Senior Officer: Research Outputs Coordinator (Post Level 9) at University of the Free State

Duties and responsibilities:

Research Administration 

• Process, compile and monitor research outputs.
• Send all research-related documents to Deans, faculties, and staff members.
• Compile training documents and manuals for all capturers.
• Provide training to capturers. 
• Update and prepare all e-forms and backend of the research module on the Research Information Management System (RIMS). 
• Review all outputs on RIMS.
• Capture outputs in certain cases.
• Circulate all outputs electronically to sub-committees for internal reviewing. 
• Communication between authors, capturers, and the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).
• Obtain all supporting documentation to be uploaded to RIMS in support of outputs. 
• Prepare all documents ready for when our journals are audited.
• Handle all the enquiries during the audit process.
• Run reports and provide reports to numerous different individuals and entities regularly.
• Provide numerous research-related statistics to top management, deans, and heads of departments.
• Handle all data matters relating to outputs for internal and external purposes.

General Administration 

• File documents. 
• Handle all general queries and enquiries pertaining to research and output matters.
• Update all relevant research documentation as needed. 
• Compile letters for staff to confirm outputs.

Financial Administration 

• Compile Research Awards payment summaries after submission to DHET.
• Distribute this summary report to faculties. 
• After feedback, compile a journal transfer letter to the finance department. 
• Capture Ad hoc claims on the system. 
• Handle all queries in this regard.
• Summarise all payments for each output year.

Meeting Administration 

• Handle the agenda and minutes of the UFS Journal editors' meeting. 
• Handle most of the administration of this meeting.
• Distribute relevant information to the committee members.
• Responsible for the yearly payments of the honorarium to all editors and co-editors.
• Handle most of the journal-related enquiries.
• Schedule meetings between 2 and 4 times a year.

Coordination 

• Serve as the contact between DHET and other research entities and the UFS, pertaining to research output matters.
• Communicate all relevant information to all relevant parties at the UFS.
• Distribute all reports and relevant information to all parties involved (mostly UFS).
• Liaise with DHET and other research entities on behalf of UFS staff concerning research-related matters.
• Work closely with the external auditors for research outputs submission and provide training if required.

Inherent requirements:

• A bachelor’s degree or an advanced diploma/BTech degree/postgraduate certificate on NQF Level 7 or a three-year national diploma on NQF Level 6.
• Minimum of two (2) years relevant working experience relating to the duties and responsibilities.
• Proven experience on the following systems, Scival, RIMS and ROSS.

Recommendations:

• Knowledge of a university environment, policies, procedures and relevant systems.
• Excellent Excel knowledge and skills.