Job Details
- Expires 10 March 0 days left to apply
- Reference number: AP1129
- Province: Gauteng
- Type of engagement: Permanent appointment
- Posted: February 10th
Background to Position
Location:Pretoria
Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) is seeking a dynamic, entrepreneurial and visionary leader to drive the University's new strategy and to further develop our standing and reputation as a leading comprehensive University, firmly rooted in modern-day relevance. This role will require the Vice-Chancellor (VC) to possess a blend of academic excellence, strategic vision, and entrepreneurial mindset.
Job Description
a) Strategic Leadership
- Visionary Leadership: The VC must articulate and execute a vision that positions the SMU as a leader in entrepreneurial health science education and research.
- Long-Term Planning: Experience in strategic planning with an emphasis on innovation, growth, and the integration of entrepreneurship into all aspects of the institution.
b) Academic Leadership
- Strong Academic Background: A proven healthcare education, research, and health sciences practice track record. An established reputation in the healthcare/ science community is essential.
- Curriculum Development: Experience in developing and implementing innovative health sciences curricula that integrate entrepreneurship, technology, and practical skills.
c) Entrepreneurial Vision
- Innovation-driven: Ability to foster a culture of innovation within the University. This includes encouraging faculty and students to engage in research with commercial potential.
- Strategic Partnerships: Proven ability to establish and maintain relationships within industry partners, healthcare organizations, science and research organizations and government bodies to enhance opportunities for research and commercialization.
d) Leadership and Management
- Change Management: Experience leading significant institutional changes, particularly those that align the University’s mission with entrepreneurial goals.
- Team Building: Strong leadership in recruiting, developing, and retaining talented faculty/ academic and administrative staff with an entrepreneurial mindset.
e) Student and Faculty Management
- Mentorship: Ability to mentor faculty and students in academic and organizational endeavours.
- Student-Centric Approach: Commitment to a student-centric culture fostering an educational environment that supports student innovation and entrepreneurship.
f) Financial Acumen
- Resource Mobilization: Skilled in fundraising, securing grants, and attracting investment for research and development initiatives. Demonstrated ability to actively grow the University’s third income stream.
- Budget Management: Experience managing budgets with a focus on sustaining academic excellence while investing in entrepreneurial ventures.
g) Academic and Research Excellence
- Research Leadership: Strong research background with experience fostering a research culture encouraging commercialization and industry collaboration.
- Quality Assurance: Ensuring the highest standards of academic excellence, including accreditation and compliance with all learning and development standards.
h) External Relations and Networking
- Global Outreach: Ability to establish international collaborations that enhance the University’s reputation and provide opportunities for global partnerships in research and entrepreneurship.
- Advocacy and Representation: Representing the University in national and international forums, advocating for policies that support academic entrepreneurship.
i) Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development
- Incubation and Innovation Hubs: Experience in establishing and managing innovation centers, incubators, or technology transfer offices within the University.
- Policy Development: Expertise in developing and implementing policies that support faculty and student entrepreneurship, including intellectual property management, startup incubation, and spin-off creation.
j) Governance and Accountability
- Ethical Leadership: Commitment to maintaining ethical standards in all activities, ensuring transparency, integrity, and accountability.
- Governance Experience: Experience in University governance, with the ability to navigate the complexities of balancing academic, financial, and entrepreneurial objectives.
k) Stakeholder Engagement
- Alumni and Donor Relations: Building strong relationships with alumni and potential donors to support the entrepreneurial mission of the University.
- Community Engagement: Engaging with the local, national and global community to ensure the University activities have a positive social impact.
l) Overall Attributes for the Position
- Entrepreneurial Mindset: A proactive approach to identifying opportunities for innovation and commercialization within the health and sciences sectors.
- Adaptability and Resilience: Ability to navigate and lead through the evolving sciences and healthcare landscape, particularly in a rapidly changing environment.
- Communication Skills: Exceptional communication skills to effectively convey the University’s vision, engage stakeholders and inspire faculty, staff, and students.
- Lead, develop and consolidate the strategic objectives of SMU in line with its mission, vision and values.
- Provide clear academic and strategic leadership across the University, demonstrating clear decision making and building high performing teams by harnessing the energies of staff, celebrating success, promoting shared values and a culture of ambition and achievement.
- Further develop and deliver the SMU strategy, through working with the University Council to articulate a clear and shared sense of purpose and future direction for the SMU.
- Create an environment within the University that is inclusive, transparent, innovative and transformational and one which attracts, develops and empowers people of outstanding talent and creativity.
- Provide clear leadership to further enhance the academic performance, standards and standing of the SMU, thus ensuring an increasingly competitive environment, the delivery of high-quality teaching and learning, community engagement and research, which continue to transform the lives of our students and communities.
- Pursue an ambitious research agenda through which the University is recognized for both excellence and research leadership.
- Ensure that SMU exceeds the expectations of students through delivering an outstanding student experience.
- Be a proactive and visible ambassador for SMU through enhancing and promoting the achievements, reputation and standing of the University locally, nationally and internationally, and in so doing continually strengthening SMU's profile.
- Ensure that SMU is innovative, flexible and sufficiently well positioned to influence and respond decisively to ongoing policy changes within a rapidly evolving higher education environment within South Africa and abroad.
- Ensure that the SMU's financial position is robust and positioned well for growth, securing and diversifying funding streams, and establishing new partnerships/ collaborations with partners within Universities South Africa and internationally.
- Uphold excellent standards of accountability, ethics and corporate governance across the University.
- Provide strong and engaged leadership to SMU's institutional advancement and internationalization initiatives, including promoting highly engaged alumni.
- Policy and procedure development and implementation aligned to the SMU mission, vision, values and strategic objectives.
- Lead and inspire staff and provide clear direction through a period of transition.
- Manage transformation to ensure the internalization of an organizational and performance culture that supports the strategic imperatives of SMU.
- Overall accountability to the Council for the Human Resource Management, including performance management and development; Quality assurance and risk management; Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) Management.
- Overall accountability for ensuring that the University complies with all the relevant legislations and policies, including statutory reporting to the relevant government departments, including the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).
Inherent Criteria
Minimum Qualification(s)
- A Doctoral degree.
Minimum Experience
- A minimum of ten (10) years demonstrated experience in an executive or senior leadership role in an academic institution or research organization.
- An outstanding academic profile with an established research track record.
- A proven track record in entrepreneurial leadership.
- An unquestionable track record of integrity, resilience, transparency and honesty, with a strong and demonstrable commitment to equality and social mobility throughout the institution.
- A sound understanding of and ability to influence SA higher education policies, or evidence of an ability to quickly develop such an understanding.
- A comprehensive understanding of developments in the higher education arena locally, in South Africa, and further afield.
- The confidence and courage to take well-considered risks, drawing on the expertise of the University and its stakeholders, including members of Council.
Application Requirement
- A letter of motivation / declaration of intent
- A comprehensive CV.
- An abridged CV.
- Names and contact details for at least 3 referees (provided that the University reserves the right to appoint and consult its own referees).
- An indication in writing by the candidate that he/she accepts the applicable Appointment Regulation and Procedure of the University.
- Certified copies of matric and degree certificates and Identity Document. Foreign qualifications evaluated by the South African Qualification Authority (SAQA) and the outcome of the SAQA evaluation to be submitted together with such qualifications.
Failure to submit the requested documentation / information will result in your application not been considered.
To apply please forward your application quoting reference number AP1129 to Genevieve Michel c/o shireen1129@talenting.co.za
