Director of Researcher Development (Level 5)

About the role

The University of the Free State is seeking a senior leader to direct its Researcher Development portfolio. This five‑year fixed‑term position will shape and expand mentoring programmes that support early‑ and mid‑career academics, contributing to the institution’s Vision 130 objectives.

Key responsibilities

• Lead strategic planning, implementation and continuous improvement of academic mentoring programmes across the university.
• Manage the Future Professoriate and Women’s Mentoring Programme.
• Supervise coordinators of the Emerging Scholar Academic Programme and Staff Doctoral Programmes and ensure effective delivery.
• Design individual support strategies to help researchers achieve promotion, funding success and NRF rating milestones.
• Coordinate mentor appointments, maintain mentoring relationships and oversee programme activities.
• Administer programme budgets, financial processes and grant expenditure in line with institutional policies.
• Identify funding opportunities, prepare grant proposals and manage funding applications.
• Develop monitoring and evaluation systems, analyse programme data and produce reports for university leadership and external funders.
• Collaborate with faculties, deans, department heads and support divisions to identify development needs and formulate strategies.

Required profile

• Demonstrated senior leadership experience in academic mentoring or researcher development.
• Proven ability to design and implement support strategies for early‑ and mid‑career researchers.
• Experience managing programme budgets and financial administration.
• Track record of successful grant proposal development and securing external funding.
• Strong analytical skills for monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

Required skills

• Grant proposal development and funding application preparation.
• Budget coordination and financial administration.
• Design and implementation of monitoring and evaluation systems.
• Data analysis and reporting for programme effectiveness.