Senior Manager: IT Academic Systems (N000025) at North West University

Job description

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

• The Manager is responsible for the management of the business areas of the Academic Systems division within the IT department. This includes planning, communication and co-ordination with stakeholders and collaborative partners, international and national, systems and solution development and implementations.
• The Manager is also responsible for leading and managing a team of professionals, ensuring effective collaboration, performance development, and alignment with the division’s goals.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic development and planning  

• Responsible for NWU IT AS development projects, system sustainability and business process strategy. Optimal alignment to higher-level IT and institutional strategies.

People management  

• Optimal organisation of development, leadership, control and performance of human resources in the development processes. Provides leadership and guidelines to promote the development and exploitation of technical knowledge in the organisation.

Stakeholder & partner management 

• Responsible for defining the strategic development approach understanding the needs of the business and works with development partners to meet these needs. Establishes and promotes the overall vision for how IT can support the business. 
• Defines, and gains agreement on, the principles for establishing effective relationships between stakeholders, including responsibility for the relationship between IT functions and end users.

Business solution management

• Initiate investigation, analysis, development, review and documentation needed for the planning, development and delivery of new system solutions. 
• The development and exploitation of expertise in development technology, technique, method, product or application area. 
• The creation of viable specifications and acceptance criteria in preparation for the construction of information systems. 
• Include the alignment of campus requirements with NWU requirements for improving or creating new systems/solutions, reducing their costs, enhancing their sustainability, and the quantification of potential business benefits.

Project management

• Initiate and coordinate the life cycle of projects such as development of project charters, scope statements, and project plans. Define project objectives, goals, and deliverables and also identify project stakeholders and establish communication plans.

Risk and compliance management

• Identify and execute security goals depending on the outcome of the Security and Risk management maturity assessment.

OHS

• Under health and safety law, each employee has the duty to take care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by the former’s actions or omissions at work.
• Therefore, each employee must co-operate with management, OHS officials and colleagues to help everyone meet their legal requirements, whilst upholding and maintaining general occupational health and safety standards and practices.

Minimum requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in Information Technology (NQF level 7).
• A minimum of five (5) years’ system development management and business process analysis experience.
• A minimum of two (2) years’ people management experience in a technical environment.
• A minimum of two (2) years’ university services experience.

ADDED ADVANTAGES & PREFERENCES:

• A postgraduate qualification (or studying towards) in Information Technology, Management or a related field (NQF level 8 or higher).

KEY FUNCTIONAL/ TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES:

• Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking
• Stakeholder Management
• Project management
• Communication skills
• Business Acumen.

KEY BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES:

• Adaptable
• Leadership
• Emotional Intelligence
• Empowerment.

CLOSING DATE: 27 August 2025