Deputy Vice Chancellor: People & Operations

Division / Office of the Vice Chancellor & Principal
Function / Operations
Post # / Peromnes Grade Level 02
Base/Location / Steve Biko Campus
Staff Reporting into this position
Number of Direct subordinates / Five (6)
Main areas of responsibility / Risk Management, People or Human Capital Managment, Corporate Affairs & Marketing, Estates Management & Logistics, and University Planning
Title of direct supervisor / Vice Chancellor & Principal
Date of this document / 2016/11/28

Immediate Reporting Relationships

Position Summary

The post holder is responsible for the strategic leadership, planning, management, operations and people supportive to the University’s broader academic endeavours.S/he is responsible for broader people or human capital development required to make the University excellent. S/he is also responsible for the development of high quality risk informedplanning and support systems and services.S/he ensures that the Universityis a reliable, efficient, competent and productive system.S/he is responsible or communicating, marketing and public relations that are vital to the University’s reputation and image and help to build its brand. S/he puts systems in place to optimize performance at all level at DUT and fosters quality services to the University community, partners and stakeholders in alignment with short-, medium- and long-term objectives of the University.S/he manages strategically each of the following functions: Risk Management, Estates Management, Human Capital, Corporate Affairs & Marketing, University Planning

KEY PERFORMANCE AREA / KEY/HIGH LEVEL STRATEGIES
Human Capital, Administrative Operations, and Policy Administration /
  • Strategically leads all people or human capital strategies and developments at the University
  • Develops a people or human capital management system that ensures people (internal and external) are served with efficiency and effectiveness across the university in all divisions
  • Plans for and strategically manages policy development to ensure that all elements of thepeople or human capital system work coherently; be it inrecruitment, people development compensation, benefits, performance evaluations and feedback, career development, health and wellness and general welfare of DUT people
  • Ensures that there are relevant adequate business continuity systems throughout the University so that services continue uninterrupted
  • As part of organisational development, ensures that functional workflows across the system are optimal and they are optimally resourced with human capital
  • Identifies and adheres to appropriate internal controls for the division and reporting structure; provides mechanisms to monitor and enforce compliance

Labour/Industrial Relations /
  • Develop system to ensure sound relations and minimal conflict amongst the various stakeholders, especially between Management and the leadership of Unions
  • Lead DUT’s engagement with and responses to industrial disputes and business continuity planning for for industrial action
  • Develop coherent policies that constitute a system of people management from on-boarding to de-boarding, with well-developed and trained and are highly efficient and performing people
  • Ensure that there is adequate, affordable and optimal provision of resources to compensate staff and not to the exclusion of other important university obligations
  • Ensure that the University people/staff are caring, compassionate, deliberative, empowering, nurturing, competent and productive amongst themselves and to students, alumni and other stakeholders
  • Develop systems to assure discipline, performance and consequences, where necessary, throughout the University

Strategic Planning, Risk Management and Internal Control /
  • Works with the Vice-Chancellor and Principal and other members of the executive team to identify, develop and implement institutional plans (strategic and operational), monitor key metrics and provides timely evaluations of performance
  • Develops a consolidated planning and risk management system to ensure that University objectives are met, monitored and evaluated regularly
  • Liaises closely with the other divisions, especially teaching & learning and research & innovation in the process of assuring the quality of the University’s academic products
  • Ensures that all divisions of the University have proper risk based objectives and plans at both strategic and operational levels
  • Ensures that solutions are developed to improve current business processes and make them more efficient. Establishes and maintains effective internal controls for all aspects of the university administration. Identifies and seizes opportunities to improve fiscal and operational performance of the division
  • Ensure that there is continuous monitoring and evaluation of systems and controls to assure the integrity and quality of the University processes and procedures

Divisional budgeting and financial management /
  • Develops and manages all aspects of divisional budget including preparations, submission, maintenance, reporting and audits
  • Responsible for overseeing financial and statistical performance against budget targets
  • Participates in divisional/departmental strategic planning ensuring that the developed goals align with the institutional goals and contribute toward industry goals, attraction of third stream income, cost containment, maximizing research productivity and other types of productivity
  • Develops and communicates with leadership, compensation plans that incentivize growth with the goal of retention and equity for all staff, particularly academic and research staff, implements semi-annual reviews of effort, performance, productivity and funding sources for all staff, especially academic staff.

Service Delivery and Quality Improvement /
  • Promotes culture of “service excellence” and outputs/outcomes based management throughout the university
  • Sets a tone of leadership that is people-oriented, collegial, fair, transparent and collaborative in nature and focused in data and evidence based decision-making
  • Builds a management culture based on team work, open communication, prudent risk taking, innovation, mentoring and accountability.

Staff Development and Training /
  • Ensure provision of training and development for the divisional HR teams and line managers ad across the University
  • in order to build constructive relationship with the trade unions
  • Lead and champion key programmes of work to enable DUT to be a world class institution and employer of choice.
  • Drive continuously improvement in the DUT delivery of employee relations and policy services (processes, policies, guidance and advise0 employment equity, performance management, and employee wellness
  • Develop human resources (HR) capability in the understanding and application of employment law, policies and practices to ensure consistencies and manage risk

DUT Estates Management, infrastructure and facilities /
  • Strategically manage the DUT estates and ensures they are well maintained
  • Develop systems that would assure optimal and mutually beneficial use of the estates by the DUT community and its partners
  • Ensure that infrastructure and facilities are in the best condition possible to achieve university objectives
  • Ensure there is an adequate but affordable budget for all the needs in this field, including broader capital expenditure
  • Develop project management systems to ensure that infrastructure and capital developments are delivered on time, at acceptable levels of quality and within budgeted cost.

Corporate Affairs, Communications, Marketing and Events /
  • Lead, develop, manage, execute plans and strategies to ensure that DUT’s messages and brand are well understood both internally and externally
  • Ensure that there is regular communication to the University community and other stakeholders on strategic developments within the university and its responses to the external environment
  • Develop marketing strategies to ensure DUT attracts the best talent to its community.
  • Develop a programme of activities and events that make DUT a magnet for important engagements about the city, the region and the broader society

CRITICAL COMPETENCIES FOR SUCCESS

COMPETENCY & CATEGORY / COMPETENCY / EXPLANATORY NOTES AND/OR EXPECTED BAHAVIOUR
BUSINESS AND TECHNICAL ACUMEN / Customer Service Orientation / Ensures People Services & Operations; provide and promote efficient, cost effective, flexible and personalized service to all key customers in alignment with their identified needs
Cross Functional Awareness/Organizational Understanding / Understands how the organization functions and has knowledge of the systems, procedures, information sources and financial priorities and how these related to each other
Technical/Specialist Acumen / Displays a high level of technical competence (depth and range of knowledge and specialized expertise) in relation to the job and keeps abreast of new developments in specialist area.
Strategic Perspective / Ability to advise on implementation of policy in terms of the vision for the future of DUT
Outputs/outcomes, data and evidence based system / Adopts an attitude to work that does not dwell just on process but more on outputs and outcomes based on data, facts and evidence
ACTION ORIENTATION / Achievement Orientation / Sets challenging objectives for self and others. Ensures active pursuit of these objectives in order to achieve a high standard of quality and efficiency in delivery
Proactive Initiative / Act with a long-term (5 years) perspective in mind. Initiates, drives and actively influences projects to get results
Change Strategy Implementation / Ability to effectively communicate the organization’s need for change to get buy in and commitment from key stakeholders, and to actively manage the process of change
DECISION MAKING / Conceptual and Analytical Thinking / Ability to manage conceptual complexity. Links different kinds of information; integrates data; recognizes themes or patterns and forms a clear useful explanation of underlying issue(s). Identifies cross-functional functions.
Deciding / Decides on a comprehensive sound course of action (based on consideration of the implication thereof) that will realize the best returns for the sector and DUT
Commits to a definite course of action while accepting responsibility for the consequences and risks involved therein
Systems thinking / Has a systems mindset to work and as a result has both an aggregative and de-aggregative outlook to parts of a system. Always works to build the anatomy and physiology of the University system
INTERPERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS / Strategic Direction / Demonstrates visionary leadership by providing clear and determined direction and strategy
Team Leadership / Exercises team leadership in respect of utilizing expertise of Managers/Support staff and delegating responsibility and accountability. Ensures appropriate training and skills development of managers
Communication/Persuasiveness / Demonstrates effective communication sills – written; verbal; presentation. Has the ability to impact on and influence the opinions/behaviors of others and to gain agreement to one’s own ideas as projects
Negotiation Skills/Conflict Management / Negotiates and thinks on feet in tough situations with both internal and external groups in assertive but diplomatic manner. Employs conflict handling skills in order to resolve conflicts effectively
Diversity Management / Sensitive to, and adept at, managing cultural diversity
Inspirational Building / Communicates and lives the vision, insures commitment and loyalty to, and confidence in the organization
Organizational Agility / The ability to network effectively and to establish relationships with and influence the networks of others over whom one has not formal authority, whose co-operation in needed to achieve work-related goals
PERSONAL EFFECTIENESS / Value building / Maintains high ethical standards personally and professionally
Emotional Maturity / Copes with challenges and stress in a constructive manner buy maintaining stable performance under pressure without displaying or transferring stress to others and remaining clam, objective and in control

EXPERIENCE AND OTHER REQUREMENTS

Criteria / Requirement / Preferable
Qualification /
  • A PhD or Doctorate or a relevant Master’s degree with proven professional expertise in a relevant field
/ In case of a PhD or doctorate, some research track record in a relevant field.
In case of a master’s, recognition in the national environment as an expert in a relevant professional field
Experience /
  • Minimum of 10 years of strong strategic and operational management experience
  • Experience of working with complex university environmentor a related environment
  • Experience of working beyond their own area of responsibility to influence and engage other stakeholders in delivering projects
  • A track record of successful delivery of projects

Knowledge /
  • Higher Education Act and other relevant legislation
  • Security, health & safety legislation and regulations
  • Strategic planning tools and techniques

Special Requirements /
  • Understanding of higher education environment
  • A credible leader in Higher Education or in related industries and organisations with strong leadership skills
  • A track record of the delivery of successful change programmes
  • An inspiring leader with enthusiasm, ambition and commitment to the values of higher education, our research and our students and graduates
  • A team player who works well with colleagues throughout the University and beyond
  • Flexible and adaptable, and embraces change
  • An innovator who can evaluate risk vs reward and is always committed to enhancing the experience for students and developing staff.
  • Excellent people management skills

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