Academic Department Head (contract appointment: 5 years, with the possibility of serving a second t

Academic Department Head (contract appointment: 5 years, with the possibility of serving a second term)

Job ID: 1598

PLEASE NOTE THAT ONLY FULL-TIME PERMANENT ACADEMIC PERSONNEL FROM THE UFS WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POST

Duties and responsibilities:

• Provide academic leadership by creating and executing strategies to establish the department as a leader in the discipline vis-à-vis competing international entities.
• The Academic Department Head is directly responsible for:
• directing the academic debate in the department;
• influencing the department's overall climate and culture;
• energising everybody in the department and beyond; and
• shaping the future of the department.
• Contribute to the overall leadership in the faculty.
• Frequent and continuous planning and execution of plans, general organising and coordinating of staff, students and activities, mentoring and motivating staff, structuring, and exercising overall control.      
• Create an atmosphere of consensus among staff.
• Effective internal and external communication.
• The Academic Department Head is pivotal in linking the department‘s staff and students with the University's management and administration through communication, negotiation and consultation.
• Active participation and involvement in faculty management structures, attending meetings, leading project teams, representing the department and faculty, and fulfilling the roles of liaison officer and marketer, when necessary. 
• Active participation and involvement in applicable UFS management structures, e.g. Senate.
• Initiate, formulate and implement a visionary academic strategy for the department that is aligned with and supportive of the guiding strategic documents of the UFS and faculty.
• Ensure –
  • the provision of top-quality, research-informed facilitation of learning at all levels of teaching in the department;
  • relevance of content, material and presentation in all modules;
  • the enhancement of student experiences and their continuous engagement in academic debates;
  • that adequate rules and regulations are in place to optimally deliver high-quality teaching and learning programmes on both undergraduate and postgraduate levels;
  • adherence to all the rules and regulations of the UFS, faculty and department;
  • quality and timely feedback on student work;
  • proper and quality-driven academic advice and support to all under- and postgraduate students in the department; and
  • the revisiting and development of fresh learning programmes that will help to position the department as a leader in the fraternity.
• Create and maintain a(n) –
  • ovisionary research strategy for the department; and
  • environment that encourages research, leading to strong and active research habits and a culture of inquiry.
• Ensure that –
  • every academic staff member is engaged in quality-driven and discipline-specific research;
  • postgraduate students are recruited to broaden the research base of the department; and
  • ethical requirements are met.
• Guide and support senior academics towards acquiring NRF ratings.
• Active engagement with the faculty research committee and the UFS Directorate of Research Development in order to ensure sustainable financial support for departmental research initiatives.
• Building an effective team of scholars through:
  • planning and implementing a fair and reasonable dispensation regarding the workload of staff members in the department;
  • planning and implementing a clear and reasonable career path for every staff member in the department, taking account of the strategic plans of the University, faculty and department;
  • appropriate mentoring interventions where and whenever it is needed;
  • managing staff performance in accordance with existing university policies and procedures;
  • recruitment and selection of scholars in the case of vacancies and/or specific strategic needs, whenever strategic repositioning requires expansion of academic endeavours;
  • creating and maintaining a scholarship-friendly environment in the department; and
  • planning and overseeing effective and relevant staff development.
• The ultimate responsibility in terms of financial management culminates in:
  • annual budgeting;
  • financial planning;
  • allocation of funds; and
  • financial control.
• Adherence to the UFS's financial policies and procedures.
• Encourage and actively support academic staff members to apply for external research and other grants.

Inherent requirements:

• Phd/LLD-degree
• Any full-time, permanent member of the academic staff of the University of the Free State (UFS).
• Term of office:  Five years, with the possibility of reappointment for a further term.

Assumption of duties: As soon as possible

Closing date: 3 June 2016

Allowance:

 An Academic Department Head Allowance is payable which is calculated according to a transparent formula approved by the relevant decision-making structures of the UFS.  The value of the allowance is available on request.  Please feel free to contact 051 401 2849/9329/3864.

General:

The University reserves the right not to fill the post.  The University subscribes to and applies the principles prescribed by the Employment Equity Act.  Preference will be given to candidates from the designated groups, in accordance with the principles of the aforementioned Act and the employee profile of the specific department/division.

Applications may only be submitted online. All applications must be accompanied by the following:

• a detailed curriculum vitae;
• copies of qualifications (please provide the SAQA accreditation in the case of foreign qualifications);
• a copy of your identity document (ID).

Applications that are incomplete or sent by fax or e-mail, will not be considered. Should you not be contacted within six weeks of the closing date for applications, you may assume that your application was unsuccessful.