Director : Language Directorate (N000674) at North West University

Job description

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

• This position is responsible for ensuring the continuous development, implementation and monitoring of the university's language policy.
• This includes overseeing activities such as language audits upon which language plans for teaching and learning, research, student life, and administration are based.
• This role also ensures quality language usage and provides institutional language services like editing, translation, and interpreting.
• The incumbent also acts as Language Ombudsman and collaborates with Corporate Relations and Marketing on events involving both internal and external stakeholders. It collaborates with the Centre for Teaching and Learning regarding language webinars for both staff and students and for monitoring and evaluation purposes.

 KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Language Policy Planning

• Develop and implement strategies and projects aligned to the NWU Language Policy, including conducting general and vocation-specific language learning courses for staff and students, terminology planning, etc.
• Oversee the implementation of the NWU Language Policy and related Plans in the relevant NWU environments, i.e. the Language Audit, teaching- learning, support services and student life, as well as in the community.
• Utilise data obtained during the monitoring process to continuously refine implementation of language policy, and to continually review revision cycle of the LPP.
• Provide advice to faculties and support divisions on related Language Plans. 
• Collaborate with the Relevant Schools and Faculties to enable research on language and multilingual pedagogies.

Language Facilitation

• Manage the staff establishment of the LD to provide language facilitation services in all the relevant NWU environments.
• Monitor the quality of the language facilitation services provided.
• Ensure seamless implementation of all strategies for successful implementation of language use in education and in administration as contained in the respective Language Plans.
• Hands-on involvement and participation in language advice, interpreting and translation.

Language Pedagogy and Planning

• Ensure development and training of multilingual facilitators through webinars and short learning programmes on multilingual pedagogies and development of related teaching-learning materials.
• Work with Deans and Deputy Deans Teaching-Learning concerning language support needs to ensure the seamless coordination of support provision commensurate with Faculty Language Plans.

Budgets for Implementation of Multilingualism

• Oversee the planning and monitoring of the budget of the Language Directorate.

Reporting, Monitoring and Research

• Work with research units and centres throughout the University to achieve synergy in terms of resource development, people development and the associated research concerning the development and implementation of the Language Policy of the University.
• Generate as required by Senate, the senior DVC T-L and the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, reports for internal as well as external stakeholders on the state of multilingualism development and implementation at the University.
• Document and provide scientific reports on the implementation of multilingualism at NWU.

Stakeholder relations

• Establish language needs of internal and external stakeholders and provide intervention strategies where required.
• Maintain and further develop existing relations with internal stakeholders in language facilitation services, i.e. support, academic and management staff, as well as students.
• Collaborate with SADILAR, Lexicography unit and other NWU units involved in Language and multilingual support.

Minimum requirements

• A master’s degree in Applied Linguistics and/or Language Education (Language Planning, Language Practice) (NQF Level 9).
• A minimum of five (5) years’ managerial experience in a higher education environment.
• A minimum of five (5) years’ overall relevant experience.
• A minimum of three (3) years’ experience managing the implementation of a Language Policy and Plan (LPP).
• A minimum of three (3) years’ experience planning and managing action research.
• Experience managing the review and revision of a Language Policy and Plan (LPP).
• Experience managing language facilitation services.

ADDED ADVANTAGES:

• A PhD in Applied Linguistics, Language Education, or General Linguistics (NQF Level 10).
• Accreditation by the South African Translators' Institute (SATI) in translation, interpreting, text editing, or terminography.
• Membership of language-related professional associations.

KEY FUNCTIONAL/ TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES:

• Strong strategic leadership, stakeholder engagement, and project management skills in the domain of language facilitation services.
• Experience in developing partnerships with government, industry, and international organisations in language development and technology.
• Demonstrated ability to secure external funding and lead collaborative research or innovation projects.
• Excellent policy analysis, governance, and institutional planning skills.
• Knowledge of language planning and language policy implementation.
• Experience in managing language facilitation services and advanced knowledge of language facilitation services, particularly language advice, translation and interpreting.
• Experience in managing staff in the context of language facilitation services
• Experience in planning and managing a budget.
• Multilingual competency in a number of official South African languages (including and in addition to English and Afrikaans) relevant to the NWU environment.
• Knowledge/experience of implementing multilingual pedagogies.
• Research on applied linguistics, language education and/or language plan implementation.
• Experience in planning and carrying out action research.
• Knowledge and practical understanding of Large Language Models (LLMs) and Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), with the ability to identify and implement their applications in multilingual education, language services, translation, terminology development, and academic administration.
• Knowledge of digital transformation and emerging technologies relevant to language planning, language policy implementation, and higher education.
• Experience in leveraging AI-enabled tools for improving institutional efficiency, communication, content development, and language resource management.
• Knowledge of data analytics, digital innovation, and evidence-informed decision-making.                                                         

BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES:

• Good interpersonal relationships.
• Effective time management.
• Good verbal and written communication skills in a number of official South African languages (including and in addition to English and Afrikaans) relevant to the NWU environment.
• Multilingual language proficiency to function optimally in the multilingual environment of the NWU.
• Ability to implement action research to monitor LPP implementation.

REMUNERATION:

The annual total remuneration package will be commensurate with the level of appointment as advertised and in line with the NWU policy guidelines. 

Apply by: 28 August 2026