Executive Dean: Academic at ADvTECH

Overall Job Purpose: 

• The Executive Dean: Academic provides strategic academic leadership across key areas, including teaching and learning (in both contact and distance modes), qualification development and accreditation, lecturer academic development support, and student academic support.
• The successful incumbent will be responsible for the management of the full academic project of the institution and for ensuring that the needs, interests and initiatives are consistent with, and inform, the policies and strategic decisions of the Institution. The Executive Dean: Academic will also be responsible for the implementation of policies approved by the faculty board and Senate, for ensuring that graduates at every level satisfy internationally accepted standards in the disciplines concerned, and for the broad management of research activities in the institution.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Strategy leadership and governance
• Ensure the effective implementation of the mission, vision, values and strategic priorities.
• Developing, implementing and monitoring programmes and progress towards the teaching and learning and research goals in the strategic plan and national plan for Higher Education to enhance the quality and success rate of the institution's graduates.
• Academic leadership, planning and professionalisation in the areas of teaching and learning.
• Compile and submit exco reports relating to portfolio status.
• Serve as the executive academic member of the institutional executive committee and is responsible for reporting on all matters within the ambit of the academic project.
• Oversee Curriculum development, review, renewal and transformation.
• Ensure regular reviews of academic programmes and agree upon improvement targets with the Faculties.
• Strengthen the structures, strategies, processes, and programmes that facilitate career capacity development and enhancement for academic staff.

Management of Academic Excellence

• To promote the institutions in teaching, research, innovation and engagement.
• Approve and ensure development of a strong academic team (permanent and part-time) that enables a dynamic scholarly informed teaching-learning environment and experience, preparing students for the world of work.
• Promoting innovation in the academic, operations and general administration across Faculties.
• Further, develop and implement the quality assurance system to meet both internally set standards and the requirements of relevant external bodies.
• Oversee the identification and avoidance of all risk elements in the Faculty’s activities.
• Support the achievement of equity targets and the transformation of the institutional culture.
• Oversight of resources required for the effective delivery of teaching and learning, including, libraries, timetabling and space.
• Developing, supporting and monitoring the progress of curriculum initiatives which respond to the institution's imperatives.
• Implement and monitor initiatives/programmes which promote the scholarship of teaching and learning.
• Sustain and nurture new international research partnerships and collaborations.
• Work with the Institution's Faculties and Research Institutes to drive improved research performance and broader research engagement across the Institution.
• Actively participate in forums and pursue opportunities to contribute to higher education policy development.
• In collaboration with other senior leaders, develop research partnerships with industry and with international universities and other research providers to optimise research engagement with a particular focus on the Institutions Industry Engagement Priorities.
• Assess and mitigate risks in terms of student success, throughput, and student dropout rates.
• Oversee the expansion of the Undergraduate (UG) and Postgraduate (PG) qualification framework, ensuring a sustainable and reputable qualification offering for students.
• Leverage digital Teaching and Learning support technologies and data-driven insights to mitigate academic risk

Oversee and Manage the Academic Project and Quality assurance

• Oversee the development of the Qualification Framework (Academic leadership and strategic direction).
• Together with the Deans of Faculty, develop and implement the strategic plan for the each of the faculties.
• Oversee and monitor the success of the Academic Support and Teaching and Learning Portfolios, including the distance mode offering across all campuses.
• Monitor that the Research Portfolio meets institutional targets and research outputs that create and foster a culture of research and scholarship in the faculties amongst others.
• Oversee and monitor the success of Qualifications and Accreditation planning, research, and accreditation of all higher education qualifications.

People Management

• Conduct performance reviews in accordance with policies and procedures and take corrective actions where necessary.
• Lead Personal Development conversations and the completion of Personal Development Plans.
• Complete Performance Management contracts and documentation.
• Provide coaching and feedback to employees on how to improve and sustain their performance.
• Ensure that disciplinary actions are implemented as per the company’s policy and procedure, where necessary.

Financial Management

• Manage faculty budgets with direct reports, ensuring financial sustainability and resource optimisation.
• Contribute to the annual budget planning process and compile the annual budget for the Academic programme.
• Monitor and oversee cost-effective management of academic costs, targets and ratios in line with annual and revised budgets.
• Manage, monitor and control the budget and take corrective action as appropriate.
• Take full responsibility for the financial resources within the area of accountability.

Minimum Education Requirement :

•  PhD in a relevant discipline

Minimum Work Experience Requirement:

• Academic with a track record of academic leadership and eight or more years of experience in a senior leadership role within a higher education institution, such as a Dean or Senior Head of an Academic Department.
• Knowledge and experience in digital scholarly resources, online learning, and technology.
• Familiarity with innovation systems and approaches
• Innovative leadership in devising curricular and co-curricular strategies for graduates to be ready for the future world of work.
• Understands the operations and affairs of a higher education/university environment

Competencies required
Skills: 

• Leadership
• Writing skills
• Communication skills
• Research writing
• Entrepreneural skills
• Behavioural Attribute: 
• Organisational and ability to multitask
• Conflict management
• Strategic thinker
• Networking abilities
• Research