Leadership Programme Coordinator

Stellenbosch University; Stellenbosch; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hours

Job summary

Stellenbosch University is seeking a Leadership Programme Coordinator (Post Level 8) at the Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development (FVZS Institute) on the Stellenbosch Campus. Role covers curriculum design, facilitation, research, project management and stakeholder relations to strengthen student leadership engagement and success.

The role reports to the Head: FVZS Institute and involves collaboration with multiple SU departments and higher education partners,

Qualifications

• Ability to design and develop leadership curricula and programmes.
• Experience in curriculum development within higher education is preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Implement strategy to increase student leadership engagement.
• Coordinate and manage multiple leadership projects across units.
• Lead design, facilitation and evaluation of leadership programmes.
• Coordinate content development with SMEs and learning designers.
• Oversee data collection, analysis and reporting for programme impact.

Skills

Curriculum design

Project management

Facilitation

Research

Data analysis

Communication

Education

NQF level 8 qualification

Tools

Learning Management Systems (LMS)

Content development platforms

Job description

Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development (FVZS Institute)

Department Description/Departement Beskrywing

Centre for Student Life and Learning (CSLL)

Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development (FVZS Institute)

Leadership Programme Coordinator (Post Level 8)

(Stellenbosch Campus)

Ref. SSLL/325/0826

The primary goals of the Responsibility Centre: Dean of Students, which reports to the Dean of Students, is to provide systemic-holistic support and development to students and to promote coherent cooperation among all the University's role players (especially students and faculties) to advance the goals of SU and students. The Centre for Student Life and Learning (CSLL) operates in conjunction with the Centre for Student Counselling and Development (CSCD). Both these Centres form part of the RC: Dean of Students, which is primarily aimed at student development by means of a broad spectrum of co-curricular activities. It is the primary belief of the CSLL that students¿ learning and living environments should be integrated and should not function separately. This entails, inter alia, the integration and offering of transformative student experiences, with a focus on providing engaged leadership development and support.

The Leadership Programme Coordinator's role is to expand and strengthen student leadership engagement across the University as it relates to the broader societal context. In line with Stellenbosch University's (SU) vision to create a transformative student experience, and cultivation of key SU graduate attributes (engaged citizen, digital knower, dynamic professional, enquiring learner and caring individual). The Leadership Programme Coordinators will be responsible for collaborating with various SU departments and higher education partners to coordinate and implement a range of student leadership engagement projects to increase student participation, not only on campus, but on global citizenship matters, and ultimately supporting student success.

This role's primary focus will be on the development of leadership programmes within the student communities (e.g. Clusters, Residences, Prims, House Committees with integration with broader focus) and will form part of the core FVZS Institute team within CSLL and will report to the DD (Leadership)/Head: FVZS Institute. In short: the five dimensions of this role include: curriculum design, facilitation of leadership programmes, research, project management, and relationship building within the institution and broader higher education sector.

Duties/Pligte Portfolio Strategy

• With the guidance of the DD (leadership)/Head: FVZS Institute, implementing a strategy to increase student leadership engagement in support of student success.
• Offering strategic input and demonstrating insight in contributing factors impacting student engagement and student success.
• Conceptualising, adapting and implementing relevant ad hoc programming based on emerging needs related to current national student leadership trends.

Project Management

• Identifying internal collaboration within the broader SU and other higher education partners on identified key student leadership projects.
• Coordinating content development sessions for the identified key projects with the relevant RC teams and the CSLL teams (Unit for Experiential Learning, Unit for Student Governance, Unit for Residence Student Communities, Unit for Commuter Student Communities). This includes Short Courses, Masterclasses and tailored student leadership offerings informed by the CSLL leadership strategy.
• Drawing up project plans to ensure timeous delivery of multiple projects.
• Project Lead for MatiesLead, the CSLL's largest integrated 3-phase blended learning leadership programme for aspiring and newly elected leaders.

Subject-Matter Experts (SMEs)

• Briefing SMEs to conceptualise programme content (learning objectives, outcomes and competencies).
• Finalising assessments (where needed) with SMEs to confirm learning outcomes.
• Ensuring that SMEs are registered to gain access to the learning management system (as needed).

Learner Management System

• In collaboration with national and international SMEs, coordinating the online content development for specific student leadership programmes.
• Liaising with the Learning Designer to load content and resources onto the online platform as required.
• Ensuring that online engagement takes place.
• Monitoring assessment processes and timelines in accordance with the co-curriculum recognition process.
• Moderating and facilitating live online sessions.
• In collaboration with the Learning Designer, coordinating content development for the MatiesLead self-paced online learning sessions.

Research And Data

• In collaboration with the Deputy Director (Leadership), forming part of the core research team on the Institution's progress with the Multi-institutional Study of Leadership (MSL) research project.
• With the support of the CSLL: Administrator and Researcher, conducting ongoing research on specific themes to be explored as part of the leadership programme offering.
• Designing and managing feedback surveys.
• Data management of student leadership output.
• Coordinating focus groups to conceptualise new programme offerings and providing feedback on current programme offerings.
• Conducting data analysis to identify key trends which will inform programme design.

Report Writing

• Producing portfolio reports on progress with current projects.
• In collaboration with the Head: FVZS Institute, producing proposals for funding as required.

Student Assistant Supervision

• Facilitating peer-mentor training sessions as required.
• Supervising student assistants.

Finance Management

• In consultation with the line manager, creating an annual budget, and in consultation with CSLL Finance Officer, managing expenses according to the allocated budget.

Transcript Recognition

• With the support of the CSLL's Unit for Experiential Learning team, responsible for all the preparation of all documentation for co-curriculum recognition processes of all leadership programmes, which includes monitoring and evaluation.

Job Requirements/Pos Vereistes

• NQF level 8 qualification, preferably within education or social sciences.
• At least three years' experience and knowledge in curriculum design and curriculum development (must be able to provide a portfolio of evidence), preferably within Student Affairs in the higher education context.
• Relevant experience in a similar role within the higher education sector.
• Experience in supervising student assistants, i.e. effective delegation of multiple tasks.
• Knowledge and understanding of the South African Constitution and related issues facing youth and student leaders within the South African higher education sector.
• Relevant experience in project planning and execution related to critical issues facing society and citizenship in general, e.g. gender-based violence, multilingualism, gender, LGBQTAIP+, inequality, racism, ableism, politics, democracy, social justice, etc.
• Relevant experience of student and staff engagement in delivering leadership experiential learning opportunities within the higher education sector.
• Relevant experience in research and tracking of programme impact.
• Relevant experience in facilitation skills and critical engagement within a student experiential learning environment.
• Relevant experience in online learning management systems and online learning programme development.
• Excellent work ethics - the ability to work independently and collaboratively with various teams and team members not reporting to you.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Excellent time management skills and the ability to manage multiple projects.
• Attention to detail.
• Willingness to work flexible hours (after-hours and on weekends as required).

Recommendation/Aanbeveling

• NQF level 9 degree, preferably within education or social sciences, or a PhD with ten years' relevant experience.
• Research interest in student leadership and citizen-leadership.
• Record of active participation in student leadership initiatives within the higher education sector.
• Record of a portfolio of relevant programming (online and blended) where student engagement formed part of a formal recognised experiential learning programme.

Employment Equity

The University is committed to employment equity (EE), and appointments will be made in line with the institutional EE Plan. Only South African citizens from the designated groups will be considered for appointment.

Stellenbosch University reserves the right not to make an appointment.

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 noise, hazardous chemical substances and hazardous biological agents) to undergo medical screening to determine whether they be fit to work in those occupations.

If you have received no feedback from the University after four to six weeks of the closing date, kindly accept that your application was unsuccessful.

Currency Commencement Date

Currency Commencement Date01-Dec-2026 Closing Date26-Aug-2026 Amount of Travel Work At Home