Senior Officer: Strategic Projects and ISRC Coordinator at University of the Free State

Duties and responsibilities:

Operational & Strategic Support:

• Coordinate and monitor institutional student governance and Student Affairs, Sport, Arts and Culture projects at the South Campus, as assigned by the Deputy Director.
• Serve as the primary institutional liaison between the Institutional Student Representative Council (ISRC) and its co-governance structures (Institutional Student Parliament (ISP), Institutional Student Court (ISC), and the Deputy Director on operational issues.
• Collaborate with the Student Governance Office (SGO) managers, coordinate the review of the ISRC Constitution, Code of Conduct, and various policies, SOPs, and guidelines in the Student Governance environment.
• Collaborate with the Deputy Director, coordinate the review of policies, guidelines, protocols,
• and related governance frameworks across the Student Affairs, Sport, Arts and Culture environment.
• Develop project frameworks, implementation plans, timelines, and progress reports for institutional projects.
• Track deliverables, risks, and outcomes of institutional projects and report to the Deputy Director.
• Work collaboratively with SGO Managers to address institutional operational gaps impacting the successful implementation of the student governance strategy.
• Manage and oversee the ISGO website and social media platforms to enhance visibility and communication with student governance structures.
• Monitor institutional climate trends and advise the Deputy Director on potential risk factors that may trigger student dissatisfaction or protest and propose proactive mediation and resolution mechanisms.

Student Engagement & Communication:

• Orient and capacitate ISRC members on institutional engagement protocols and governance frameworks.
• Coordinate annual "ISRC Meet and Greet" sessions with key internal stakeholders, including the Executive Management Committee (EMC) and the DSASAC Senior Leadership Group (SLG).
• Guide the ISRC in accessing and utilising institutional information systems (e.g., PowerHEDA) to enhance evidence-based engagement.
• Facilitate structured engagements between the ISRC and its sub-structures to ensure alignment and accountability.
• Coordinate engagements between the ISRC and relevant university departments to address and resolve institutional matters.
• Maintain accurate records of resolutions and commitments arising from engagements between the ISRC and University Management.
• Support the ISRC in planning and delivering the annual State of Institutional Address (SIA) to report on progress in advancing student and institutional priorities.
• Develop sustainable communication and engagement mechanisms to strengthen ISRC interaction with sub-structures and the broader student body.
• Foster ISRC engagement and participation in sectoral student structures, such as the South African Union of Students (SAUS).

Project Monitor & Support:

• Receive the ISRC's Plan of Action (POA), review it and submit to the Deputy Director for approval.
• Provide structured administrative and coordination support to the ISRC and its co-governance structures.
• Serve as the institutional liaison on ISRC-led strategic projects (e.g., the lmbewu Legacy Fund) to ensure continuity beyond student leadership transitions.
• Facilitate, monitor, and evaluate the implementation of ISRC programmes, projects, and strategic initiatives to ensure alignment with institutional priorities.
• Coordinate the approval processes for ISRC events/projects from the relevant Events Committee structures.
• Monitor the ISRC annual operational calendar, track progress against set objectives and timelines, and proactively obtain feedback where activities are delayed or not executed as planned.
• Compile progress reports and recommend corrective interventions to enhance accountability, efficiency, and impact.

Training Coordination:

• Design, coordinate, and deliver structured training programmes for the ISRC and its co-governance structures, in partnership with the Student Leadership Development Office and other relevant departments.
• Collaborate with the Student Leadership Development Office in the development and implementation of comprehensive Student Governance induction programmes for the ISRC, ISP, and ISC.
• Liaise with relevant internal and external stakeholders to facilitate specialised governance, leadership, and institutional development programmes.
• Develop and implement a structured support and mentoring framework to strengthen the effectiveness, accountability, and leadership capacity of the ISRC.
• Coordinate logistical planning for all training and development initiatives, ensuring effective organisation of venues, materials, resources, and stakeholder participation.
• Maintain detailed training records, attendance registers, and evaluation reports to assess impact and inform continuous improvement.
• Facilitate ongoing capacity-building initiatives, including annual operational training, strategic planning sessions, team buildings, etc.
• Ensure that the ISRC participates in the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) 's annual capacity-building programmes.

Governance and Compliance:

• Facilitate the annual ISRC elections in accordance with the ISRC Constitution and applicable electoral codes.
• Develop and implement comprehensive awareness strategies to promote participation in ISRC elections across all campuses.
• Coordinate and support active multi-campus engagement to ensure inclusive representation in ISRC electoral processes.
• Facilitate the establishment of the Institutional Student Parliament and the Institutional Student Court.
• Oversee the delegation of ISRC members to institutional committees and ensure the timely submission of the list to the relevant secretariats.
• Collaborate with the Deputy Director, ensure that the ISRC Constitution, Code of Conduct, and related ISGO frameworks are reviewed timeously.
• Identify policy gaps for development within Student Governance and review existing policies for alignment.

Meeting Coordination:

• Ensure ISRC members attend institutional committee meetings and participate in institutional programmes.
• Arrange and facilitate regular meetings with the ISRC to facilitate open communication and keep up to date on developments.
• Assist the ISRC in formulating agenda items and submitting them to the relevant secretariats.
• Assist the ISRC in preparing for institutional meetings.
• Assist the ISRC in preparing presentations for institutional engagements, where required.

Report Writing:

• Guide the ISRC on minutes and report writing.
• Develop and update templates that are to be utilised by the Deputy Director and the ISRC for reporting purposes.
• Compile and submit consolidated progress reports on strategic projects within the Student Governance portfolio and the Student Affairs, Sport, Arts and Culture portfolio at the South Campus.
• Receive, review, and consolidate reports from the ISRC and its sub-structures for submission to the Deputy Director.
• Receive and consolidate campus-based strategic project reports to ensure integrated institutional oversight and accountability.

Financial Administration:

• Assist the ISRC and its co-governance structures in aligning their yearly plans with the budget allocated for operational purposes.
• Create and evaluate requisition requests, obtain quotations, and prepare motivations for approval by the Deputy Director.
• Review ISRC requests, approve them, and, where necessary, escalate them to the Deputy Director.
• Reconcile and report of the ISRC financial reports.
• Oversee the use of the ISRC budget, in line with the university's finance protocols.

People Management

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight to the ISRC, including the allocation of responsibilities aligned to portfolio mandates.
• Supervise, support, and mentor ISRC members to enhance accountability, ethical leadership, and effective execution of responsibilities.
• Offer advisory guidance on governance, compliance, and institutional alignment in relation to ISRC programmes and activities.
• Facilitate structured platforms for information sharing, coordination, conflict resolution, and strategic alignment within the ISRC.
• Manage resignation processes and oversee the reassignment of duties in accordance with the ISRC Constitution and applicable governance frameworks.
• Administer ISRC disciplinary processes in line with the ISRC Constitution, Code of Conduct, and University policies and procedures.
• Identify portfolio-specific capacity gaps and coordinate targeted training and development interventions.
• Monitor and track the performance of ISRC members against agreed objectives and governance standards.
• Promote and facilitate well-being initiatives to support the holistic functioning of ISRC members.

Inherent requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or an Advanced Diploma/B.Tech degree/Postgraduate Certificate on NQF Level 7  in Social Sciences, Public Administration, Governance or a related field. 
• Minimum of two (2)  years’ relevant working experience related to the duties and responsibilities, of which a minimum of one (1) year of experience should be in a Higher Education environment. 
• Valid Driver’s Licence (attach a copy).

Recommendations:

• Knowledge of university systems, policies, procedures
• Member of a or registration at a professional body