Academic Head of Department at University of the Free State

Duties and responsibilities:

Provide academic leadership by creating and executing strategies to establish the department as a leader in the field of philosophy.

The AHD 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.
• Responsible for 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 collaboration among staff.
• Responsible for effective internal and external communication.
• The AHD 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 its field.

Create and maintain a(n) –

• Visionary 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. 

• Engage actively with the faculty research committee and the UFS Directorate of Research Development in order to ensure sustainable financial support for departmental research initiatives.
• Build 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 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.

Responsible for the ultimate responsibility in terms of financial management which 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 Job Requirements:

• PhD on NQF Level 10 in Practical and/ or Missional Theology or related field.
• Appointment in the Department of Practical and Missional Theology, University of the Free State as a full-time, permanent Associate Professor or higher.