Duties:

The Professor and Academic Director is expected to:

• Interpret and operationalise the academic components of the SBS and Stellenbosch University (SU) strategies.
• Facilitate academic strategy development and lead progress management over a five to ten year horizon, including teaching and learning, research, and programme innovation, ensuring social impact is embedded as a strategic dimension of programme design and delivery.
• Chair and shape the academic structures and decision-making processes required for responsiveness and agility.
• Lead and mentor the academic team to enable global academic excellence and high-impact research.
• Define and promote an inclusive, future-fit curriculum with articulation pathways, micro-credentials, and alignment to business and societal needs.
• Craft and enforce the academic goals of SBS’s internationalisation agenda, strategic partnerships, and accreditation efforts.
• Serve as the School’s academic ambassador locally and internationally.
• Drive performance management, human capital development, and succession planning among academic staff.
• Work closely with marketing, operations, finance and human resources to ensure academic sustainability and strategic budgeting.
• Where required, actively engage in teaching, supervision, and scholarly research.

Shortlisted candidates will be given more detail on the above and the activities as they align with the University’s strategy. The scope and weighting of Key Performance Areas will adjust over time to fit with the operational needs and academic ambitions of the School.

Stellenbosch University
Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
Stellenbosch Business School

Professor and Academic Director (Post Level 5)
(Bellville Park Campus)
Ref. EBW04/019/0126

Stellenbosch Business School (SBS) is Triple Crown accredited (AACSB, EQUIS, and AMBA) – a distinction held by less than 1% of all business schools. SBS is thus internationally recognised for academic excellence, values-based leadership, and contextual relevance in both the African and international business environments. We are now welcoming applications for the newly established position of Academic Director.

The Role:

Reporting directly to the Senior Director of SBS, the Professor and Academic Director is the custodian of the School’s academic mission and strategy, responsible for advancing academic quality, innovation, international engagement, and thought leadership. The role involves leading academic operations, supporting international accreditations and rankings, and ensuring the delivery of a transformative learning experience aligned with SBS’s strategic vision.