Associate Professor / Professor (Permanent appointment) and Director (Contract appointment : 5 [...]

UFS, Bloemfontein; Bloemfontein; On-site; ZAR 800 000 - 1 200 000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent academic institution in Bloemfontein is seeking an Academic Head of Department to provide leadership and direction in teaching, research, and departmental management. The ideal candidate will have experience in developing research strategies and managing staff effectively, with a strong commitment to enhancing student experiences. This role requires a Professor to oversee academic standards and ensure quality education delivery.

Qualifications

• Top-quality research-informed facilitation of learning.
• Ability to develop and maintain a visionary research strategy.
• Experience in financial management and budgeting.

Responsibilities

• Provide academic leadership and development in the department.
• Ensure quality and timely feedback on student work.
• Manage curricula development and reviews.

Education

Professor

Job description

Duties and responsibilities

Academic Head of Department

Leadership

• Provide academic leadership and development in an academic department by creating and executing strategies to establish the department as a leader in the discipline.
• Develop an overall operational plan for the department in consultation with the Dean.
• Give academic leadership and direct department scholarship, teaching, and standards.
• Take leadership of programme accreditation and ensure national and international accreditation maintenance.
• Promote intellectual vigour and rigour in the disciplines of the department.
• Provide research leadership in the department.
• Influence the department's overall climate and culture and grow the department into a well-functioning academic unit.
• Contribute to faculty leadership by representing the interests of the department at the faculty board, Senate, and other University structures.
• Provide leadership in the marketing of the department's programme and assist in establishing collaborations with external parties.

Teaching, learning and students

• Ensure the provision of top-quality, research-informed facilitation of learning at all levels of teaching in the department.
• Ensure the enhancement of student experiences and their continuous engagement in academic debates.
• Ensure that adequate rules and regulations are in place and adhered to in order to optimally deliver high-quality teaching and learning programmes on both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
• Ensure quality and timely feedback on student work is provided.
• Ensure proper and quality-driven academic advice and support to all undergraduate and postgraduate students in the department.
• Manage the teaching and assessment quality enhancement processes in the department.
• Ensure that programme accreditation minimum criteria are maintained or exceeded.
• Manage curricula development and reviews and ensure the relevance of content, material and presentation in all modules to help position the department as a leader in the fraternity.
• Oversee the development of new programmes or offerings in order to remain relevant.
• Ensure nominations of examiners and moderators are made.
• Consult with staff and students at regular intervals.
• Teach and supervise research students up to NQF Level 10.

Research management

• Develop and maintain a visionary research strategy for the department.
• Create an environment that encourages research, leading to strong and active research practices and outputs.
• Ensure that every academic staff member is engaged in quality-driven, discipline-specific and scholarly research.
• Attract postgraduate students to broaden the research base of the department.
• Ensure ethical research requirements are met.
• Support and assist emerging researchers.
• Guide and support senior academics towards acquiring NRF ratings.

Human resources management

• Build effective teams in the department.
• Plan and implement a fair and reasonable workload of staff members in the department.
• Monitor the progress of staff probation and manage staff performance as well as appraisals in accordance with existing university policies and procedures.
• Recruit and select staff for vacancies and / or specific strategic needs.
• Create and maintain a scholarship-friendly environment in the department.
• Plan, drive and oversee effective and relevant staff development.
• Attend to and / or delegate routine academic and administrative matters.
• Manage academic and support staff in accordance with UFS HR rules and policies. Ensure a good flow of information to staff.

Financial and physical resources management

• Take ultimate responsibility for financial management, including, annual budgeting, financial planning, allocation of funds and financial control.
• Adhere to the UFS's financial policies and procedures.
• Encourage and support academic staff members to apply for external research and other grants.

Inherent Job Requirements

Professor