Jobs at University of the Witwatersrand

Brief Description        
Role Overview:

• The Postgraduate Student Advisor will be integral to the ADU, tasked with enhancing student academic success and well-being. Responsibilities include: 
• Implementing strategies to prevent students from becoming academically at risk.
• Employing early warning detection techniques to identify at-risk students and deploying effective interventions.
• In light of challenges within the South African higher education context and the University's commitment to diversifying access to postgraduate research, teaching, and learning, this role is pivotal. The advisor will develop and monitor academic and non-academic support structures across the faculty and its schools, utilizing data-informed programs. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Engage with students through in-person and online platforms, providing both group and individual support.
• Develop personalized and faculty-wide support interventions aimed at improving academic, eco-social, and psycho-social well-being.
• Design and administer surveys to gather timely, insightful feedback on postgraduate student needs.
• Organize and conduct development workshops, webinars, seminars, and retreats.
• Facilitate orientation sessions, connect students with funding opportunities, and train tutors in student advising and academic mentoring.
•  Establish student support structures within faculty schools and collaborate with university-wide units like the Counselling and Careers Development Unit (CCDU) for holistic student support.

Qualifications and Experience: 

•  A PhD degree in Engineering, Built Environment and Science.
•  A minimum of three years of experience in student support within higher education, preferably in an Engineering or Built Environment context.
•  Certification or documented training in Basic Counselling and Managing Students at Emotional Risk.
•  Demonstrated ability to develop and oversee transformative student support programs that have tangibly improved student success.

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    Purpose:

• To develop, implement and manage a vibrant alumni outreach and engagement programme that will build and enhance an enduring relationship with alumni, encourage alumni to identify with the University and engage with fellow graduates; to generate and sustain interest and participation in University affairs; to inspire alumni to contribute to the development of the University and the promotion of its reputation, locally and internationally. 

The Senior Alumni Liaison Officer is responsible for:

• Devising and implementing a wide range of diverse alumni functions, events and activities, locally, nationally and internationally.
• Devising and implementing pre-alumni (student-focused) advocacy campaigns.
• Devising and implementing an alumni career and volunteer programme.
• Facilitating the development and implementation of University-wide alumni programmes.
• Promoting broad-based regular giving by alumni.
• Providing support to the Executive Committee of Convocation.
• Monitoring and promoting alumni achievements and success
• Leveraging optimal use and benefit from the alumni database.

Brief Description        

Requirements:

• A relevant university degree or equivalent
• At least five years relevant work experience
• Experience with organising functions and events, including budget and project management responsibility
• Significant stakeholder relations experience
• Communications and social media experience an advantage
• An understanding of campus and student life an advantage
• Experience and ability to work as part of a team
• CRM/Database experience and skills an advantage

Attributes

• Highly professional, articulate and poised
• Superior communication and interpersonal skills, including a sense of humour and ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community
• Ability to engage with alumni at all levels of society, including VIP’s
• Ability to develop presentations and do public speaking
• Ability to organise and complete multiple tasks simultaneously with close attention to detail and prioritisation to meet deadlines
• Flexibility, adaptability and initiative, as well as the ability to work independently
• Willingness and ability to travel and work evenings and weekends as needed
• Excellent project management skills and ability to conceptualise, plan and implement relevant programmes
• A high level of personal motivation, initiative, energy and creativity
• Excellent attention to detail
• Willingness to devote extra working hours (evenings and weekends) in order to meet the requirements of the job
• Highly developed computer skills. Database and CRM management skills would be advantageous
• Knowledge and experience of a university environment would be highly advantageous
   

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Brief Description        

• The main purpose of this position/job is that the incumbent will be responsible for overseeing and managing the general administration and operations of the centre. In this role the incumbent will work closely with the centre director, WBS leadership, and external partners in alignment with the vision and mission of the Centre, WBS and the Wits University. The Manager will also be responsible for cultivating relationships with Entrepreneurial Support Organisations (ESOs); industry leaders, venture capitalists, private and public sectors; civic organisations and entrepreneurs to support the centre's activities.

Key responsibilities include:

• Contributing to developing and implementing of the Centre Strategic plan, in alignment with the WBS and university's goals and objectives.
• Managing day-to-day operations of the centre, including budgeting, staffing, resource allocation, and performance tracking.
• Coordinating and overseeing the delivery of the centre’s entrepreneurship capability development, incubation and acceleration units, and other initiatives to enhance the university entrepreneurial ecosystem and integration into the Gauteng ecosystem.
• Collaborating with academic departments across WBS and other schools, researchers, and industry experts to integrate entrepreneurship education and curriculum across various disciplines.
• Building and maintaining relations with stakeholders, including private and public Entrepreneurship Support Organisations (ESOs); Gauteng Entrepreneurial Ecosystem (GECO) role players, industry leaders, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and alumni, in support of the centre’s activities.
• Conduct market research and analysis to identify emerging opportunities and potential funding sources to support the centre's growth and sustainability.
• Reporting on the centre's activities, progress, and impact.
• Contributing to the centre’s role in the entrepreneurship academic program of the WBS. 

FINANCE:

• Contributing to preparation of management budget for the Centre, ensuring effective management of allocated resources to support programs and initiatives.
• Identifying and pursuing funding opportunities and partnerships to enhance the financial sustainability of the centre.

PEOPLE MANAGEMENT:

• Managing direct reports as per the university HR policies and processes.
• Overseeing and managing service agreements with service providers to the centre.

GENERAL:

• Living the WBS and the centre Shared Values (Excellence, Integrity, Sustainability driven, Responsiveness, Stakeholder Centric, Collaboration)
• Stay up to date with trends and developments in entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology transfer, and intergrade them into the centres initiatives in alignment with the University strategy.

Minimum academic requirements and work-related experience:

• Master’s degree in entrepreneurship, new venture creation, business administration or a related field (PhD. degree preferred).
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in entrepreneurship and business development, tertiary entrepreneurship education, or a related field.
• South African Bureau Standards (SABS) Certified in South African Business Incubation and Accelerator National standards or equivalent.
• Experience in grant writing and fundraising techniques to secure external funding for the centre's initiatives.
• Proven track record of developing and implementing successful entrepreneurship programs, initiatives, or platforms. 

Knowledge, Skills and Attitude:

• Excellent Planning and organisational administration skills.
• Proven Project management and teamwork.
• Communication and writing.
• Action and Results Orientation.

Technical Competencies:

• Excellent organisational and administration ability; Proposal writing, fundraising techniques.
• Understanding of entrepreneurial ecosystem, venture capital, and start up culture.
• Excellent understanding of the university academic and operations ecosystem.

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Brief Description        
Main purpose of the post:

• This role is pivotal in overseeing and managing financial processes, student support services, donor relations, and bursary reconciliation within the school. With a primary focus on financial management and student support services, the role encompasses critical responsibilities that contribute to the efficient student finance operations and reconciliation of donor bursaries and financial reports to maintain organized records, identify and resolve reconciling items, and validate all student financial entries. The role maintains sponsor relationships, ensuring timely payments to avoid interest charges on student accounts and providing services within agreed timeframes.

Key responsibilities:

•  Financial Management and reporting
• Client Services and Operations
• Sponsor Relationships and Liaison
• Reconciliation
• Staff, Contract and Project Management
• Ad hoc duties
• Minimum academic requirements and experience:
• Required Academic Qualification:
• B.com Accounting/Finance Postgraduate.
• Master’s in finance and or Accounting will be an added advantage.

Required Years of Work-Related Experience:    

•  5 - 7 years of work-related experience, preferably with some years in university environment

Knowledge, Skills and Attitude:

•   Expertise in financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and project financial management.
•   In-depth knowledge of financial regulations, compliance, and university procurement policies.
•  Outstanding communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
•   Advanced proficiency in financial software and tools.
•   Exceptional attention to detail and analytical abilities.
•  Strong organizational and time-management skills.
•   Ability to work collaboratively in a team and provide effective guidance.
•   Attention to detail and analytical abilities
•   Thorough understanding of financial processes, control mechanisms, and policy adherence.

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Job Description

• This position will suit an individual with insight into the above-mentioned research fields, good report writing skills, good interpersonal communication skills and sound managerial experience.
• The appointed individual will be based at one of the RCT sites, either Tintswalo Hospital or Themba Hospital (Ehlanzeni District), Mpumalanga. Reporting will be to the Wits-PI/Project Coordinator.

Key performance areas:

Clinical skills

• Undertake rigorous, project-specific training on point-of-care Lung Ultrasound acquisition and interpretation, as well as specimen retrieval and storage.
• Properly undertake Lung Ultrasound acquisition, interpretation, and specimen collection (blood, nasopharyngeal swab, dried blood spot) using specific study protocols.
• Liaise with senior team members and a panel of experts for clinical support to maintain a high quality of data collection and image interpretation.
• Assist in capturing medical data from participant folders and assist in the translation of hospital records into reliable study data.
• Coordinate with the laboratory team with regard to on-site specimen storage and shipment to the Wits-Agincourt Lab for processing.

Project Site Management & Administration

• Supervise a field team with varying skills, including planning daily activities to meet recruitment and follow-up targets.
• Assist with on-site data quality monitoring – running regular checks for consent forms, missing/unexpected data, and working with the Data Manager to identify and resolve any problems that arise.

Communication

• Update the study investigators and Agincourt field managers on the study progress – including regular written reports.
• Meet regularly with Unit scientific staff

Scientific output

• Collate project statistics regularly.
• Present project progress at weekly study meetings.
• Participate, and where applicable, lead the production of manuscripts emanating from the research.

Required minimum work experience

• Minimum 2 years clinical experience
• Some demonstrated managerial experience
• A degree in clinical sciences (preferably BCMP) is required, though other clinically

Demands of the job

• Will be required to be onsite at the clinical field site everyday (no remote work possible) Ability to work in a high-pressured environment with overlapping priorities.
• Must be able to handle stress with tact and empathy.
• Will be required to be available outside of traditional working hours to provide support for the project if needed.

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Brief Description        
Key responsibilities include the following:

• Maintain & Repair Computer Equipment
• Manage all the printers in the School of Law and its Centres
• Maintain the Audio-Visual Equipment in the teaching and conference venues 
• After-hours Audio-Visual support (Postgrad classes, Mandela Institute weekend classes, evening events)
• Providing support for software applications (Windows, iOS, mobile devices, Microsoft 365)
• Software and hardware setup for users in the school 

The following is essential: Diploma in IT/ Information Systems/ Computer Science and minimum two years of work-related experience. A degree in the above-mentioned qualifications will be an added advantage. 

The incumbent is required to have an in-depth understanding of IT systems and AV (audio-visual) equipment to provide comprehensive on-site support.

The incumbent must have the following skills:

• Ability to install and troubleshoot software
• Ability to communicate clearly
• Ability to organise and plan ahead
• Knowledge of technical equipment
• Problem-solving skills
• Ability to think logically, work independently as well as within a team, and to show initiative
• Knowledge of University IT systems a bonus.

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Job Description 

• The successful candidate will join a talented and hardworking team addressing some of the country and region’s most pressing health and development challenges. Work links closely to leading national, regional and global R&D networks. Personal academic and professional development is encouraged.

Key performance areas

• Developing and executing ICT strategies to advance the Unit’s goals, objectives, and overall strategy.
• Overseeing the design, implementation, and maintenance of the Unit’s ICT infrastructure, including networks, servers, and data centres, to ensure high availability and reliability.
• Managing and improving cybersecurity measures to protect the Unit’s data and systems from threats, breaches, and vulnerabilities.
• ICT budget planning and cost control, optimizing ICT spending while delivering necessary services and projects.
• Delivery of ICT services and support to end-users across disciplines and capacities, including monitoring service levels, incident management, and problem resolution.
• Supporting and training the unit’s administrative, scientific and technical staff to ensure that all are aware of new technical advances and ICT changes that may impact and facilitate their day-to-day work.
• Ensuring that the Unit’s ICT operations and projects adhere to relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards.
• Staying informed about new and emerging ICT technologies, trends, and best practices, and assessing their potential to advance the Unit’s research goals, objectives and overall strategy.
• Developing standard operating procedures for IT systems to ensure compliance with corporate governance (Wits University and Wits Health Consortium), including providing governance, risk, and compliance data insights to drive improvement across the ICT platform.

Required minimum education and training

• The ideal candidate should possess a minimum of a master’s degree in computer science/ computer engineering/ information engineering/systems or equivalent fields.

Desirable additional education, work experience, and personal abilities

• MCSE (Microsoft certified Systems Engineer) or MCITP (Microsoft Certified IT Professional), and ITIL Foundation, and any relevant ICT related certifications
• Excellent knowledge of computer hardware/software systems, as well as information security.
• Expertise in data centre management, data and information governance as well as cloud solutions (AWS, GCP, Azure).
• Hands-on experience with computer networks, network administration and network installation and security.
• Proactive, systematic, self-motivated, able to work independently and  as part of a diverse, multidisciplinary team.
• Experience leading ICT teams and mentorship of junior staff.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
• Ability to prioritise and work under pressure on a variety of tasks concurrently and adhere to deadlines.
• Valid Driver’s license.

Required minimum work experience

• Minimum of 3 years of Systems/IT Administration