Executive Director: Leadership and Transformation (5 year fixed term)

Unitalentza; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Unitalentza is seeking an Executive Director for Leadership and Transformation to lead strategic initiatives at the University of South Africa. The role demands expertise in management and transformation within an educational context, requiring a doctoral degree and extensive leadership experience. The successful candidate will oversee the implementation of the University’s transformation strategies and foster an inclusive environment centering around equity and social change.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years' experience in leadership and transformation.
• At least 5 years in a senior management role.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership to the Leadership and Organisational Transformation function.
• Drive transformation agenda and initiatives across the University.
• Manage overall performance and staff development.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic Direction

Financial Management

Education

Doctoral degree in Social Sciences and Humanities

Job description

Executive Director: Leadership and Transformation (5 year fixed term)

• Executive Director: Leadership and Transformation (5 year fixed term)
• Type of engagement: Permanent appointment

Pledge to maintain your information safe and confidential

The unitalentza website was launched out of necessity. It is a direct off-shoot of Academic Partners , the pre-eminent talent accessing and assessing service company within the South African Higher Education sector. A company that started 44 years ago in the commercial sector, but which in the last 26 years, has focused almost exclusively in the HE sector. Having founded the company, Jimmy Wayland took retirement in May 2022, but as a swansong objective, he undertook to develop Unitalentza website to uphold the same values, levels of confidentiality, trust and reliability as the founding company. Anything less and Jimmy would like to hear about it.

Unitalentza is a small devoted team of professionals who pledge to keep all registered candidate information secure and confidential and at a level which the registered candidate has the exclusive right to choose.

In his quest to achieve the best website possible, Jimmy is ready to receive comments and/or suggestions, negative or positive, on his personal email: [e-mail]

Background to Position

The University of South Africa (UNISA) is the largest comprehensive open distance e-learning (CODeL) institution in Africa and the longest complex standing dedicated distance education university in the world, nurturing aspirant leaders of tomorrow and motivating a future generation through knowledge development, research, engaged scholarship, research, and innovation. Unisa offers an unparalleled range of study choices in under-graduate and post-graduate degrees/research, and is inviting applications for the position of Executive Director: Leadership and Transformation.

Reporting to the Principal and Vice Chancellor: Provide leadership and strategic direction to the Leadership and Organisational Transformation function which includes to facilitate and drive transformation agenda and initiatives across the University and coordinate legislative reporting requirements involving transformation and employment equity in alignment with the University’s Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) model and the 2016-2030 strategy.

DIRECTORATE STRUCTURE

• Deputy Director: Employment Equity,
• Deputy Director: Culture Change,
• Deputy Director: Governance Leadership and Management,
• Director: Leadership Systems and Policies,
• Project Administrator,
• Personal Assistant,

ORGANISATIONAL LIAISON

Internal Interaction

• All Vice Principals,
• Business Partners,
• Specialists within the value chain,
• Executive Deans and Deputy Executive Deans of Colleges,
• Council and its Committees,

External Interaction

• Public / private external organisations,
• Professional bodies,
• Bodies where Unisa has Institutional membership,
• Professional Associations / Organisations,

Job Description

KPA 1) Strategic Direction and Alignment

• Leading and developing the functional strategy and objectives in line with the Institutional ODeL 2016-2030 Strategy.
• Developing functional operational plans and KPI’s in support of the function’s strategy and the institution’s overall vision and strategy.
• Driving the implementation of the functional strategy, plans and procedures to compliment and support the ODeL 2016-2030 Strategy.
• Providing strategic leadership to the development of the annual performance review as is required by the Department of Higher Education Training (DHET).

KPA 2) Institutional Transformation

• Manage the following broader change Leadership and Transformation areas:

Employment Equity

Culture change and transformation

Governance, Leadership and Management transformation

Leadership Systems and Policies Transformation

• Facilitating and driving the strategic transformation and change agenda at the university by promoting debates on decolonisation, indigenisation, diversification/ differentiation and Africanisation of the university as well as its operations to ensure substantive social and cultural transformation.
• Assuming the responsibility for the coordination of all legislative and regulatory requirements in terms of the broader transformation agenda.
• Defining and articulating change and transformation.
• Catalyzing and galvanizing transformation.
• Advocacy and transformation.
• Facilitation and leading of dialogues and conversations on transformation discourse.
• Supporting and facilitating change and transformation initiatives.
• Doing research on transformation.
• Analysis of transformation trends.
• Documenting and reporting on transformation to internal and external stakeholders
• Developing a Transformation Plan that fosters a shared and inclusive understanding of transformation and employment equity (EE) aligned to the University's transformation agenda.
• Overseeing the integration of B-BBEE transformation, employment equity and diversity and inclusion across the University as part of a holistic transformation strategy.
• Facilitating the provision of equitable access to the University, facilitate social integration and student equity including sustainability initiatives.
• Facilitating the integration of organisational transformation aspects in functional strategies and plans.
• Developing Transformation Plan that engages a diverse student body of the University. Leading the capacity building and training activities to support Institutional transformation.
• Leading the capacity building and training activities to support Institutional transformation.
• Identifying risks relating to organisational transformation and develop mitigating strategies.

KPA 3) Forecasting, Budgeting and Financial Management

• Compiling and managing the functional budget in line with the portfolio and Institutional budget.
• Overseeing and monitoring functional expenditure within budgeted parameters and reporting on variances periodically.
• Directing and overseeing the funding of functional operations and budgeted activities.
• Managing the function's resources sustainable in accordance with financial principles.

KPA 4) People Management

• Managing performance which includes conducting annual performance reviews of staff in accordance with the performance management process, and monitor overall performance of the Institutional Advancement function on an ongoing basis.
• Coaching and mentoring staff as appropriate to improve performance.
• Directing implementation of training and development programmes for staff, including personal development plans (PDPs).
• Establishing a positive, healthy and safe work environment and culture ln accordance with the Transformation Charter and ODeL 2016-2030 strategy.
• Directing implementation of the human resources policies, procedures and practices.
• Determining staff requirements for the department which includes resourcing of programmes and initiatives.

KPA 5) Governance and Reporting

• Monitoring and report on progress against functional strategic initiatives.
• Monitoring and reporting on legislative and statutory compliance as defined by Government.
• Promoting sound institutional governance and participating in Institutional governance structures.
• Directing the development and implementation of policies and procedures of the function.

Inherent Criteria

• Your doctoral degree in Social Sciences and Humanities or cognate disciplines is complemented by a minimum of 10years experience in the area of leadership and transformation, of which at least 5 years has been in a senior management role.
• A minimum of 10 years’ experience with at least 5 years in a senior management role.

Application Requirement

• A detailed cover letter indicating your suitability for the position.
• Names and contact details for at least 3 referees.
• Certified copies of matric and degree certificates and Identity Document. Proof of SAQA verification of foreign qualifications, where relevant

The closing date for applications is 20 July 2025

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