University Registrar (5 Year – Fixed Term)

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

Job summary

A leading university seeks a University Registrar to provide strategic leadership in academic planning, enrolment management, and administration. The ideal candidate will possess extensive management experience in higher education and promote access and success for students while advancing institutional goals. This pivotal role requires not only academic proficiency but also the ability to inspire and drive transformation aligned with UNISA's mission.

Benefits

Equal opportunity employer

Commitment to employment equity

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years’ relevant management experience in Higher Education Institutions.
• At least 5 years at an executive management level.
• Extensive knowledge of the higher education sector’s policy environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and strategic direction to the Academic planning, Enrolments and Administration Portfolio.
• Oversee the development and implementation of strategic plans and policies.
• Promote service excellence and student-centeredness.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Change management

Problem-solving

Communication

Collaboration

Analytical skills

Education

Master's degree or higher

Job description

University Registrar (5 Year – Fixed Term)

• University Registrar (5 Year – Fixed Term)

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

LOCATION: PRETORIA

The University of South Africa (UNISA) is the largest comprehensive open distance e-learning (CODeL) institution in Africa and the longest comprehensive standing dedicated distance education university in the world, nurturing aspirant leaders of tomorrow and motivating a future generation through knowledge development, research, community engagement (engaged scholarship) and innovation.

UNISA offers an unparalleled range of study choices in undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, and research. As part of Unisa’s commitment to continuous life-long learning, and attention to the constant shifts in industrialization systems and shifts in the knowledge arena, Unisa offers a range of short courses, certificates, diplomas and degrees at undergraduate and postgraduate levels including Masters and Doctoral degrees. In recognition of its innovations in comprehensive open e-learning and distance education, with equally a strong focus on research and innovation, Unisa is recognized as one of the best universities nationally and globally. Unisa has equally produced some of the leading, if not influential alumni in varied sectors of the economy, including two Presidents of South Africa.

About the role:

UNISA is committed to providing the best teaching and learning, research, development, and innovation and engaged scholarship environments for its students. It is equally committed to promoting access and success for its students through vibrant qualification frameworks at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and as such, prioritises academic excellence, research, and social responsiveness through knowledge impact as important imperatives. Key to the advancement of the core academic and university missional mandate is the transformation philosophy underpinned by, inter alia, an emphasis on Africanization, decolonization, decoloniality, and centering endogenous /indigenous knowledge systems, Africa’s knowledge systems, civilizations, philosophies, pedagogies, epistemologies and social justice, whilst also embracing proficiency and deep insight and research of other knowledge systems. This position therefore requires an astute academic and leader who not only possesses vast experience as an academic but also has the gravitas and “hands on” experience as an academic leader with the capacity to inculcate these values in all our academic endeavours, including accelerating the 10 Catalytic Niche Areas.

Main outputs and purpose for this position

To provide leadership and strategic direction to the Academic planning, Enrolments and Administration Portfolio in accordance with relevant legislation and the university’s overall strategy.

Job Description

Strategic Direction, Planning and Alignment

• Provide input into the university’s overall strategy.
• Provide strategic direction and monitor the achievement of the Portfolio’s strategy aligned to the overall strategy of the university.
• Oversee the development, implementation, and review of the portfolio’s strategy, plans, policies, systems, and processes.
• Provide strategic direction to the development of the portfolio’s annual performance review as required by the Department of Higher Education Training (DHET).

Operational Leadership and Process Management

• Provide strategic leadership regarding all the operations of the Portfolio from an overall perspective, which includes:

Student Affairs and Regional Services

Student Administration and Systems

Governance

Graduations and Student Judicial Services/Student Discipline

Provide Secretarial Services to all the University Governance structures

Support of Masters and Doctoral Students

• Embed financial sustainability through a green Institution-wide culture.
• Enable the implementation of strategy through effective operational planning process and strategic programme.
• Provide strategic direction and leadership to ensure an effective student development strategy aimed at ensuring that Unisa has the necessary capacity to respond to student needs and to provide effective student development support inclusive of regulation, development governance, social development interventions, and graduate development services.
• Promote service excellence and student- and client-centeredness.
• Provide strategic direction and leadership regarding the cohesive management of student administrative support from the pre-application to the graduation phase across the University, inclusive of student systems.
• Provide strategic direction and leadership to ensure that the responsibility for ensuring equal access for students with disabilities becomes the collective responsibility of relevant stakeholders at UNISA.
• Provide strategic direction and leadership to help ensure the achievement of the University’s vision, mission and strategic goals and priorities by providing an innovative, professional and technically competent service in support of student support and an effective student relationship model.
• Provide support to students with disabilities.
• Focus of Student Support and Co-Curricular Activities.

Further, the position is intended to ensure a quality undergraduateexperience achieved through the strategic alignment and synergies betweenacademic colleges, curriculum development, tuition, the professionaldevelopment of academic staff, tuition support and student support, andassessment in a technology enhanced CODeL environment.

Inherent Criteria

• A minimum of 10 years’ relevant management experience in Higher Education Institutions with at least 5 years at an executive management level.
• Extensive knowledge and experience about the higher education sector’s policy and regulatory environment.

Knowledge and skills

Distinguished university administrator with a sound and proven track record in areas such as:

• Strategic leadership
• Academic planning and administration
• Information Management Systems
• Change management
• Proficient knowledge and insight into challenges facing higher education, specifically with regard to comprehensive open distance and e-learning (CODeL)
• Demonstrable commitment to and record of transformation in the academic environment
• Communication
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Results oriented
• Innovation and creativity
• Rules orientation
• Problem-solving
• Analytical skills
• Resilience
• Conflict management
• Politically savvy
• Knowledge of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) laws and other relevant regulations applicable to higher education institutions

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 position is open to all including people with disabilities. UNISA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to employment equity.

INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED!

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