DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION INNOVATION
PROGRAMME MANAGER (THREE YEAR CONTRACT)
PEROMNES POST LEVEL 7
In pursuit of the ideals of excellence and diversity, the University of Pretoria wishes to invite applications for the following vacancy.
The University of Pretoria's commitment to quality makes us one of the top research Universities in the country and gives us a competitive advantage in international science and technology development.
Job Purpose
The Programme Manager will be responsible for leading operations, building strategic university stakeholder relationships, and ensuring effective implementation and reporting on programme delivery. To improve outcomes for university students and advance UPs strategic goals (of impacting economic and social development, and increasing access, throughput, and diversity).
The position is structured as a one-year contract. Renewal is based on continued funding from the foundation for the post.
Responsibilities
Management of the Dell Young Leaders programme at UP:
- Operationalise the programme at UP in line with the foundations strategic guardrails and goals.
- Build and manage relationships with key stakeholders within UP and the foundation.
- Identify strategies to remove barriers to success for students at UP. Actively problem solve and identify resources to leverage to drive student outcomes.
- Build a strong understanding of the university services and resources and identify opportunities to leverage services and relationships to support scalability of the Dell Young Leaders operating model at scale at UP.
- Understand and monitor key workflows and policies at UP that impact student success and retention and design support mechanisms to manage associated programme risks.
- Work strategically with stakeholders at UP, Dell Young Leaders colleagues, and external subject matter experts to develop and continuously improve student retention and completion strategies.
- Case manage Dell Young Leaders students as required to ensure all support services and mechanisms are coordinated to support needs and risks.
- Lead advocacy with role players within the institution in high risk or high complexity cases.
- Manage assigned communications from students using the programmes integrations Communications Centre within the technology toolset.
- Build effective relationships with students on the programme to ensure the Dell Young Leaders programmes brand is managed and positively promoted, with a view to ensuring life-long student association through Alumni programming.
- Manage relationships with any external service providers to the programme at UP as required.
- Support line management of Dell Young Leaders support staff at UP.
- Act as the key point of contact between the university and the Foundation.
- Report on key grant milestones and tracking delivery of programmatic interventions and projects.
- Develop reports and analytical presentations required by stakeholders to understand programme
- performance and outcomes.
- Support development of annual grant proposals in line with the approved programme strategy.
- Ad-hoc hosting of external and internal stakeholders as required.
- Manage the Dell Young Leaders scholarship fund, including ensuring accurate dispersal of funds in accordance with the programmes Financial Manual and UP policy and processes.
- Work with UPs Financial Aid Office, as well as the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), to gain full accounting of the student cost of attendance and unmet funding needs.
- Model student costs to ensure adequate funding is in place for students on the programme.
- Manage the Dell Young Leaders programmes wrap-around support grant and maintaining full accounting of budget and expenses, working within the programmes Financial Manual and UP policy and processes.
- Reconcile and manage the return of any unused grant funds to the foundation within the grant terms.
- Manage all administration and data requests to ensure the programme can run an effective selection process, manage applications and complete onboarding of each annual cohort of Dell Young Leaders students.
- Annually recruit a selection panel consisting of the varied programme stakeholders.
- Deliver the annual launch event for newly selected Dell Young Leaders at UP.
- Produce reports in line with the grant agreement to both the university and the foundation.
- Present programme outcomes and insights to UPs leadership team at leadership updates.
- Work with the programmes technology tools to track and report on programme delivery and impact.
- Record all data, activities, and interventions in the programmes technology toolset.
- Manage programme metric reporting, including but not limited to graduate pipelines, graduation rate, persistence rate and on-time graduation rate. Identifying trends to ensure impact is maximised.
- A relevant postgraduate degree or Bachelors degree and a professional body qualification equivalent to a postgraduate degree.
- Four years proven project/programme management and/or co-ordination experience on medium to high complexity projects.
- Own transport and willingness to work outside business hours and travel within South Africa as necessary.
- Knowledge of managing a range of projects in terms of scope, budget, time, risks, issues and costs.
- Knowledge of compiling business cases, business requirements and process maps, as well as project risk management in a controlled environment.
- Knowledge of project integration and change management, budget and cost estimation, as well as control procedures.
- Work with senior management to create product plans and roadmaps to ensure projects releases are launched correctly and on schedule.
- Coordination the efforts of a team of professionals (both on site and remotely) to ensure delivery.
- Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint as well as the ability to learn and utilise programme specific technology quickly and easily.
- Quantitative analysis.
- Managing a project or a range of projects in a portfolio in terms of scope, budget, time, risks, issues and costs. Managing project charters and interfaces around it.
- Managing schedules at a detailed level. Initiation, planning, execution, control, monitoring and close out procedures.
- Logistics and events management.
- Vendor management skills.
- Embodiment of the highest levels of stewardship and ethical leadership in administering the foundations resources for the programme.
- Maturity and judgment to be an effective representative of the programme, the university and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation.
- Polished, persuasive spoken and written communication skills.
- The ability to get things done with a strong end-product orientation and have excellent attention to detail.
- The ability to work in an agile and adaptable manner as required in an environment which is often changing.
- Ability to thrive in a high-performance culture.
- Empathy and a passion for improving the lives of young adults.
- A passion for creative problem solving and working with young people and student-related problems.
- Ability to think strategically and interact tactically with senior executive at the foundation and the university as well as with diverse student populations.
- Ability to think conceptually using strong analytical skills, effectively influence a wide cross-section of people across organizations, and to identify and implement solutions to address complex business problems.
- The ability to handle a variety of tasks simultaneously, meet stringent deadlines and work under pressure for extended periods of time.
- Attention to detail.
- Conflict management and negotiation skills.
- Experience in consulting, grant management, strategic student support, business planning, and financial planning, analytics.
- Experience in the higher education sector.
Applicants are requested to apply online at www.up.ac.za, and follow the link: Careers@UP.
In Applying For This Post, Please Attach
- A comprehensive CV;
- Certified copies of qualifications;
- Names, e-mail addresses and telephone details of three referees whom we have permission to contact.
No application will be considered after the closing date, or if it does not comply with at least the minimum requirements.
ENQUIRIES: s Khensani Mathebula Tel: (012) 420 2417 for application-related enquiries, and Mr Katlego Thindisa Tel: (012) 420 4874 for enquiries relating to the post content.
Should you not hear from the University of Pretoria by 30 May 2023, please accept that your application has been unsuccessful.
The University of Pretoria is committed to equality, employment equity and diversity.
In accordance with the Employment Equity Plan of the University and its Employment Equity goals and targets, preference will be given, but is not limited to candidates from under-represented designated groups.
All candidates who comply with the requirements for appointment are invited to apply. All candidates agree to undergo verification of personal credentials.
The University of Pretoria reserves the right to not fill the advertised positions.
