Academic Head of Health Sciences
University of the Free State
South Africa

Faculty Health Sciences
Office of the Dean
Division of Health Sciences Education
Senior Lecturer/ Associate Professor/ Professor and Academic Head of Department 

Job ID: 3743

KINDLY TAKE NOTE: Applications may only be submitted online through the official UFS vacancy website: http://www.ufs.ac.za/templates/vacancies. Applications submitted through any other platform will not be considered. 

Please ensure that all relevant documentation is attached to your application. INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. 

• A detailed curriculum vitae and cover letter (please note that the first three (3) referees on your CV will be contacted with regard to reference checking);
• Certified copies (not older than 6 months) of all academic records;
• Certified copies (not older than 6 months) of qualifications (please provide the SAQA accreditation in the case of foreign qualifications);
• A certified copy (not older than 6 months) of your identity document (ID);
• Proof of registration with a Professional Body (if applicable);
• A copy of your driver’s license (if applicable).

Duties and responsibilities:

• Managing the Division by being accountable and responsible.
• Providing leadership by creating and executing strategies to ensure that the Division is a leader in the field of Health Sciences Education.
• Creating and maintaining a visionary research strategy for the division and an environment that encourages research, leading to strong and active research habits and a culture of inquiry.
• Ensuring the provision of top quality teaching- and learning-related staff development initiatives in the Faculty.
• Ensuring the provision of top quality student academic support and development initiatives in the Faculty.
• Teaching in the Postgraduate Programme for Health Professions Education (HPE) in the relevant modules as required.
• Ensuring the provision of top quality, research-informed facilitation of learning in the HPE programme.
• Arranging study guidance to and supervision of postgraduate students.
• Ensuring the provision of top quality support to academic staff in the Faculty by assisting with programme development and registration; module development; quality assurance in teaching and learning, including accreditation; and the implementation of innovative forms of teaching, learning and assessor training aligned with UFS policy and procedures and in consultation with relevant institutional division;
• Actively participating and being involved in Faculty committees, attending meetings, representing the Division and Faculty, and fulfilling the various roles, including liaison with relevant institutional structures.
• Building an effective team of scholars through planning and implementing a fair and reasonable dispensation of staff members in the division, and managing staff performance in accordance with existing University policies and procedures.

Additional duties applicable to the Academic Head of Department:

• Provide academic leadership by creating and executing strategies to establish the Department as a leader in the discipline vis-à-vis competing international entities.

• The Academic Head of Department is directly responsible for:
- directing the academic debate in the  Department;
- influencing the  Department's overall climate and culture;
- energising everybody in the  Department and beyond; and
- shaping the future of the Department.

• Contribute positively to the overall leadership in the faculty.
• Frequent and continuous planning and execution of plans, general organising and coordinating of staff, students and activities, mentoring and motivating staff, structuring, and exercising overall control.
• Create an atmosphere of consensus among staff.
• Effective internal and external communication.
• The Academic Head of Department is pivotal in linking the Department‘s staff and students with the University's management and administration through communication, negotiation and consultation.
• 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, e.g. Senate.
• Initiate, formulate and implement a visionary academic strategy for the Department that is aligned with and supportive of the guiding strategic documents of the UFS and faculty.

• Ensure –
- the provision of top-quality, research-informed facilitation of learning at all levels of teaching in the  Department;
- relevance of content, material and presentation in all modules;
- the enhancement of student experiences and their continuous engagement in academic debates;
- that adequate rules and regulations are in place to optimally deliver high-quality teaching and learning programmes on both undergraduate and postgraduate levels;
- adherence to all the rules and regulations of the UFS, faculty and  Department;
- quality and timely feedback on student work;
- proper and quality-driven academic advice and support to all under- and postgraduate students in the  Department; and
- the revisiting and development of fresh learning programmes that will help to position the Department as a leader in the fraternity.

• Create and maintain a(n) –
- visionary research strategy for the  Department; and
- environment that encourages research, leading to strong and active research habits and a culture of inquiry.

• Ensure that –
- every academic staff member is engaged in quality-driven and discipline-specific research;
- postgraduate students are recruited to broaden the research base of the  Department; and
- ethical requirements are met.

• Guiding and supporting senior academics towards acquiring NRF ratings. 
• Active engagement with the faculty research committee and the UFS Directorate of Research Development in order to ensure sustainable financial support for the Department’s research initiatives.

• Building an effective team of scholars through:
- planning and implementing a fair and reasonable dispensation regarding the workload of staff members in the  Department; 
- planning and implementing a clear and reasonable career path for every staff member in the  Department, taking account of the strategic plans of the University, faculty and Department;
- appropriate mentoring interventions where and whenever it is needed; 
- managing staff performance in accordance with existing university policies and procedures;
- recruitment and selection of scholars in the case of vacancies and/or specific strategic needs, whenever strategic repositioning requires expansion of academic endeavours;
- creating and maintaining a scholarship-friendly environment in the Department; and
- planning and overseeing effective and relevant staff development.

• The ultimate responsibility in terms of financial management culminates in:
- annual budgeting;
- financial planning;
- allocation of funds; and
- financial control.

• Adhere to the UFS' financial policies and procedures.
• Encourage and actively support academic staff members to apply for external research and other grants.

Inherent requirements:

Senior Lecturer:
• A doctoral degree on NQF level 10 in Health Professions Education or in the field of Higher Education.
• A good academic record.
• Extensive working experience in at least three of the focus areas of the Division (research, teaching and learning, management, staff development and other focus areas of the division).
• Experience in academic management, general departmental administration and financial management..
• 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 demonstrate potential for obtaining an NRF rating.
• Proven experience in supervision of graduated masters’ students.
• 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.

Associate Professor:
• A doctoral degree on NQF level 10 in Health Professions Education or in the field of Higher Education.
• A good academic record..
• Extensive working experience in at least three of the focus areas of the Division (research, teaching and learning, management, staff development and other focus areas of the division).
• Experience in academic management, general departmental administration and financial 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.
• Act 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 masters’ students.
• A proven research record of relevant publications in national and international accredited journals.
• Serve as a member of a national scholarly society OR a national committee or agency concerned with research at higher education levels, OR show evidence of service as an active member of an international equivalent.

Professor:
• A doctoral degree on NQF level 10 in Health Professions Education or in the field of Higher Education.
• A good academic record.
• Extensive working experience in at least three of the focus areas of the Division (research, teaching and learning, management, staff development and other focus areas of the division).
• Experience in academic management, general departmental administration and financial management. 
• Experience as external examiner for masters’ and doctoral students.
• Act as editorial board member of high-quality international/ISI/IBSS journals.
• Proven international recognition for specialist expertise and research leadership in a particular area of academic scholarship (e.g. regularly serves as a reviewer for international/ISI/IBSS journals).
• An NRF rating of C1 or C2 or equivalent status.
• Demonstrated successful supervision of graduated master's and preferably graduated doctoral students.
• Proven experience in delivering keynote addresses at national scholarly conferences.
• Serve as a member of an international scholarly society OR an international committee or agency concerned with research at higher education levels.

Required competencies: 

• Results Orientated:
- Ability to be reliable, responsible, dependable and to fulfil obligations.
- Ability to maintain composure and self-control.

• Strategic thinking:
- Ability to plan work and to follow plans.
- Ability to carefully analyse information and use logic to address issues and problems at work.

• Business Acumen:
- Ability to adhere to rules and strictly follow work regulations.
- Proficient in MS Office.

• Leading:
- Ability to lead, take charge of situations and offer opinions and directions to others.
- Ability to be cooperative with others, display a good-natured attitude, and encourage people to work together.

• Building coalitions:
- Ability to negotiate, sell, influence and to persuade others.
- Ability to interact with others and establish personal connections with people. 

Assumption of duties:

As soon as possible.

Closing date:

19 March 2021.

Salary:

The salary scale is available on request. 

Fringe benefits:

(Subject to specific conditions): pension scheme, medical aid scheme, group life insurance, housing allowance, leave and sick leave, service bonus and study benefits.

Enquiries:

For enquiries, please feel free to contact 051 401 7705 /7267 /9848 /9003 or email Recruit@ufs.ac.za

General:

The University reserves the right not to fill the post. The University subscribes to and applies the principles prescribed by the Employment Equity Act. Preference will be given to candidates from the designated groups, in accordance with the principles of the aforementioned act and the employee profile of the specific department/ division. 

The UFS is committed to the pursuit of excellence, diversity and redress in achieving its equity targets. Our Employment Equity Plan is available at https://ufsacza.sharepoint.com/sites/supportservices/hr/Resources/Employment%20Equity%20Plan_July2017.pdf. For this post, we seek particularly to attract black (i.e. African, Coloured and Indian) and disabled South African candidates.

The UFS will only consider applications of candidates who meet all the inherent requirements of the position. Applications that are incomplete will not be considered. Communication will be limited to shortlisted candidates only. Should you not be contacted within six weeks of the closing date for applications, you may assume that your application was unsuccessful.

APPLY ONLINE:

External candidates can click HERE to apply online.
UFS staff members can log onto PeopleSoft, click on Self Service, then on Recruiting, and then on Careers to apply online.

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