Duties and responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- Provide strategic direction for Student Life and Student Governance, ensuring strong alignment with Vision 130 and the integrated Student Affairs, Sport, Arts and Culture portfolio.
- Assist the Executive Director in conceptualising, implementing, and monitoring strategic initiatives across Student Affairs.
- Strengthen the student experience, campus life, and governance stability through strategic programmes, systems, and partnerships.
- Lead the development and implementation of student life and student governance frameworks, policies, and standards.
- Initiate a healthy stakeholder relationship internally and externally.
Governance and Compliance
- Oversee Student Governance, including SRC governance, student leadership structures, student constitutions, and electoral processes.
- Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, UFS Statute, governance protocols, and institutional policy frameworks.
- Strengthen governance systems to support ethical leadership, accountability, and transparent decision-making.
- Partner with Legal Services to ensure adherence to rules, governance instruments, and disciplinary codes.
- Identify governance and policy gaps and lead the development and review of Student Life and Governance policies and related frameworks.
Operational Leadership of Student Life and Governance Units
Oversee and provide strategic direction to the following units:
- Student Leadership Development
- KovsieACT (Co-curricular Student Development)
- Student Research & Development Office
- Student Governance
- Ensure integration, collaboration, and synergy among all units for a coherent student development and engagement model.
Student Leadership Development
- Lead comprehensive student leadership development programmes fostering ethical leadership, governance capability, and personal growth.
- Provide mentorship and advisory support to student structures.
- Coordinate leadership pipeline development for emerging student leaders.
- Ensure relevant training programmes in line with the evolving higher education landscape and the University of the Free State dynamics.
Student Engagement and Co-Curricular Development
- Drive high-impact co-curricular programmes, events, and activities to enhance the student engagement ecosystem.
- Strengthen partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to broaden student learning pathways.
- Oversee and ensure quality of KovsieACT offerings, experiential learning, and graduate attribute development.
- Identify emerging trends, opportunities, and student development needs to inform programme design and continuous improvement.
Risk, Crisis and Stability Management
- Provide leadership during student-related crises, unrest, or governance instability.
- Work closely with the Executive Director and relevant units to ensure early identification of emerging risks and effective mitigation.
- Contribute to policy and procedure refinement to ensure institution-wide stability and student well-being.
- Lead the identification, assessment, and mitigation of strategic and operational risks within Student Life and Governance.
Institutional Advisory and Representation
- Serve as the primary advisor to the Executive Director on all student life and governance matters.
- Represent the division on relevant university committees, task teams, and governance structures.
- Provide regular reporting, analytics, and trend insights to inform executive decision-making.
- Represent the Executive Director at meetings and committees as delegated.
People and Resource Management
- Lead, manage, and develop staff across the integrated portfolio.
- Ensure optimal resource allocation, performance management, and staff professional development.
- Oversee budgeting and financial management for Student Life and Governance.
- Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, professional development, and continuous improvement across Student Life and Governance.
- Allocate resources to support the achievement of strategic objectives.
Monitoring, Evaluation and Research
- Promote evidence-based programmes and decision-making across Student Life and Governance.
- Monitor and evaluate the impact of strategic programmes and initiatives.
- Analyse and disseminate institutional and sector data to inform planning, policy development, and continuous improvement.
Inherent Job Requirements
- A master’s degree on NQF Level 9 in Higher Education, Social Sciences, Public Administration, Organisational Leadership, Law, or a related field.
- A minimum of 8 years of relevant progressive management experience with 5 years at middle management level in higher education, governance, student affairs, or related environments.
- Demonstrated experience across all or most of the following areas:
- Oversight of student governance and representative structures.
- Student leadership development and student engagement.
- Management of all units within this portfolio
- Strategic planning, execution, monitoring and reporting.
- Policy development, governance and compliance.
- Budget and financial resource management.
- Risk management, crisis response and institutional stability.
- Monitoring, evaluation and evidence-based decision-making.
Competencies
Required competencies:
Results Orientated:
- The ability to set high standards, establish tough goals, and to work to achieve success.
- The ability to be reliable, responsible, dependable and to fulfil obligations.
Strategic Thinking:
- The ability to deal with several activities at a time.
- The ability to carefully analyse information and use logic to address issues and problems at work.
Business Acumen:
- The ability to adhere to rules and strictly follow work regulations.
- Proficient in using MS Office.
Leading:
- The ability to maintain high levels of personal motivation, energy and enthusiasm.
- The ability to be cooperative with others, display a good-natured attitude and encourage people to work together.
Building Coalitions:
- The ability to be self-assured and at ease with people in all types of social situations.
- The ability to interact with others and establish personal connections with people.
Closing date:20/7/2026
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