Vice-Chancellor & Principal | Bloemfontein, Free State | Executive Appointment

Edge Executive Search Group; Bloemfontein; On-site; ZAR 3,500,000 - 4,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Edge Executive Search Group is aiding a prominent South African University of Technology in Bloemfontein to appoint a Vice-Chancellor and Principal. The role demands strategic, executive leadership across all university functions, strong governance, and a track record of institutional renewal and sustainability.

The successful candidate will balance academic credibility with commercial and financial discipline, and will drive transformation, stakeholder engagement, fundraising and strategic

Qualifications

• Earned doctoral-level qualification from a recognised higher education institution.
• Extensive leadership experience at executive/senior management level.
• Proven track record in academic leadership and governance.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and executive leadership across all university functions, translating strategy into measurable outcomes.
• Lead development and monitoring of institutional strategy and performance plans.
• Provide authoritative academic leadership through Senate and drive teaching, research and student success.
• Strengthen the university’s identity through applied research, innovation and industry partnerships.
• Lead institutional renewal and transformational initiatives, including resource realignment and performance improvement.
• Drive financial sustainability through prudent resource allocation, diversification and partnerships.
• Fulfil Accounting Officer responsibilities with sound financial management and risk controls.
• Build and lead a high-performing executive team with strong succession planning.
• Maintain an ethical, inclusive and high-performance institutional culture.
• Represent the university nationally and internationally, strengthening reputation and partnerships.

Skills

Academic leadership

Strategic leadership

Governance

Stakeholder management

Education

Doctoral degree

Job description

Lead a university into its next chapter of academic excellence, institutional renewal and long-term sustainability. This is an opportunity for an accomplished academic leader and experienced executive to shape the future of a significant South African University of Technology.

The Vice-Chancellor and Principal will provide institution-wide academic, strategic and executive leadership, carrying responsibility for the University's overall management, administration, performance and sustainability. As Chief Academic Officer, Chief Executive Officer and Accounting Officer, the incumbent will lead the University's academic project while ensuring effective governance, responsible resource management and delivery against its strategic priorities.

This is a particularly important leadership opportunity for an individual who can balance academic credibility with commercial and financial discipline, organisational transformation and complex stakeholder management. The successful candidate will be expected to lead meaningful institutional renewal, strengthen financial resilience, develop a high-performing executive team and position the University for sustainable relevance in an evolving higher education environment.

The institution is a public University of Technology in the Free State, South Africa, with campuses in Bloemfontein and Welkom. It has an important role in developing career-ready graduates, advancing applied research and innovation, strengthening industry partnerships and contributing to regional and national development. Its leadership operates within a complex public higher education environment, requiring strong governance, academic integrity, stakeholder engagement and responsible institutional stewardship.

What You’ll Do

• Provide strategic and executive leadership across all university functions, translating Council-approved strategy into measurable institutional outcomes.

• Lead the development, implementation and monitoring of institutional strategy, annual performance plans and executive accountabilities.

• Provide authoritative academic leadership through Senate, advancing excellence in teaching and learning, research, postgraduate education and student success.

• Strengthen the University’s identity as a University of Technology through work-integrated learning, applied research, innovation, technology transfer and entrepreneurship.

• Lead institutional renewal and complex organisational transformation, including organisational redesign, resource realignment and performance improvement.

• Drive financial sustainability through cost optimisation, effective resource allocation, revenue diversification, fundraising and strategic partnerships.

• Fulfil Accounting Officer responsibilities, ensuring sound financial management, internal controls, risk management and regulatory compliance.

• Build, lead and hold accountable a high-performing executive management team, strengthening leadership capability and succession planning.

• Foster an ethical, inclusive, values-driven and high-performance institutional culture.

• Maintain constructive relationships with organised labour, students, staff, Council, Senate and other institutional stakeholders.

• Represent the University nationally and internationally, strengthening its reputation, partnerships and institutional advancement.

• Ensure effective governance and compliance with the Higher Education Act, the CUT Statute and applicable legislation and institutional policies.

What You Bring

• An earned doctoral-level qualification from a recognised higher education institution.

• At least 10 years’ experience at executive and/or senior managerial level, with significant institution-wide leadership responsibility and accountability for complex portfolios, people and resources.

• Achievement of at least Associate Professor rank, with demonstrated academic progression and experience in academic leadership.

• An established academic and research track record, including teaching and research experience, accredited scholarly output and recognised standing in the academic community.

• Demonstrated experience working with governing bodies, academic governance structures, organised labour, students, government and external stakeholders in complex institutional environments.

• Proven experience leading significant organisational renewal, transformation or complex change, supported by measurable outcomes.

• Demonstrated experience addressing structural cost and resource pressures, financial sustainability and revenue diversification.

• Evidence of strengthening fundraising, partnerships, revenue generation, cost effectiveness and institutional sustainability.

• Extensive knowledge of South African higher education governance, policy, academic leadership, financial and risk governance, labour relations and transformation.

Advantageous Experience

• At least 15 years’ experience at executive and/or senior managerial level.

• A relevant management or leadership qualification in addition to the doctorate.

• Recognised professional standing or active membership of a relevant professional body.

• An NRF rating or other recognised research standing.

• Leadership experience within a multi-campus university or similarly complex, geographically distributed institution.

What Success Looks Like

• Clear strategic direction and measurable improvement in institutional performance.

• A financially sustainable and resilient university with stronger revenue diversification and effective resource stewardship.

• Improved academic quality, student success, research performance and institutional relevance.

• A more effective organisational structure supported by clear executive accountability and strong leadership succession.

• Successful implementation of complex institutional transformation and renewal initiatives.

• Constructive relationships across Council, Senate, employees, organised labour, students and external stakeholders.

• Strong governance, ethical leadership, regulatory compliance and institutional integrity.

• Increased institutional reputation, strategic partnerships and contribution to regional and national development.

The successful incumbent must be willing and able to travel nationally and internationally and work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, as required by the office.

This is an opportunity for a distinguished academic and experienced executive to combine institutional leadership, academic excellence and organisational transformation in service of South Africa’s higher education sector.