Head Of School: Humanities And Social Sciences at Varsity College

Varsity College is an educational brand of The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE). The IIE enjoys the reputation of being at the forefront of private higher education in South Africa and is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to provide higher education qualifications accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE).

The IIE's Varsity College, National Office has a vacancy for a Head Of School: Humanities and Social Sciences.
NB. This position may be based at our National Office in either Durban, Cape Town or Johannesburg. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

Academic Leadership & Management

• Develop and implement the strategic plan for the School in conjunction with the long-term vision of the Independent Institute of Education (IIE) Varsity College as a quality higher education provider.
• Provide academic leadership for the undergraduate, post-graduate and continuing professional development (CPD) of the School.
• Review and implement changes to the existing programmes curriculum.     
• Develop new programmes in collaboration with The Central Academic Team Heads of Programme for accreditation and curriculum material development in the cognate area.
• Manage and lead the interface with Independent Institute of Education (IIE) in the subject discipline within the School.
• Develop and drive the implementation of relevant teaching and learning initiatives (i.e. blended learning) in the cognate area based on current industry and research trends.
• Provide knowledge and expertise on an appropriate teaching model to provide optimal delivery of curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment.
• Plan resource allocation for all aspects of running a successful programme e.g. Moot courts, Careers Fair, Programme Co-ordinators and training contracts.
• Support and develop the national and campus academic teams in the delivery of the Teaching, Learning and Assessment strategies, e.g. Smart boards, Learning Management Systems (LMS) training and other relevant technology based applications.
• Provide specialist knowledge and support to the national marketing team for the development of a marketing strategy for the School.
• Analyse and report on students’ academic results: throughput rates, progression rates, graduation and completion rates on a national basis and ensure appropriate interventions are implemented where necessary.
• Participate in key IIE governance structures and committees. (PCC, Faculty Boards, Academic Planning & Development Committee, Examinations Committee, Brands Results, Postgraduate & Research committee)

Industry and Professional Management

• Act as Brand Ambassador to external stakeholders in the profession and partnership building.
• Develop and maintain relationships with industry in the profession which includes industry placements of students, sponsorships and professional expertise.
• Academic positioning of Varsity College professional training and development for the world of work.
• Facilitation of, and involvement in professional and scholarly activities e.g. Society of Law Teachers.
• Serves as the key liaison with professional and academic partners in the cognate area.
• Represent the Independent Institute of Education (IIE) and Varsity College on external partner faculty boards, committees and professional bodies.
• Facilitates compliance with partners and provider's policies, regulations and procedures

Teaching, Supervision and Research

• Actively teach and/or supervise in a specialist field to serve as an exemplar of best practice
• Create and foster a culture of research and scholarship in the School
• Actively contribute towards the research output of the School and the institution
• Provide thought leadership – opinion pieces written and published in (social) media to build academic credibility in the wider SA.

Campus Support

• Work closely with the campus Programme Manager and support the development of that role at each campus.
• Implement a formal communication structure within the School, at a campus level through the Programme Manager
• Support the campuses in the recruitment, selection, approval and development of the teaching team in the cognate area. Approve all lecturer allocations per module *** (school specific).
• Communicate with the campuses on new developments, recommendations and trends and facilitate troubleshooting relevant to issues within the School
• Support the campus in the operation of a bursary programme sponsored by industry (where applicable)

Competencies Required:

• Leadership and management skills
• Professional communication skills
• Organisational and planning skills
• Ability to analyse and interpret data
• Attention to quality and detail

Minimum Education Requirements:

• Qualification: PhD/ Masters (dissertation submitted for examination) OR equivalent in relevant School.

Minimum Work Experience Requirements:

• Minimum of 5 years Teaching and Learning experience (preferably in teaching environment).
• Qualifications and experience in academic work relevant to offerings in the School.
• Some industry experience related to the field/s –either as employment or consultancy