Director - Residence, Catering & Fleet Services (N001148) at North West University

Job description

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

To provide:

• Governance support and instructions to the Residence & Catering departments on all three campuses.
• To manage the centralised NWU Fleet Services with decentralised deployment on all three campuses.
• Periodic reporting of activities on all three campuses in the Residence & Catering Services as well as the NWU Fleet Services, including financial and operational matters.
• Represent the department in all Residence, Catering & Fleet Services related meetings, including Capital Projects, Capital Renewals, Student Housing Committee, CMC, OHS etc.
• System Owner of the Residence Management System (StarRez) to see implementation and licencing for the next 5 years.
• Represent the NWU at ACUHO-I and ACUHO-I SAC.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Business & Financial Management

Analyse Income & Expense figures and related performance indicators per division:

• Residence Services.
• Catering Services.
• Food & Beverage Services.
• Fleet Services.
• Staff analyses
• Oversee annual three-year rolling budget for RCF
• Contract Management (BooMedia, Finclude, Lease agreements, Year Contracts of Maintenance or Service Providers in the RCF environment).

Strategy Implementation

• See to the implementation of the following strategies:
• Residence Strategy.
• Reaching campus minority placement ratios per campus.
• Fee strategy.

Define new strategies for:

• Capital Renewals of campus residences.
• Residence Management
• Ensure aligned Residence Rules.
• See to the successful implementation of the Residence Management System (StarRez) at the NWU.
• Manage the StarRez 5-year licencing contract.
• Represent RCF at Capital Projects as well as Capital Renewal Projects.

Consolidated Reporting

• Monthly reporting of Income and Expenses against budget with narratives for deviations.
• Management Participation
• Represent RCF at Campus Management Committee [CMC] meetings on all three campuses.
• Represent RCF at CMC & sec meetings at all three campuses.
• Standing member of Student Housing Committee SHC).
• Standing member of Student Diversity and Transformation Committee (SDTC).
• Standing member of Committee on Student Support Services (CoSSS).
• Standing member of.
• Monthly oversight meeting with the three Managers: Residence & Catering.
• Attend monthly Physical Infrastructure and Planning project progress meetings with FIDC.
• Part of the Student Information Crisis Committee (SICC).
• Represent RCF at Ad Hoc requests like Student Life Landlord lmbizo, Pam Golding due diligence investigation into the purchase of Green Meadows.

People Management

• Create an enabling leadership culture by developing a shared direction, shared values and alignment and commitment to transform the organisational culture.
• Foster a participative and developmental leadership style; improve team cohesion, synergy and effectiveness.
• Develop a Strategic Workforce Plan that builds proportions of African and People with disabilities and implement the Plan.
• Arrange and implement culture improvement interventions, establish a baseline, receive a report and feedback and implement; actively remove engagement barriers.
• Engagement with People & Culture in the 3B-realignment and placement of staff.

Minimum requirements

• A master’s degree (NQF level 9).
• A minimum of five (5) years’ management experience in a large, complex organization.
• Experience in student housing or large-scale accommodation services - knowledge of residence life models and student well-being programmes.
• Experience of managing large-scale catering operations, restaurants and decentralized sales outlets, including contract oversight, the Liquor Act and cost control.

ADDED ADVANTAGES & PREFERENCES:

• Registration with the ACUHO-I.
• Experience with fleet management systems, transport compliance, and logistics planning.
• Demonstrated budget responsibility of R300m or equivalent in a large portfolio; Strong record of financial sustainability, cost control, and revenue generation; Project management (capital projects and expansions, capital renewals, or service modernisation).

KEY FUNCTIONAL/TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES:

• Residence Services: Knowledge of student housing policies, residence life models, and student wellbeing practices;
• Facility operations, maintenance planning, and compliance with health & safety standards; Residence admissions, allocations, placement and occupancy management systems.
• Catering Services: Large-scale catering management (menu planning, nutritional standards, food safety legislation, and operational efficiency); Supplier contract management and procurement processes; Knowledge of customer satisfaction and quality assurance methodologies in food services.
• Fleet & Logistics Management: Fleet operations: vehicle acquisition, lifecycle management, cost optimisation, and usage policies; Compliance with transport legislation, licensing, and road safety standards; Digital fleet management systems, reporting, and tracking.
• Financial & Business Acumen: Strong financial management (budgeting; forecasting, variance analysis, cost containment); Revenue generation models for residences and catering services; Contract and vendor management, including leases, service-level agreements and procurement compliance; Use of management information systems (KPls, dashboards, benchmarking tools).
• Operational Excellence: Project management and change management skills; Risk management and mitigation strategies across residence, catering, and fleet operations
• Knowledge of university policies and regulatory frameworks; IT literacy for enterprise resource planning (ERP), facility and fleet management systems, and catering software.

KEY BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES:

• Leadership & People Management: Inspirational leadership with the ability to motivate and manage 400 diverse staff; Delegation and empowerment of managers and supervisors while ensuring accountability; Talent development, mentorship, and succession planning; Effective conflict management and labour relations handling.
• Strategic Thinking & Decision-Making: Aligns residence, catering, and fleet services with institutional strategy; Balances long-term strategic vision with short-term operational demands; Makes evidence-based, transparent decisions under pressure.
• Communication & Interpersonal Effectiveness: Clear, persuasive communication with executives, staff, students, and external partners; Builds trust and collaborative relationships across academic and operational environments; Strong negotiation and influencing skills with unions, contractors, and stakeholders.
• Student-Centric Orientation: Commitment to student well-being, inclusivity, and enhancing student experience; Sensitivity to diversity and cultural differences within a university context; Responsiveness to student needs and feedback.
• Personal Effectiveness: Resilience and stress tolerance in high-pressure environments; Ethical leadership and integrity in finance; HR, and operational decisions; Adaptability and agility when priorities shift; Results-driven mindset with a focus on continuous improvement and innovation.

Apply by: 22 October 2025