Coordinator: Interpreting Services (post level 10): Academy for Multilingualism (Job ID: 6600)

UFS International; Bloemfontein; On-site; ZAR 465,000 - 585,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Medical aid

Housing allowance

Job summary

University of the Free State invites applications for a Coordinator: Interpreting Services (post level 10) within the Academy for Multilingualism. The role focuses on coordinating interpreting services across campuses and ensuring accessibility for Deaf students in lectures, tutorials and assessments.

The incumbent will manage interpreters’ schedules, develop SASL terminology in collaboration with stakeholders and provide mentorship.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in SASL or equivalent with minimum two years SASL interpreting in higher education teaching and learning.
• Minimum one year coordinating interpreting services.
• Postgraduate degree is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate Interpreting Services across UFS campuses.
• Oversee high-quality interpreting for Deaf students in lectures, tutorials, assessments, meetings, and other activities.
• Coordinate interpreters’ schedules and class timetable.
• Plan, coordinate and organise interpreter training and capacity-building workshops.
• Develop SASL terminology with stakeholders.
• Mentor junior and intern interpreters.
• Monitor and evaluate interpreters.
• Ensure accessibility and inclusion commitments.
• Serve as liaison between Deaf students, interpreters, departments and support services.
• Provide technical assistance for online classes and convert content to accessible formats.

Skills

SASL interpreting

Coordination

MS Office

Education

Bachelor’s degree in SASL

B-Tech/Advanced Diploma in SASL (NQF 7)

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Coordinator: Interpreting Services (post level 10): Academy for Multilingualism (Job ID: 6600) - (2280)

Coordinator: Interpreting Services (post level 10): Academy for Multilingualism (Job ID: 6600)

Organizational Unit

University of the Free State -> Vice- Chancellor and Principal -> Top Management

Contract Type

Permanent

Closing Date

28/9/2026

Description

Duties and responsibilities

• Coordinate Interpreting Services across the UFS campuses.
• Oversee the provision of high-quality interpreting services for Deaf students as requested in academic lectures, tutorials, assessments, meetings, and other institutional activities.
• Coordinate interpreters’ schedules and class timetable.
• Plan, coordinate and organise interpreter training and capacity building workshops.
• Develop South African Sign Language (SASL) terminology in collaboration with departments, internal and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate mentorship of junior and intern interpreters.
• Monitor and evaluate interpreters.
• Ensure compliance with institutional accessibility and inclusion commitments.
• Serve as a primary liaison between Deaf students, interpreters, academic departments, and relevant support services to ensure equitable access to teaching, learning and university life.
• Technical assistance with online classes/resources/meetings for both interpreters and lecturers.
• Preparation and conversion of online classes/resources to more accessible mediums for students with hearing impairments (SASL video/subtitling/captioning/transcription).
• Report to line manager.

Inherent Job Requirements

• A Bachelor’s degree or a B-Tech degree or Advanced Diploma on NQF Level 7 in the field of South African Sign Language, with a minimum of two (2) years of South African Sign Language Interpreting in higher education teaching and learning or Another relevant South African Sign Language qualification other than the qualifications stipulated above, with a minimum of six (6) years of South African Sign Language Interpreting in higher education teaching and learning.
• A minimum of one (1) year of coordinating interpreting services.

Recommendations

• In addition to a knowledge of South African Sign Language (SASL) interpreting, a knowledge of interpreting across three or more of the following South African spoken languages (Sesotho/ Afrikaans/ isiZulu/ Setswana/IsiXhosa/English/Sepedi).
• A relevant postgraduate degree.

Results Orientated

• The ability to cope with a frequently changing environment and to adapt to evolving situations.
• The ability to be reliable, responsible, dependable and to fulfil obligations.

Strategic Thinking

• The ability to plan work and to follow plans.
• The ability to be creative and open-minded when addressing work issues.

Business Acumen

• The ability to adhere to rules and strictly follow work regulations.
• Proficient in using MS Office.

Leading

• The ability to lead, take charge of situations, and offer opinions and directions to others.
• The ability to be cooperative with others, display a good-natured attitude and encourage people to work together.

Building Coalitions

• The ability to interact with others and establish personal connections with people.
• The ability to make decisions through consultation, collaboration and working with close supervision.

Assumption of duties

As soon as possible.

Closing date

28 August 2026

Salary

The annual remuneration package, including benefits is R 464 881,91 - R 585 370,51 per annum, depending on the budget available for the position, relevant work experience and qualifications.

Fringe benefits

• (Subject to specific conditions): pension scheme, medical aid scheme, group life insurance, housing allowance, leave and sick leave, service bonus and study benefits.

Enquiries

For enquiries, please feel free to contact 051 401 9813 or email [e-mail] . Additionally, kindly contact 051 401 2558 / 2979 for assistance.

General

The UFS is a designated employer and is committed to the pursuit of excellence, diversity, and redress in achieving its equity targets in accordance with the Employment Equity Plan of the University and its Employment Equity goals and targets. Preference will be given to candidates from the under-represented designated groups including candidates with disabilities. Our Employment Equity Plan is available at:
ufs-employment-equity-plan_2025.pdf

The University processes personal information in line with its obligations under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and any personal information provided to the University will be treated as confidential and processed in accordance with the rights provided to data subjects under POPIA.

The University reserves the right not to fill the post. The UFS will only consider applications of candidates who meet all the inherent requirements of the position. Applications that are incomplete will not be considered. Communication will be limited to shortlisted candidates only. Should you not be contacted within six weeks of the closing date for applications, you may assume that your application was unsuccessful.

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