Allan Gray Chair (Professor): GSB at University of Cape Town

Job description

The Allan Gray Centre for Values-Based Leadership at the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business (GSB) is currently recruiting a professor to provide academic leadership to the work of the Centre. Established in 2011 through the repurposing of a previous GSB grant from Mr Allan Gray, the Centre is the first of its kind in South Africa, dedicated to exploring new ways of doing business based on purpose, sustainability, and responsible practices that create dignity and belonging.

About the GSB

The GSB has a rich set of values that have emerged from its community and are commonly shared and experienced. This gives the School a very strong grounding and its students and clients can be confident in what it stands for and how it conducts itself in the world.

Drawing on these foundational values, the GSB’s vision is to be a new model for business schools. This vision allows the GSB to occupy a critical niche in driving a more value-based, sustainable approach to business and management. In line with this vision, the GSB has developed three areas of excellence.

First is the central role of Academic Excellence. Secondly, a business school cannot live outside its economic environment and has to take up its own societal responsibility. Therefore, the GSB places a great deal of emphasis on Societal Relevance. Initiatives like the Raymond Ackerman Academy of Entrepreneurial Development, the Bertha Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship and the Centre for Managing Infrastructure, Reform & Regulation all contribute to the School’s societal relevance.

Thirdly, the GSB has developed Pedagogical Excellence through a variety of means, including a focus on systems thinking and action learning. Innovative activities in transformative learning and personal development are core elements of many of the programmes, notably the Executive MBA and Executive programmes, as well as in the Centre for Coaching. These pedagogical emphases provide enriching experiences for students, as well as lecturers.

The development of these three areas of excellence ensures that the GSB provides genuine thought leadership, in South Africa, the continent and indeed worldwide. This thought leadership is demonstrated by research publications in international journals, innovative teaching, social responsiveness, and a robust culture of debate.

Recruitment: Professor

The GSB is seeking to appoint a Professor in Values Based Leadership. The position is a full, permanent faculty post. We are looking for someone with deep knowledge of emerging markets and with a strong research, teaching and practical track record. As a researcher, you will set the research agenda for the Centre and develop projects aligned with the GSB’s research mission of “engaged inquiry in a complex world” and build a consistent track record of publication. As a teacher, you will teach on the MBA, Executive MBA and Executive Education. You will also ensure the development and delivery of courses and programmes related to Values Based Leadership and optimize opportunities to integrate Values Based Leadership in the work of the GSB. We seek to attract candidates with strong disciplinary foundations but also an interest in working across disciplinary boundaries, and in linking research, teaching and practice.

Your responsibilities

• Set a vision for the Centre and define its short, medium and long-term goals.
• Set the research agenda for the Centre.
• Develop and publish research on Values Based Leadership and related themes.
• Participate in interdisciplinary research and practice as part of the Allan Gray Values Based Leadership Centre and across the GSB.
• Facilitate the partnership with the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation to ensure that the Centre complements and furthers the Foundation’s objective of developing individuals who demonstrate values based leadership.
• Facilitate collaboration with Allan Gray Limited which, since its founding 40 years ago, has been driven by values based principles.
• Design and teach graduate-level core and elective courses in Values Based Leadership on the Executive MBA, MBA, Executive Education and other related programs.
• Supervise students pursuing Values Based Leadership research.
• Develop ongoing relationships with the broader leadership ecosystem in South Africa and abroad.

Your profile

• A PhD.
• A proven track record of publishing in top-tier journals.
• Excellence as a learning facilitator and teacher.
• Executive Education experience is recommended.
• A creative team player, involved in and committed to the School
• International exposure or experience would be advantageous.
• Corporate and/or civil society experience
• Fluency in English (mastery of additional languages appreciated).

We offer

• Teaching opportunities on some of the most innovative programmes on the African continent.
• Deep networks of relationships with business, government, and civil society both nationally and internationally.
• Additional income and corporate exposure in executive education,
• Significant opportunities for research.
• A focus on growing research output.
• A meaningful academic career in a prime lifestyle location with the opportunity to make a difference in the world.
• A fascinating School, which strives for academic excellence and societal relevance.
• The respective annual remuneration packages, including benefits, for 2017 is R1 023 367.