oversee planning for high-profile visits, events, and conferences.
• Academic & Programmatic Development
• Expand UVA student mobility opportunities (study abroad, internships, research exchanges) and develop mutual exchanges with UWC and tertiary institutions throughout South Africa.
• Facilitate collaborative research and academic programs between UVA, UWC, and regional partners.
• Assist in complying with regulatory frameworks, and help to facilitate approvals for human subject’s research.
• Develop Global Classroom and virtual exchange initiatives.
• Create professional pathways and career placement opportunities for UVA students and alumni.
• Convene academic events, symposia, and conferences to highlight UVA and local/regional collaborations.

Operations & Administration

• Supervise and mentor the Administrator: Coordinator: Operations & Administration.
• Oversee budgets, procurement, and office resources in compliance with UWC and UVA.
• Guide monitoring and evaluation of office outputs and outcomes.
• Support faculty, staff, and project teams from UWC and UVA.

Governance & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with South African labour law, financial, and higher education requirements.
• Uphold UVA and UWC’s governance standards in all operations.
• Oversee donor and grant compliance, reporting to funders (NRF, EU, DAAD, NIH, SAMRC, foundations, etc.).
• Serve as point of contact for audits, contracts, and legal matters.

• MBChB (NQF 8) with relevant experience or a Doctoral degree (NQF 10) in public health, health sciences, higher education administration, public policy, cultural studies, or related field.
• 5–10 years of progressively responsible experience in research administration, research team leadership, international program administration, higher education leadership, or global project management.
• Demonstrated success in managing multi-institutional partnerships and complex initiatives.
• Proven experience engaging stakeholders across academia, government, and civil society.
• Strong project management, monitoring, and evaluation skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Proficiency in Afrikaans and/or isiXhosa.
• Strong financial, administrative, and compliance experience.
• Ability to travel to the US for training and ongoing collaboration.
• Added Advantage:
• Postdoctoral studies, or experience working in research programmes across institutions.
• Working experience in South African Higher Education sector.
• Experience (as student, researcher, faculty, or staff) in US Higher Education.
• Knowledge of international funding environments (NRF, EU, DAAD, NIH, foundations).
• Alumni/donor engagement experience.
• Required competencies: (skills, knowledge, and behavioral attributes)
• Strategic vision and execution - ability to translate institutional priorities into regional action.
• Operational excellence - strong skills in office management, compliance, project oversight, and resource stewardship.
• Cross-cultural leadership - ability to navigate and communicate effectively across diverse cultures.
• Stakeholder engagement - experience establishing strong, sustainable relationships and trust-based partnerships.
• Financial and grant management - skills in budgeting, donor compliance, and multi-source reporting.
• Communication and diplomacy - exceptional written and oral skills for diverse audiences.
• Research and analytical skills - proven background analysing complex information, identifying trends and insights, and presenting recommendations to support strategic decision-making.
• Adaptability and problem-solving - ability to manage complexity and thrive in dynamic environments.
• Closing Date : 8 December 2025