Deputy Director – Incubator Manager (post level 6) (Contract Appointment: 5 years) at University of the Free State

Duties and responsibilities:

• Provide academic and business leadership by creating and executing strategies to establish the incubator as a leading incubator in the country.
• Take direct responsible for:
• Strategic and operational planning and activities of the incubator.
• Influencing the incubator’s overall climate and culture.
• Energising everybody in the incubator and beyond.
• Shaping the future aspirations and direction of the incubator.
• 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 are typical management functions performed by an Incubator Manager.
• Create an atmosphere of consensus among staff.
• Set up and manage an effective Industry Advisory Board comprising experts from the industry who will provide the incubator advice and networking opportunities and assist in facilitating funding opportunities.
• Responsible for effective internal and external communication and networking with stakeholders and partners.
• The Incubator Manager is pivotal in linking the incubator ‘s staff and students with the University's management and administration through communication, negotiation, and consultation.
• Active participation and involvement in university structures, attending meetings, leading project teams, representing the incubator, and fulfilling the roles of liaison officer and marketer when necessary. 
•  Active participation and involvement in applicable UFS management structures, e.g., Senate, UMC.
• Devise marketing campaigns that leverage social media and wider networks to promote the Incubator’s offerings successfully.
• Write reports as part of the management activities of the Incubator.
• Initiate, formulate, and implement a visionary academic strategy for the incubator that is aligned with and supportive of the guiding strategic documents of the UFS and incubator.
• Design and conduct surveys and other assessment tools to capture and analyse data for programme planning, decision-making, and reporting to generate insights that can help entrepreneurs at every stage of their development.
• Identify and assess potential startups for inclusion in the incubator programme.
• Coordinate and manage the onboarding process for selected startups, ensuring they have access to the resources they require.
• Do feasibility studies (lean canvas) of potential startups: Assisting potential candidates to undertake feasibility studies.
• Provide advisory services, business coaching and mentoring services to potential startups and startups selected to enter and be incubated in the incubator: These tasks will be performed by the incubator manager, business coaches and DRD experts, together with EMS faculty experts in subject-specific domains.
• Manage business matchmaking activities: The incubator must undertake matchmaking activities between the startups in the incubator, venture capitalists, angel investors, other financiers, and potential clients. This will take place through matchmaking events, trade fairs, and one-to-one linkups.
• Facilitate consultation services between startups and external partners such as banks, auditors, lawyers and business mentors.
• Organise workshops, hackathons, pitch events, etc regularly as part of the incubator operation. This should be particularly aimed at enhancing the skills and knowledge of startups as well as serve as a platform for identifying potential startups.
•  Collaborate with government agencies, industry experts, and other stakeholders to improve the incubator programme quality, scope, and delivery.
• Identify and headhunt high-potential startups to join the incubator programme.
• Monitor the startup's progress and write monthly/quarterly reports.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive seed funding strategy for startups within the incubator.
• Stay up to date with industry trends and investment landscapes to identify relevant grants, competitions, and funding opportunities on behalf of incubator startups.
• Assist startups with grant applications and documentation preparation.
• Ensure the provision by the university of office space with WIFI, meeting facilities, collaborative working space, individual working space, and communal meeting space.
• Review and maintain a flexible curriculum aligned with current best practices constantly.

Build an effective team of business coaches through:

• Planning and implementing a fair and reasonable dispensation regarding the workload of staff members in the incubator.
• Planning and implementing a clear and reasonable career path for every staff member in the incubator, taking account of the strategic plans of the university and incubator.
• Appropriate mentoring interventions where and whenever it is needed.
• Managing staff performance in accordance with existing university policies and procedures.
• Recruitment and selection of staff in the case of vacancies and/or specific strategic needs whenever strategic repositioning requires expansion of academic endeavours.
• 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.
• Adhere 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:

• An MBA or Master’s Degree in the broader Economic and Management Sciences at NQF level nine  (9), or equivalent.
• A minimum of five (5) years relevant experience in coaching startups to become viable operating firms and/or (b) managing a startup him/herself successfully to consistent annual profitability. 
• Demonstrable duration of employment and track record of successful startups coached towards operational and financial viability or a track record of successful business management.

Recommendations:

• PhD in Business Administration or Business Management, on NQF level ten (10) or related field.
• Three (3) years relevant experience in managing an incubator.
• Should have good writing and communication skills.