Director at University of the Free State

Duties and responsibilities: 

Leadership

• Provide academic leadership and development by creating and executing strategies to establish the CMBG as a Centre of Excellence.
• Develop an overall operational strategy for the CMBG in consultation with the Dean. 
• Develop an overall research strategy for the CMBG in consultation with the Dean.
• Give academic leadership and direct the CMBG's scholarship, teaching, and standards.
• Take leadership of programme accreditation and ensure national and international accreditation maintenance.
• Promote intellectual vigour and rigor in the disciplines of the CMBG.
• Provide research leadership in the CMBG.
• Influence the CMBG's overall climate and culture and grow the department into a well-functioning  research unit.
• Contribute to faculty leadership by representing the interests of the CMBG at the faculty board, Senate,  and other University structures. 
• Provide leadership in the marketing of the CMBG's programmes and assist in establishing collaborations with external parties.

General Management

• Develop various plans and execute them continuously, including Equity Plans.
• Monitor that areas of improvement identified are affected.
• Organise and co-ordinate staff, students, and activities.
• Mentor, develop and motivate staff.
• Structure and exercise overall control in the CMBG.
• Create an atmosphere of consensus among staff.      
• Communicate effectively internally and externally.
• Participate in faculty management structures.
• Lead and attend meetings.
• Lead project teams.
• Drive academic planning and development.
• Initiate, formulate and implement a visionary academic strategy for the CMBG that is aligned with and supportive of the guiding strategic documents of the UFS and faculty.
• Manage facilities, equipment, and other assets of the CMBG.
• Develop and manage CMBG's risk register.
• Plan, manage and/or make recommendations regarding staff leave applications.

Teaching, Learning and Students

• Ensure the provision of top-quality, research-informed facilitation of learning at all levels of teaching in the CMBG.
• Ensure the enhancement of student experiences and their continuous engagement in academic  debates.
• Ensure that adequate rules and regulations are in place and adhered to optimally deliver high quality teaching and learning programmes on postgraduate levels.
• Ensure quality and timely feedback on student work is provided.
• Ensure proper and quality-driven academic advice and support to all students in the CMBG. 
• Manage the teaching and assessment quality enhancement processes in the CMBG.
• Ensure that programme accreditation minimum criteria are maintained or exceeded.
• Manage curricula development and reviews and ensure the relevance of content, material and presentation in all modules to help position the CMBG as a leader in the fraternity.  
• Oversee the development of new programmes or offerings to remain relevant.
• Ensure nominations of examiners and moderators are made.
• Consult with staff and students at regular intervals.
• Teach and supervise research students up to NQF Level 10.

Research management

• Develop and maintain a visionary research strategy for the CMBG.
• Create an environment that encourages research, leading to strong and active research practices and outputs.
• Ensure that every academic staff member is engaged in quality-driven, discipline-specific and scholarly research. 
• Attract postgraduate students to broaden the research base of the CMBG.
• Ensure ethical research requirements are met.
• Support and assist emerging researchers.
• Guide and support senior academics towards acquiring NRF ratings.

Human resources management

• Build effective teams in the CMBG.
• Plan and implement a fair and reasonable workload of staff members in the CMBG.
• Monitor the progress of staff probation and manage staff performance as well as appraisals in accordance with existing university policies and procedures.
• Recruit and select staff for vacancies and/or specific strategic needs.
• Create and maintain a scholarship-friendly environment in the CMBG.
• Plan, drive and oversee effective and relevant staff development.
• Attend to and/or delegate routine academic and administrative matters.
• Manage academic and support staff in accordance with UFS HR rules and policies.
• Ensure a good flow of information to staff.

Financial and physical resources management:

• Take ultimate responsibility for financial management, including annual budgeting, financial planning,  allocation of funds and financial control.
• Adhere to the UFS's financial policies and procedures.
• Encourage and support academic staff members to apply for external research funding and other grants.

Inherent requirements:

• A PhD on NQF Level 10 in Natural Sciences.
• Any member of the academic staff in the faculty who is appointed at Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor/Professor level.
• Proven experience in academic leadership as either an Academic Head of Department, Subject Head and/or Programme Director.

Recommendations:

• Demonstrated leadership in the management of a research centre or academic program in mineral based environmental systems.
• Strong conceptual grasp of national science policy and environmental innovation pathways.
• Collaborative networks that are well-established in the fields of environmental geochemistry, land and soil restoration, or Earth systems science.
• Proven track record of procuring and managing multi-partner research grants that exceed R2 million. Experience with the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), BIOGRIP, or an equivalent high-impact science infrastructure.
• Ability to shape a Centre's research identity and grow its national and international visibility.
• Demonstrated capacity to develop a postgraduate pipeline and mentor novice researchers in the field of biogeochemical restoration.
• Visionary capacity to position the CMBG as a leading contributor to biogeochemically informed nature-based solutions.
• Organisational and administrative skills to manage the University's processes for postgraduate teaching, research and student supervision.
• Consistent and prolonged track record of managing research programs and obtaining research funding from national and international sources.