Job Description
Sol Plaatje University is one of Africa’s youngest and most exciting institutions of Higher Education a University that is committed to providing high quality learning, teaching, and research and community engagement opportunities to its students and staff. Based in Kimberley in the Northern Cape, our University is ambitious about its intellectual contributions to and engagements with people in the region and beyond.
We seek to fill the position of Director: Research in the Deputy Vice Chancellor division.
$ads={1}
Enquiries can be made via email at spurecruit@spu.ac.za
Assumption of duties: As mutually agreed to upon acceptance of the appointment
Women and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Note: Sol Plaatje University (SPU) is dedicated to meeting its Employment Equity targets. The University reserves the right not to make an appointment
Position Specification
Minimum Requirements
- A Doctoral degree in a related field
- At least 10 years’ experience in higher education institutions, including supervision of staff, budgets and processes
- A track record in leading and managing research with experience in interacting with researchers, research councils, funders, and other stakeholders
- A thorough understanding of research and postgraduate student issues
- Experience at effectively managing resources within a complex organisation
- Experience at developing and managing donor or funder relationships, and in proposal and report writing
- The ability to work under pressure and manage a complex set of concurrent tasks
- Excellent people management skills and a strong service ethic
- Can think strategically and operationalise strategy into plans and projects
- Has the ability to mobilize and inspire others towards shared goals
- Computer skills (MS Office suite)
Recommendations
- An understanding of Research Information management systems
Duties & Responsibilities
- Actively support the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic in the leadership and management of the academic project at the University
- Support the effective implementation of the University’s mission, vision, values and strategic priorities
- Support and guide the following portfolios:
- Academic leadership and planning in the areas of research, post graduate studies and innovation
- Interacting with external partners, including government, local and international universities, alumni, business and local communities, and donors (fundraising)
- Quality assurance and enhancement
- Risk management
- Embed an institutional and performance culture that supports the implementation of the SPU mission, vision, values and strategic priorities
- Drive the induction of all new and current staff in Research on:
- SPU vision, mission, values and strategic priorities
- Strategic priorities of the Department
- Ensure that SPU builds and strengthens its research capacity aligned to its mission and vision
- Increase percentage of academic staff rated as “research active”
- Provide research infrastructure
- Increase number of postgraduate students
- Explore alternative funding opportunities for the core activities of research, postgraduate studies and innovation
- Commercialisation of research
- Identify opportunities for obtaining funding for postdoctoral fellows through national and international sources
- Encourage and support academics to apply for funding for postdoctoral fellows, and leverage institutional opportunities to participate in postdoctoral funding programmes in Africa and outside of Africa
- Provide support to postdocs
- Commercialisation and technology transfer
- Explore alternative funding opportunities for the core activities of innovation
- Lead in producing high-value linkages and partnerships with other institutions, organisations and communities
- Inter-school and departmental collaboration is maximised and the selected cross-university partnerships are rendered fully effective
- Facilitating the processes of exchanging and transferring knowledge, expertise and experiences between SPU and community development initiatives
- Support the integration of community engagement in the research and service delivery activities of SPU
- Policy and Procedure Development
- Quality Assurance and Risk Management
- Ensure compliance with SHE policies and procedures
- Develop the Research department’s workforce plans together with HR to ensure adequate resource planning, budgeted and are aligned to transformation targets
- Provide oversight in the recruitment and selection process for direct reports
- Drive performance contracts and regular reviews for all staff
- Provide oversight in the training of all staff on performance management process and system
- Develop the department’s Budget and provide sound financial management
- Drives the effective implementation of administrative systems
- Monitor organisational health indicators, identify problem/ concern areas and communicate to relevant stakeholders
- Identify trends and issues in Portfolio Areas and communicate to relevant stakeholders
- Develop relevant reports as and when required
$ads={2}
