Job Opportunties at University of the Free State

Duties and responsibilities: 

• Teach Public Policy and Public Administration modules to undergraduate and postgraduate students.
• Perform academic administration of undergraduate and postgraduate modules pertaining to learning, teaching, research and assessments.
• Contribute to curriculum development in the department and faculty.
• Provide supervision in postgraduate programmes to Honours, master’s or PhD students.
• Conduct high-quality research, publish in accredited journals, and deliver quality research outputs in line with the faculty's research strategy.
• Provide leadership in pursuit of the department and faculty’s strategic plan regarding research, learning and teaching, engaged scholarship, as well as leadership and administration.
• Participate in additional academic activities including, but not limited to, presentation of research papers at national and/or international conferences as well as involvement in departmental/faculty research projects.
• Serve as a member of various academic and research committees and perform any other tasks allocated by the Dean and Head of the department.
• Develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships with relevant research, civil society, government, industry, and professional organisations.

Inherent Job Requirements:

Lecturer

• A Doctoral degree on NQF Level 10 that is relevant to the field of Public Administration and Management (permanent appointment).

or

• A master’s degree on NQF Level 9 that is relevant to the field of Public Administration and
• Management (contract appointment: 5 years, during which a doctoral degree on NQF Level 10 that is relevant to the field of Public Administration and Management must be obtained to be converted into a permanent appointment).
• Proven record of teaching Public Administration and Management modules at an undergraduate and/or postgraduate level.
• Proven experience in supervising to completion of honours students.
• Proven experience in the delivery of poster or oral presentations  conferences or equivalent activities.
• Evidence of manuscripts produced that have the potential to be converted or submitted for publication in accredited journals.

Senior Lecturer

• A Doctoral degree on NQF Level 10 that is relevant to the field of  Public Administration and Management.
• Proven experience in the presentation of papers/posters at national scholarly conferences.
• Proven record of teaching Public Policy and Public Administration related modules at an
• undergraduate and/or postgraduate level.
• Proven national recognition for specialist expertise and research in a specific area of scholarship.
• An NRF rating or demonstrated potential for obtaining an NRF rating.
• Proven experience in supervising to completion of honours and master’s students.
• A proven research record of relevant publication/s in peer-reviewed national and international accredited scientific journals.
• Proven experience of service as an active member of a national or international scholarly society or committee or agency concerned with research at higher-education levels.

Associate Professor

• A Doctoral degree on NQF Level 10 that is relevant to the field of  Public Administration and Management.
• Experience as external examiner for postgraduate students.
• Proven experience in the presentation of research papers at national conferences, where there is evidence of peer review of papers.
• Acted as an editorial board member of high-quality national scholarly journals.
• Proven national recognition for specialist expertise and research leadership in a specific scientific area of scholarship.
• An NRF rating of C3 or equivalent status.
• Proven experience in the supervision of graduated master’s degree students.
• A proven research record of relevant publications in national and international accredited journals
• Served as a member of a national scholarly society OR a national committee or agency concerned with research at higher education levels OR showed evidence of service as an active member of an international equivalent.

Recommendations:

• Proven lecturing experience in the Higher Education environment.
• Proven experience in presenting Public Administration modules.
• Sound knowledge of the South African Public Administration and Management environment.

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Duties and responsibilities: 

• Provide academic leadership by creating and executing strategies to establish the department as a leader in the field of Public Administration.
• Contribute to the overall leadership of the faculty.
•  Active participation and involvement in faculty management structures, attending meetings, leading project teams, representing the department and faculty, and fulfilling the roles of liaison officer and marketer, when necessary
• Active participation and involvement in applicable UFS management structures.
• Responsible for frequent and continuous planning and execution of plans, general organising and coordinating of staff, students, and activities, mentoring and motivating staff, and exercising overall control. 
• Influence the department's overall climate and culture.
• Lead the shaping of the future of the department.
• Responsible for effective internal and external communication.
• Create and maintain an environment that encourages research, leading to strong and active research habits and a culture of inquiry.
• Support the development of an effective team of scholars.
• Ensure the provision of top-quality, research-informed facilitation of learning at all levels of teaching in the department.
• Ensure adherence to all the rules and regulations of the UFS, faculty and department.
• Exercise responsibility in terms of financial management which culminates in financial planning, allocation of funds, financial control, and adherence to the UFS’s financial policies and procedures
• Initiate, formulate and implement a visionary academic strategy for the department.
• Create and maintain a visionary research strategy for the department.
• Build an effective team of scholars.
• Encourage and actively support academic staff members to apply for external research and other grants.

Inherent Job Requirements:

• A master’s degree in the field of Public Administration and Management or related discipline on NQF Level 9.
• Any full-time, permanent member of the academic staff of the Department of Public Administration and Management at the University of the Free State, Qwaqwa Campus.

Recommendations:

• A proven record of accomplishment of academic research outputs.

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Duties and responsibilities:

• Maintain administrative workflow in consultation with the Director and by developing administrative procedures.
• Make travel and accommodation arrangements for the Director.
• Arrange meetings for the Director, including refreshments and the preparation of venues for meetings.
• Maintain digital and physical records for the Director.
• Assist with the hosting of Institutional Advancement guests.
• Order office supplies and keep track of office inventories.
• Serve as liaison with technical support staff for office equipment.
• Organise office repair logistics and procurement.
• Schedule Institutional Advancement department meetings.
• Schedule Development Committee meetings and assists in circulating documents.
• Prepare agendas and takes notes at Institutional Advancement department meetings and archives proceedings.
• Provide secretariat support for Executive Committee of Convocation meetings.
• Identify and communicate administrative challenges.
• Resolve administrative workflow issues and assists with Purchase Orders when needed.
• Maintain continuity of work operations by documenting and communicating needed actions to the Director.
• Support the on-boarding of new Institutional Advancement staff members. For example, by ensuring they have keys, access cards, IT equipment and assisting line-heads in on- boarding of new colleagues through campus introductions, and general support.
• Assist with administrative and organisational tasks.
• Relay information on cleaning of the IA offices between Facilities Management and Institutional Advancement.

Inherent Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or an Advanced diploma/ BTech degree/ Postgraduate certificate on NQF Level 7.
• A minimum of two (2) years’ relevant working experience relating to the duties and responsibilities.

Recommendations

• Experience working in a Higher Education environment.

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Duties and responsibilities:

• Contribute to Nematode Diagnostic Lab by counting nematode samples and morphological identification of PPN and free-living nematodes.
• Develop and implement strategies for the biological control of PPN, especially RKN.
• Perform screenings to isolate antagonistic microbes associated with PPN with focus on RKN
• Investigate the interaction between nematodes and antagonistic microbes via in vitro and greenhouse experiments
• Utilise qPCR and gene expression techniques in nematode-microbe interaction studies.
• Deliver engaging presentations at national and international conferences.
• Provide supervision and mentorship to postgraduate students.
• Initiate projects and seek funding for them
• Renewal of the fellowship beyond the first year depends on satisfactory performance and the submission of an annual progress report.

Eligibility criteria: 

• A PhD degree On NQF Level 10  in Nematology, Agriculture science, Biological science or relevant discipline within the last five years.
• Proven expertise in research related to plant nematology.
• Good publication record in accredited peer-reviewed journals related to nematology.
• Prior experience with PCR-based analyses and molecular identification.
• Experience in designing and executing nematode-based greenhouse studies.
• Strong communication skills in English (both verbal and written).
• Open to all South Africans and foreign nationals.
• Willingness to reside at the UFS and participate in relevant activities of the Centre for Graduate Support and the Directorate of Research.

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Duties and responsibilities:

• Conduct innovative research. 
• Author/co-author publication outputs in the form of DHET–accredited scholarly journal articles or books/chapters in books.
• The renewal of the fellowship beyond the first year depends on satisfactory performance and the submission of an annual progress report.
• Initiate projects and seek funding for them.
• Register and reside as postdoctoral research fellow at the UFS and participate in relevant activities of the School of Postgraduate Studies and the Directorate of Research

Eligibility criteria

• Open to all South African and foreign nationals for full-time research at the University of the Free State. 
• Graduated with a LLD or PhD degree in a relevant discipline within the last five years
• Successful applicants may not hold full-time salaried employment during the fellowship
• Successful applicants must be able to relocate to the UFS for the duration of the fellowship. This is a residential fellowship: the successful applicant is required to spend 80% of her/his postdoctoral period at the UFS.

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Duties and responsibilities: 

• Manage the curriculum and curriculation processes of the BEd (Hons); the PgDip; and all Master’s and PhD programmes in the faculty by involving all relevant stakeholders.
• Assist the Vice-Dean (Research and Postgraduate Studies) in developing new learning plans in consultation with industry and other stakeholders.
• Ensure frequent and continuous development and management of the operational plans of the programmes.
• Provide general leadership in the faculty and ensure academic coherence across all various modules of the Honours and PgDip programmes, including the monitoring of throughput rates and coordination of remedial action where necessary.
• Assist the Vice-Dean (Research and Postgraduate Studies) with financial management (annual budgeting, financial planning, allocation of funds, and financial control) and deployment of the resources needed for maximum benefit to the delivery of the postgraduate programmes.
• Attend and contribute to meetings called by the Vice-Dean (Research and Postgraduate Studies), Vice-Dean (Teaching and Learning), or Faculty Manager relating to effective programme management or research endeavours in the faculty.
• Coordinate with Academic Heads of Department to ensure that the activities of the postgraduate programmes are undertaken under the governance, policy and regulatory frameworks of the University.
• Provide top-quality, research-informed facilitation of learning to ensure practise-based learning and improvement.
• Assume co-responsibility with the Vice-Dean (Research and Postgraduate Studies) for the academic quality of the Honours, PGDip, Master’s and PhD Programmes.
• Collate and provide information as required for the continued accreditation and/or monitoring of the programmes. 
• Contribute to the marketing of the BEd (Hons), PGDip, Master’s and PhD programmes to prospective students, including providing content input to the programme brochures, UFS/Faculty of Education social media platforms and participating in relevant UFS-related marketing activities.
• Motivate and lead staff responsible for academic advice and administration of the postgraduate Programmes to achieve transformation within the Programmes and the institution, and report to the Vice-Dean (Research and Postgraduate Studies).
• Assist the Vice-Dean (Research and Postgraduate Studies) in managing the processes of admission and registration into the postgraduate Programmes of the faculty.
• Manage and provide oversight of research proposal presentations by all postgraduate students in the faculty
• Manage the Faculty Seminar Series for emerging academics and/or staff without PhDs and the Annual Postgraduate Students Conference.
• Monitor and manage quality assurance of technology and innovation activities in the Faculty, in relation to postgraduate offerings.
• Ensure scholarship of high quality and specialised expertise.
• Manage matters relating to teaching, learning, and students in the Programmes.
• Conduct your own research.
• Provide academic advice regarding academic inquiries, amendments of yearbooks, timetables, etc.
• Implement applicable governance, policy and regulatory frameworks of the University.

Inherent requirements:

• A master’s degree on NQF Level 9 or doctoral degree on NQF Level 10 within a discipline of Education. 
• A full-time, permanent member of the academic staff of the Faculty of Education at the University of the Free State (UFS).

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Duties and responsibilities: 

• Design and redesign the curriculum by involving all relevant stakeholders.
• Develop new learning plans in consultation with industry and other stakeholders.
• Ensure frequent and continuous development and management of the operational plan of the programme.
• Provide general leadership in the faculty and ensure academic coherence across all various modules of the programme.
• Responsible for financial management (annual budgeting, financial planning, allocation of funds, and financial control) and deployment of the resources needed for maximum benefit to the delivery of the programme.
• Motivate and lead staff in the Programme to achieve transformation within the Programme and the institution.
• Ensure that the activities of the Programme are undertaken under the governance, policy and regulatory frameworks of the University.
• Provide top-quality, research-informed facilitation of learning to ensure practise-based learning and improvement.
• Assume responsibility for the academic quality of the Programme.
• Manage curriculation processes of the programme.
• Manage academic administration of the Programme.
• Monitor and manage quality assurance of technology and innovation activities in the Programme.
• Implement applicable governance, policy and regulatory frameworks of the University.
• Ensure scholarship of high quality and specialised expertise.
• Manage matters relating to teaching, learning, and students in the Programme.
• Conduct your own research.
• Provide academic advice regarding academic inquiries, amendments of yearbooks, schedules, timetables, etc.
• Implement applicable governance, policy and regulatory frameworks of the University.

Inherent requirements:

• A master’s degree on NQF Level 9 or doctoral degree on NQF Level 10  within a discipline of Education. 
• A full-time, permanent member of the academic staff of the Faculty of Education at the University of the Free State (UFS).

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Duties and responsibilities:

• Ensure effective coordination of security operations at the three campuses of the University.
• Develop and ensure effective execution of operational and business plans for the three campuses of the University. 
• Ensure effective coordination and installation of technical security measures at the University’s campuses.
• Develop and ensure implementation of best practice operational security procedures, standards, and protocols to ensure effective rendering of operational security services.
• Ensure effective coordination and deployment of technical security solutions on the University’s campuses.
• Drive security awareness capacity building program on the University’s campuses in collaboration with campuses Site Managers, and other key stakeholders.
• Ensure effective management of contracted security service providers
• Ensure effective management of protests on the University’s campuses in accordance with the Protest Management Policy and other relevant protocols.
• Develop and ensure effective execution of strategies to combat crime on the University’s campuses.
• Ensure that events on the University’s campuses are effectively managed in accordance with events management protocols.
• Ensure that the performance of staff is managed in accordance with the University’s policies.
• Manage operational security budget in accordance with the University’s policies and the department’s business and strategic plans.
• Ensure that security vulnerability assessments are continuously conducted on the University’s campuses and that identified gaps are addressed.
• Ensure that a high level of discipline and professionalism is maintained, and that workplace discipline is managed in accordance with the University’s policies.

Inherent requirements:

• A three (3) years Bachelor’s degree or an Advanced Diploma/B.Tech degree on NQF Level 7 in Security Management, Criminology, Policing (science and/or practices) or Forensic Investigations or related
• A minimum of eight (8) years relevant working experience relating to the duties and responsibilities, of which five (5) years should have been in a security management environment.
• A valid South African Driving License such Code 8 or  Code 10 (attach a copy).
• A valid Grade A Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) Certificate (attach a copy of the valid certificate which expires every three years). 

Recommendations:

• Honours degree /Postgraduate Diploma/Professional Bachelor’s degree in Business Management or Administration on NQF Level (8).
• Experience in events management in accordance with the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act, 2 of 2010 (SASRIA).
• Experience in the higher education sector. 
• Experience in the management of an in-house security department or section.

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Duties and responsibilities

Project Management (Contracts and Budgets):

• Assist with the preparation of institutional cost recovery journals along with supporting documents for Director's Research Development approval.
• Reconciliation of project financial information in project entities.
• Prepare and submit periodic project management accounts for internal stakeholders.
• Assist with project management activities for consortium agreements.
• Assist the Director: Research Development with reporting and submissions by extracting data from RIMS and other Grant systems.
• Monitor projects expenditure and other project management activities.
• Review and extract information from the research information management system (RIMS).
• Review pre and post-award research grants and contracts along with the related budgets to ensure adherence to UFS policies, internal controls and procedures, Contract terms and conditions, VAT legislation, NIPMO regulations and financial costing and budgeting principles. Further, the incumbent should be able to prepare budgets when required to assist researchers.
• Work and assist RIMS team, RIMS contracts and grants module upgrades and development.

Financial Management and Reporting:

• Prepare payment journals along with supporting documents for the Director: Research Development approval and track expenditure payments for reporting purposes.
• Assist the Director: Research Development with financial submissions by extracting financial data from UFS financial tools (Inquiry and General Ledger).
• Assist with analyses of data, using excel pivot tables and should analyse and interpreting financial information
• Verify the accuracy and validity of data entered in financial systems, correcting any errors.
• Assist with the preparation of tables, graphs, fact sheets, summarizing research and financial results.
• Support the Director: Research Development with updating risk management systems, RIMS and other Grant systems, dashboards, etc.
• Assist with developing and implementing process control procedures.
• Attend meetings
• Work and assist RIMS team RIMS financial module upgrades and development
• Implement office systems and procedures as required by the DRD.  

General and Ad Hoc Engagements and Submissions: 

• The directorate is often tasked with ad hoc projects, which is not necessarily described in the role above, and the incumbent is required to assist the Senior Director and Director: Research Development with project related activities.

Inherent requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or an advanced diploma/BTech degree/postgraduate certificate on NQF Level 7  in  Financial Management/Accounting or a closely related field.
• Minimum of two (2) years’ relevant working experience relating to the duties and responsibilities within the South African Higher Education Research Environment.

Recommendations

• Honours degree/postgraduate diploma/professional bachelor’s degree on NQF Level 8.
• Project management experience.
• Previous practical working experience with the extraction of data from systems and analysing financial information on excel through use of pivot tables, formulars etc
• Knowledge of business drivers, business risks and financial trends in the higher education sector
• Demonstrates understanding of relevant financial systems (Inquiry), International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and Costing and Budgeting principals and best practices
• Interpretation and understanding of applicable legislation including but not limited Value Added Tax (VAT), Intellectual Property Rights act, Companies Act etc
• Ability to read and interpret financial contractual obligations and risks embedded in Research related Grants, Contracts, and other Agreements
• Management reporting and ability to extract data from systems and conduct analysis of the same on Excel application through use of formulars, pivot tables, graphs etc.
• Ability to use Excel, Word and PowerPoint applications and generate reports etc.
• Monitoring of projects and reconciling accounts and reporting project expenditure. 
• Good interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to function with ease in the University’s richly diverse working environment. 
• Meticulous attention to detail and commitment to a high standard of work.
• Ability to work independently in a high-pressure environment
• Ability to plan, co-ordinate, manage and prioritise work effectively.
• Operational thoroughness.
• The ability to converse technically and legally.
• Member of or registration with a professional body.

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Duties and responsibilities: 

• Teach Industrial Psychology and Human Resources Management modules to undergraduate and postgraduate students
• Conduct high-quality research, publish in accredited journals, and deliver quality research outputs in line with the faculty’s research strategy.
• Provide supervision to postgraduate students, Honours, master’s and PhD students.
• Provide leadership in pursuit of the department and faculty strategic plan with regard to research, teaching, engaged scholarship, and leadership and administration.
• Perform academic administration pertaining to undergraduate and postgraduate subjects - this may include typing, setting, and marking all question papers and memorandums, recording marks and handling student complaints.
• Serve as a member of various academic committees and perform any other tasks allocated by the Dean and head of the department.
• Develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships with relevant research, civil society, government, industry, and professional organisations.
• Contribute to curriculum development within the faculty.

Inherent Job Requirements:

Lecturer

• A PhD on NQF Level 10 relevant to the field of Industrial Psychology/ Human Resource Management.
• Member of the South African Board of People Practices (SABPP) or the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) (attach certificate).
• Proven experience in poster or oral presentation at conferences and publication of articles.
• Excellent research record as demonstrated in the applicant’s completed PhD.
• Provide evidence of manuscripts produced that have the potential to be converted or submitted for publication, ideally in an accredited journal.

Senior Lecturer

• A relevant Doctoral degree on NQF Level 10 in Industrial Psychology or Human Resource Management. 
• Proven record of teaching at undergraduate and/or postgraduate level. 
• Proven experience supervising to completion of master’s and PhD students.  
• Member of the South African Board of People Practices (SABPP) or the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) (attach certificate).
• Proven experience in the presentation of papers at national scholarly conferences.
• Proven national recognition for specialist expertise and research in a specific area of scholarship. 
• An NRF rating or demonstrate potential for obtaining an NRF rating. 
• A proven research record of relevant publications in national and international accredited journals.
• Proven experience of service as an active member of a national or international scholarly society or committee, or agency concerned with research at higher education levels.

Recommendations:

• Proven lecturing experience in the Higher Education environment.
• Proven experience in presenting Industrial Psychology and Human Resource Management modules.
• Proficiency in computer skills, e.g., MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Proven skills in data analysis using IBM SPSS, AMOS, AtlasTi, Nvivo and PLS.
• Good command of the English language.