Lecturer – Community Engagement

About the role

The Community Engagement Department at Rhodes University seeks a Lecturer to provide academic leadership across teaching, research, and community engagement. The incumbent will contribute to the Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education Community Engagement and support the university’s Service‑Learning initiatives.

Key responsibilities

• Collaborate with academics and departments to enhance external engagement through Service‑Learning programmes, short courses, digital storytelling, and social innovation.
• Teach on the Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education Community Engagement (PG Dip HECE).
• Implement monitoring and evaluation strategies for Service‑Learning and report on institutional outcomes.
• Lead transdisciplinary research focused on social innovation and local economic development, producing scholarly publications and public scholarship.
• Manage the Rhodes University Social Innovation Hub, delivering accredited short courses for academics, students, and community partners.
• Participate in the RU Masakhe Economic Development Stakeholder Committee, providing administrative and strategic support.
• Promote the integrated praxis of community engagement with academics and students.

Required profile

• Master’s degree in a relevant discipline, preferably Humanities or Social Science, with willingness to register for a PhD.
• Experience in community development and community engagement, including Service‑Learning, digital storytelling, and social innovation.
• Demonstrated tutoring, facilitation, or conference presentation experience.

Required skills

• Service‑Learning programme design and delivery.
• Digital storytelling techniques.
• Social innovation and community‑engaged research.
• Academic teaching and curriculum development.
• Monitoring and evaluation of engagement initiatives.

What we offer

• Opportunity to shape community engagement scholarship at national and international levels.
• Interdisciplinary collaboration across university faculties.
• Professional development support for research and teaching.