Director: Student Finance

Unitalentza; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 50 000 - 90 000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player seeks a dynamic leader for their Student Finance Division. This role involves managing student accounts, overseeing bursary allocations, and ensuring compliance with financial policies. The ideal candidate will have a strong accounting background, excellent decision-making skills, and the ability to work under pressure. Join a vibrant academic community committed to excellence and innovation, where your contributions will significantly impact the financial well-being of students. If you're ready to take on this exciting challenge, we want to hear from you!

Qualifications

• SAICA registered chartered accountant with completed articles and an honours degree.
• Minimum five years of relevant managerial experience required.
• Strong accounting and financial background essential.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Student Finance Division and manage staff and budgets.
• Oversee student accounts, bursaries, and loans management.
• Ensure compliance with financial policies and procedures.

Skills

Judgement and Decision-Making

Problem-Solving

Organisational Skills

Financial Management

Interpersonal Skills

Communication Skills

Education

Honours Degree

SAICA Registered Chartered Accountant

MBA

Tools

MS Excel

MS Word

MS PowerPoint

Oracle Cloud Financials

Academia Cloud Student Administration System

Job description

• Type of engagement: Permanent appointment

The Student Finance Division’s functions include the following:

• Management of student accounts, including enquiries, payment of bursaries, collection of outstanding fees.
• Central management of student fee debtors, including processing of invoices, issuing of credit notes, handling enquiries, collection of outstanding debt.
• Management of undergraduate bursaries, including allocations, follow-up, compliance with funder requirements and reporting.
• Management of student loans, including follow-up, collection of outstanding loans and compliance with funder requirements.
• Management of the cashiers function for all cash payments made at Stellenbosch University (SU).

Job Description

Duties:

• Acting as head of the Division: Student Finance, including Undergraduate Bursaries.
• Managing staff and the operational budget of the Division.
• Managing risks within the Division, including outstanding debt, debt collection, and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
• Managing and operating the Student Finance Division’s operating systems.
• Driving the communication processes with students and other external clients, including. maintenance of the yearbook.
• Preparing reports for management and other stakeholders.
• Providing input for the preparation of the University's integrated budget.
• Providing regular variance reports between budgeted and actual student fees.
• Providing input for the completion of year-end and audit procedures.
• Representing the Finance Division at management level, other departments, faculties and external clients.
• Monitoring compliance with financial policies and procedures.
• Reviewing reconciliations and control accounts of the relevant departments.
• Developing and implementing relevant policies.
• Providing financial advice to the University and external clients.
• Handling telephone, walk-in and email queries about financial procedures and systems.
• Providing input and assistance with the development and integration of IT systems relevant to the environment (including Oracle Cloud Financials and the Academia Cloud Student Administration System).

Inherent Criteria

Requirements:

• SAICA registered chartered accountant with completed articles and an honours degree.
• At least five years’ relevant managerial experience.
• Excellent skills in judgement, decision-making and problem-solving.
• Strong organisational and planning skills.
• The ability to work effectively under pressure.
• A strong accounting and financial background.
• The ability to respect and maintain confidentiality.
• The ability to take initiative and provide guidance at senior level.
• Advanced computer skills, particularly in MS Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills.

Recommendations:

• Three years’ experience in a higher teaching or similar institution.
• MBA.
• Experience with debt collection.

Application Requirement

Commencement of duties:

01 June 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter

09 May 2025

Enquiries regarding this post: Manie Lombard, Chief Director: Finance, on 021 808 4517, or at [e-mail]

Enquiries regarding remuneration/benefits, as well as technical assistance with the electronic application process: Human Resources Client Services Centre on 021 808 2753 (Stellenbosch) / 021 938 9636 (Tygerberg), or at [e-mail]

Stellenbosch University is committed to employment equity (EE). In accordance with the institutional EE Plan of the University and that of the specific environment, only South African citizens from the designated groups will be considered for appointment.

Stellenbosch University reserves the right not to make an appointment.

Your application, comprising a comprehensive curriculum vitae (including the names and email addresses of at least three referees), must reach the University before or on the closing date of the advertised post.

The University reserves the right to investigate qualifications and conduct background checks on all candidates.

The Occupational Health and Safety Act requires people in occupations that entail potential exposure to certain hazards (such as, but not limited to: noise, hazardous chemical substances and hazardous biological agents) to be subjected to medical screening, to determine their fitness to work in the said occupations.

Should no feedback be received from the University within four to six weeks of the closing date, kindly accept that your application did not succeed.

About Stellenbosch University

Stellenbosch University (SU) is home to an academic community of 29 000 students (including 4 000 foreign students from 100 countries) as well as 3 000 permanent staff members (including 1 000 academics) on five campuses. The historical oak-lined university town amongst the Boland Mountains in the winelands of the Western Cape creates a unique campus atmosphere, which attracts local and foreign students alike. On the main campus, paved walkways wind between campus buildings – some dating from previous centuries; others just a few years old. Architecture from various eras attests to the sound academic foundation and establishment of an institution of excellence. This, together with the scenic beauty of the area; state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly facilities and technology, as well as visionary thinking about the creation of a sustainable 21st-century institution, makes for the unique character of Stellenbosch University.

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