Deputy Vice-Chancellor: People and Operations at University of the Free State

Duties and responsibilities:

Generic responsibilities shared by all DVCs:

• Promote integrated administration and management that supports the attainment of the vision, mission, strategy and goals of the University. 
• Oversee policy development and implementation. 
• Assist the VC to interface between the Council, Senate and senior management to ensure accountability concerning financial and strategic governance as well as the university’s core academic functions. 
• Foster collegial and participatory internal governance through the committee system. 
• Line-manage senior staff including Deans, Senior Directors and Directors. 
• Play a leading role in the recruitment of senior staff in all sectors. 
• Contribute to National Higher Education policy development and public intellectual life in general. 
• Support the achievement of equity targets in the student and staff profiles and provide leadership in the transformation of the institutional culture. 
• Facilitate inter-faculty collaboration and cross-university activities. 

Post specific responsibilities, in addition to the above generic responsibilities:  

• Develop strategic and operational plans in respect of his/her portfolios and ensure that it is aligned with the strategic plans of the UFS.
• Ensure effective integration and alignment of all subordinate divisions’ strategy to the institutional strategy.
• Contribute to effective governance and management of the portfolio through ensuring compliance to UFS policies and procedures and national laws.
• Account to the University Council on Audit and Risk, Pension Fund governance and University infrastructure and Human Resources issues of the University through the Vice-Chancellor.
• Ensure compliance of the Department of Labour reporting requirements in terms of overseeing annual labour and equity reports compiled by the human resources division.
• Lead in the development of proposals for infrastructure funding from the DHET.
• Negotiation with Unions on matters relating to salary increases, review of service conditions, resolutions of disputes and insourcing.
• Play a critical role in developing new systems, review systems and manage to ensure total support for institutional core business.
• Direct the activities associated with security and investment of the University’s staff, assets and funds.
• The expansion and maintenance of physical infrastructure (working, learning and living spaces) and campus security services.
• Establish and expand UFS Enterprise to address, research, and solve industries' most pressing unresolved challenges through student-led initiatives, supported by academics.

Inherent Job Requirements

• A Doctorate on NQF Level 10.
• Experience in a senior leadership role in an academic institution. 
• A minimum of eight years of proven high-level leadership success at a senior level, having progressed through the academic/management hierarchy.
• A demonstrated track record of managing a complex portfolio or running a unit of reasonable size.
• A distinguished academic and research record.
• Recognised academic standing as a professor or eligibility for appointment to the rank of professor.
• Experience of having overall or significant responsibility for managing an organisation’s administrative and physical operations, to deliver high quality and performance.
• A successful record of leadership and teamwork.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic thinking and operationalising such thinking into plans and projects.
• An understanding of the higher education arena in South Africa.
• Knowledge of the operations and affairs of a university environment.
• Expertise in financial management and income generation gained from previous roles in higher education or any other sector.

Recommendations

• Can operate confidently and sensitively across cultures and other divides.
• Experience with overseeing enterprise activities will be beneficial.