Vacant Openings at University of the Free State

Duties and responsibilities:

• Support Project Execution
• Assist in the planning, coordination, and execution of various projects within the Social Support Office.
• Ensure timely completion and adherence to established goals.
• Compile project reports.
• Give support to Assistant Officers in event coordination and perform any other duties given by Assistant Officers/Officer.

Inherent requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or an Advanced Diploma on NQF level 7 in a related field such as Project Management.
• The following criteria apply to the selection of candidates:
• Have not participated in any learnership / internship programme.
• Willing to sign a learnership / internship agreement with the UFS.
• Has no formal work experience.

Recommendations:

• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with an ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities, comfortable working with diverse groups and individuals.

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Duties and responsibilities:

• Perform general office administration.
• Perform procurement duties, including requesting quotations, creation of e-requisitions and distribution of purchase orders etc. 
• Manage filing and office record-keeping system.
• Administer meeting logistics, including venue bookings, arrangements for refreshments, technical support, Wi-Fi passwords for external members, parking, etc.
• Liaise with external service providers, specifically vendors providing catering services.
• Order office supplies.
• Administer and coordinate the travel arrangements for UFS Council members.
• Coordinate the creation of profiles of UFS Council members in PeopleSoft.
• Administrate ad-hoc claims, including the honoraria of external Council members.
• Arrange for visitor cards for external UFS Council members.
• Administrate bookings of Room 16, Main Building and the Council Chamber, including the collection of the venue booking fee for the Council Chamber.
• Assist in the maintenance of the UFS Meeting Management SharePoint site.
• Assist with coordination of membership of meetings.
• Assist with the election of members of meetings.
• Administrate maintenance and service requests as necessary.
• Capture data for the UFS Calendar.
• Assist in developing and implementing the applicable policies and procedures.
• Assist the Head of the Department as may be required from time to time.

Inherent Job Requirements:

• Grade 12.
• A minimum of one (1) year’s relevant working experience relating to the duties and responsibilities.

Recommendations:

• Experience working in a Higher Education environment.

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Duties and Responsibilities:

• Teach undergraduate and postgraduate modules in Communication and Media studies.
• Supervise postgraduate candidates in Communication and Media studies.
• Conduct research and produce peer reviewed outputs commensurate with the level of lecturer.
• Engage in administrative roles and activities as assigned by Head of Department.
• Participate in engaged scholarship within and outside the University of the Free State.
• Contribute to programme and curriculum development, including facilitating third stream income.
• Attract grant funding.
• Participate actively in internalisation within the Department and Faculty.
• Promote collaboration and collegiality within the Department and Faculty.

Inherent Job Requirements:

Lecturer

• A PhD in Communication, Media Studies or related discipline on NQF Level 10 (for a permanent appointment) 

or

• Master’s degree in Communication, Media Studies or related discipline on NQF Level 9 (contract appointment: five years during which a PhD on NQF Level 10 in Communication, Media Studies or related discipline MUST be obtained to be converted to a permanent position). 
• Proven experience in the delivery of poster or oral presentations at conferences or equivalent activities.
• Evidence of manuscripts produced that have the potential to be converted or submitted for publication in accredited journals.
• A good academic record.

Recommendations:

• Experience of teaching research methodology and communication theory.
• Versatile ability to teach and supervise across the three streams of Communication and Media studies; Journalism; and Corporate communication.
• Proof of participation in engaged scholarship.
• Experience with programme and curriculum development.
• Evidence of participation in internationalisation in a tertiary institution.
• Experience with interdepartmental and inter-faculty scholarly collaboration.

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Duties and responsibilities:

Strategic Responsibilities

• Provide input into the strategy of the Department Communication and Marketing.
• Serve on the departmental Crisis Communication team.
• Provide input into the departmental Risk Register.
• Serve on the Reputation Management Forum.

Professional Responsibilities:

Internal Communication Coordination

• Develop and implement internal communication protocols.
• Develop an internal content strategy indicating the key and supporting messages.
• Compile an annual internal content calendar, including all the internal channels managed by DCM.
• Coordinate the creation of content for and oversee the distribution of internal communication channels.
• Review content provided for publication on internal communication platforms for quality and alignment with the institutional strategy.
• Develop a channel map and roll-out plan for internal communication channels.
• Act as editor/producer of institutional magazines and corporate publications. This includes the development of content plans and production schedules and liaising with graphic designers.
• Act as producer of institutional videos. This includes the development of content plans and production schedules and coordinating the script-writing process.
• Measure the success of the internal communication strategy and report on findings to the Senior Director: Communication and Marketing.

Internal Communication Campaign Coordination:

• Coordinate the planning of campaigns and special projects according to DCM priorities as well as the Vice-Chancellor and Principal’s internal stakeholder engagement programme.
• Measure the impact of awareness campaigns and special projects and report on findings to the Senior Director: Communication and Marketing.

Coordinate DCM’s Content Hub:

• Act as Editor of the Content Hub.
• Chair the editorial meetings of the Content Hub.
• Update the weekly Content Hub news list.
• Curate and writer content for the Content Hub in multimedia format according to the assigned portfolio.
• Coordinate the services of freelance language editors.
• Coordinate the services of freelance writers.
• Coordinate content submitted to the Content Hub for use in other internal communication channels.
• Coordinate updating of the style guides.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

People Management:

• Develop job profiles for team members.
• Supervise and develop team members.
• Develop skills and professional development plans for unit.
• Conduct performance reviews as per the institutional cycle.
• Maintain positive employee relations.
• Drive change management within the unit.
• Manage human resource administration.
• Ensure that information affecting staff is communicated to them.
• Monitor adherence to relevant policies and procedures.

Resource management:

• Develop a budget for the unit.
• Develop and implement a resource management plan for the outputs to be achieved.
• Investigate and implement methods to optimise financial resources.

Growth Responsibilities:

Personal Growth:

• Identify growth areas and develop a skills and competence development plan.
• Identify relevant professional associations and join.

Trendspotting:

• List the areas in which trends will be identified and tracked.
• Read articles in reputable publications to stay on top of new developments.
• Share trends with the unit and use to identify improvement areas.

Inherent requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or an Advanced Diploma/B.Tech degree/Postgraduate Certificate on NQF level 7 in Corporate Communication/Marketing/Media Studies/ Journalism or a relevant qualification.
• A minimum of four (4) years’ relevant working experience related to the duties and responsibilities.

Recommendations:

• Honours degree/Postgraduate Diploma on NQF level 8 in Corporate Communication/Marketing/Media Studies.
• Valid driver’s licence.
• Experience in managing a team.
• Knowledge of journalism and corporate communication.
• Demonstrable knowledge of internal communication reporting using analytical data.
• Work experience in the higher education environment.
• Proven proficiency in business writing and experience in writing relevant content for digital and print channels/publications, including design processes (print and electronic)
• Proven experience in producing corporate videos.
• Experience in managing internal communication platforms in a higher education environment.
• Experience in project management.
• Experience in publication and design processes (print and electronic) and principles.
• Knowledge of industry best practices.   

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Duties and responsibilities:

• Pursue an active best practice-informed scholarship of teaching and learning in quantity surveying, property, and construction management areas (undergraduate and postgraduate) depending on the level.
• Supervise undergraduate and postgraduate students (depending on the level).
• Mentor colleagues and students (depending on the level).
• Design, develop and implement new programmes and / or changes in existing programmes.
• Compile construction management, quantity surveying, project management and/ or property studies accreditation documentation in consultation with the Academic Departmental Head.
• Conduct sustained research of national and international significance and deliver conference papers and publish articles.
• Develop and maintain links with other tertiary institutions, professional bodies, student alumni and industry stakeholders.
• Co-ordinate department research (depending on the level).
• Develop research grant proposals and secure research funding.
• Develop, improve, and market the construction management, quantity surveying, project management and property studies programmes.
• Undertake university engaged scholarly activities.
• Participate in departmental academic administrative tasks.
• Serve and actively participate on university and faculty committees.
• Represent the department on various platforms and use one’s knowledge and experience to bolster the profile and brand of the department, faculty, and the university.

Inherent Job Requirements:

Lecturer

• A PhD on NQF Level 10 in Property/Construction Management/Construction Economics & Management/ Quantity Surveying, underpinned by an undergraduate degree in any of these disciplines (for a permanent appointment) 

or

• Master’s degree on NQF Level 9 in Property/Construction Management/Construction Economics & Management/Quantity Surveying, underpinned by an undergraduate degree in any of these disciplines (contract appointment: five years during which a PhD on NQF Level 10 in Property/Construction Management/Construction Economics & Management/Quantity Surveying MUST be obtained to be converted to a permanent position). 
• Proven experience in the delivery of poster or oral presentations at conferences or equivalent activities.
• Evidence of manuscripts produced that have the potential to be converted or submitted for publication in accredited journals.
• At least 1 research publication in a peer reviewed conference proceedings or journal.
• A good academic record.

Senior Lecturer

• PhD on NQF Level 10 in Property/Construction Management/Construction Economics & Management/ Quantity Surveying, underpinned by an undergraduate degree in any of these disciplines.
• Proven experience in the presentation of papers/posters at national scholarly conferences.
• 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 supervision of graduated master’s degree 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.

Recommendations:

• Preference will be given to PhD holders.
• Experience in successful programme accreditation management. 
• Experience in research conference organisation.
• Ability to generate external research income.
• Registration with relevant professional bodies or ability to demonstrate that registration can be achieved with reasonable time.
• Experience in scholarly engagements such as industry or community service and editorial roles in journals.
• Awareness of technological, environmental, socioeconomic and health and safety issues in the built environment sector and the role of the university in addressing such.

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Duties and responsibilities:

• Provide excellent customer care to all stakeholders.
• Review customer complaints and take appropriate action.
• Serve as a Liaison between management and customer support team.
• Effective relationship building between schools, principals, and University.
• Respond to ChatBOT queries.
• Organize campus visits for individuals and groups, also for targeted schools on invitation.
• Presentations to visiting groups or adhoc school visits.
• Visit Identified Schools and career exhibitions when the need arises.
• Assist with townhall sessions with prospective students.
• Assist with the grade 9 intervention in its various forms.
• Interact daily with telephonic and walk-in clients on queries, questions, and concerns.
• Respond to e-mail inquiries on UFS web site.
• Communicate, Interact, and respond to customers through electronic media platforms.
• Disseminate marketing material via the customer care desk, e-mail platform and courier packages to schools.
• Present the UFS to programs to visiting groups.
• Social media FB content provided /podcast videos integrated communication plan.
• Podcast recording for SRS web page and FB.
• School database updates.
• Process quotations and do requisitions (on Finance) PeopleSoft Finance.
• Disseminate marketing material and courier services.
• Assist where required.
• Responsible for Open day stall.
• Provide Star of Star administrative support.
• Nampo participation.
• Assist with administrative duties - Principals’ breakfasts-.
• Kovsie Kid Project.

Inherent requirements:

• A relevant National Diploma on NQF level 6 or bachelor’s degree on NQF level 7.
• Valid driver’s license & passport.

Recommendations:

• Understanding of school/university systems.
• One (1) year relevant working experience related to the duties and responsibilities.