Director: Governance and General Bookkeeping (Finance) (post level 5) (contract appointment: five years with the possibility of reappointment for a further term) at University of the Free State

Duties and responsibilities

Change Management

• Ensure involvement in the change process by identifying possible stakeholders, risks and/or effects.
• Analyse changing business circumstances and possible interventions to address, for example, legislative changes, risks, and/or control inefficiencies.
• Challenge the status quo by identifying and developing innovative practices when managing change.
• Provide training and support to personnel when dealing with change.
• Implement strategies, policies, systems, and organisational programmes to promote organisational changes and effectiveness.

Operational Implementation

• Enable and facilitate HR recruitment, rewards, retention, employment equity plans, performance development, career development, and succession planning.
• Provide training and/or advice to employees within the department and campus on policies and systems.
• Update and develop new policies.
• Develop and implement new models within the PeopleSoft financial system.
• Enhance operational controls and change working practices to become more effective.
• Provide priorities and operational goals to line managers.
• Responsible for financial reporting.

People Management

• Provide leadership and management to the department, including Governance, Systems, Salary division, General ledger, Accounts Payable and Expense claims.
• Provide expert advice on financial aspects.
• Responsible for Employee Relations:
• Provide advice and become actively involved in addressing certain disciplinary issues within departments in liaison with the employee relations office where applicable or self when not that severe.
• Transfer coaching, mentoring, and counselling skills to line managers and employees to enable them to become better leaders.
• Enable business unit leaders to enter into mentor relationships, training, and growth opportunities.
• Facilitates conflict management.

Strategic Alignment

• Participate in the Finance Management Meetings and strategic planning sessions to obtain a clear understanding of requirements, risks, and possible mitigation actions (short- and long-term) to give inputs and possible strategies.
• Understand current and emerging business strategies and legislation to participate and contribute towards the development of short-, medium-- and long-term strategies.
• Develop new and align current policies to enhance the governance system for the UFS.

Inherent Job Requirements

• Honours degree on NQF Level 8 in Accounting or related field.
• B Acc or BCom on NQF level 7 in Accounting or related field.
• A minimum of five (5) years relevant working experience in accounting and governance, of which at least three (3) years should be in a managerial capacity.

Recommendations

• Three (3) years of relevant experience in higher education.
• Membership of a Professional Accounting Body.
• Completed articles.