Director: Centre for Graduate Support (post level 5) (contract appointment: five years, with the possibility of reappointment for a further term) (Job ID 5579) at University of the Free State

Duties and responsibilities

Strategic planning

• Position the University’s postgraduate and researcher capacity development programmes at a level of both national and international excellence.
• Develop, refine, and implement strategic support programmes for postgraduate students to impact throughput, time to completion, graduation, and dropout rates.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate researcher capacity development programmes for staff and emerging researchers strategically.
• Support faculties in the facilitation of research and research supervision skills development.
• Provide strategic support to staff to acquire higher degree qualifications and assist with their development as leading researchers.
• Develop and implement strategies to successfully run the applications, admissions, and enrolment processes for postgraduate students at the University of the Free State.
• Develop and implement strategies to successfully manage the theses submissions processes at the University of the Free State.
• Develop strategies to assist with the sourcing of external funding for bursaries and scholarships to support postgraduate students.

Policy and guideline development

• Develop and review policies relevant to postgraduate education at the University of the Free State.
• Develop and review guidelines relevant to postgraduate education at the University of the Free State.
• Respond to the policy documents and draft proposals and reports relating to postgraduate studies from the Department of Higher Education and Training.

General administration

• Manage tuition fee funding and applications of postgraduate students effectively at the University of the Free State.
• Manage the human resources needs of the Centre for Graduate Support effectively.
• Manage the operational funds for the Centre for Graduate Support effectively. 
• Manage the research component of the University Capacity Development Grant for the University of the Free State effectively.
• Apply for and coordinate the Nurturing Emerging Scholars Programme posts for the University and effectively managing the associated funds.
• Monitor, assess and maintain the infrastructure needs of the Centre for Graduate Support effectively.
• Attend committee meetings on behalf of the Centre for Graduate Support as required.

Inherent Job Requirements

• Doctoral degree qualification on NQF Level 10.
• A minimum of eight (8) years’ relevant working experience relating to the duties and responsibilities, of which at least three (3) years should have been in a managerial capacity.