Position: Chair of Occupational Health at University of the Witwatersrand

MAIN PURPOSE OF THE JOB

To create the vision for the discipline and provide leadership to foster excellence and harmonious delivery of University and NIOH/NHLS teaching, research and service mandates. To ensure that the investigation and diagnosis of disease within the discipline is conducted in accordance with current “best practice” throughout the organisation.

OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES

The successful incumbent will head the NIOH’s Division of Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology, contribute to the management of the NIOH, and be active in supporting the Occupational Health Division at the WSPH.

The Chair of Occupational Health is a leader in occupational medicine in the country, and is expected to provide guidance to occupational medicine practitioners, both in and outside of the NIOH. The Chair acts as senior consultant to the NIOH Occupational Medicine Section. This function includes oversight of occupational medicine specialists and registrars in their clinical work, for example, assessment of patients, and their activities in support of occupational health services. 

The Chair will participate in strategic and policy development activities for the country, including those for the provision of occupational health and safety services. Generally, this work is undertaken in partnership with government departments.  Sustaining and developing the occupational health research programmes of the NIOH and WSPH is an important aspect of the job. This entails initiating research projects, seeking research funding, supporting researchers, assisting with the development and assessment of research protocols, supervising postgraduate theses, and serving on the NIOH Research Committee. The Chair will also serve on one or more University Faculty Committees. The NIOH and the University have an active teaching and training programme in occupational health and occupational medicine. The programme covers both formal degrees and ad hoc activities such as courses, workshops and seminars. The Professor of Occupational Health plays a key role in teaching but also in ongoing curriculum development to ensure that programmes are relevant and up-to-date. The degree programmes are coordinated by the WSPH, but the Chair contributes to the overall academic aspects of the Post Graduate Diploma in Occupational Health, and the registrar programme in occupational medicine. The teaching of the registrars is a responsibility shared with the NIOH Head of Occupational Medicine Section.

KEY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• Active leadership within the NIOH, the University and Professional bodies, promotion of occupational health and/or organisational strategic objectives at a regional or national level
•  Active and substantial contribution to training programmes and improvements in service delivery
•  Involvement in regional, national or international teaching activities
•  Involvement in curriculum development
•  Training and formal supervision of postgraduate students, including registrars and scientists 
•  Identification of strategic training needs, development of strategic training and development plans and capacity building 
•  Conduct and support research at the NIOH and the Occupational Health Division of the WSPH
•  Contribute to the mandate of the NIOH and WSPH.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

•  Registration with a professional body as an occupational medicine specialist or another medical speciality appropriate for attending to work-related conditions, for example, specialist physician or pulmonologist with additional qualification in Occupational Health;
•  A strong publication record in occupational health-related work;
•  A record of postgraduate supervision and throughput;
•  Experience in teaching; and
•  At least 10 years in occupational health-related work with responsibility for leading a team of practitioners during that period.