Manager: Graduate Development - Pretoria at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

About the job:

• The CSIR has a vacancy for a Manager: Graduate Development in the Human Capital Development portfolio. The incumbent will develop, manage and co-ordinate the implementation of all CSIR graduate development programmes in order to develop a pool of appropriately qualified graduates that can be employable within the CSIR or absorbed into the national skills pool. The programmes include bursaries, studentships, internships, in-service training and post-doctoral programmes. The position is based in Pretoria.

Key responsibilities:

• Develop, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, CSIR annual Key Performance Indicators  for graduate development programmes for implementation by Divisions/Centres;
• Develop, implement and manage best practice systems and procedures for efficient and coherent implementation of the student programmes;
• Manage the implementation of graduate development programmes in order to align processes and ensure integrated and consistent implementation across the organisation;
• Where appropriate, propose and enforce corrective measures to ensure adherence to the implementation of graduate development programmes;
• Manage the implementation of bursary agreements signed with other stakeholders;
• Develop, in consultation with relevant stakeholders (HC Managers, Strategic Communications and Marketing, SET Managers, Tertiary Education Institutions, DST, DHE, NRF) the Schools and Outreach Programme strategy;
• Manage the implementation of the Schools and Outreach Programmes;
• Manage the marketing of the graduate programmes nationally using various media and opportunities to ensure wide awareness and good responses to calls;
• Monitor the implementation of graduate programmes and guide the refinement of processes  for continuous  improvement;
• Manage the relationship between the CSIR and partnering tertiary education institutions as well as between the student, CSIR mentors and University supervisors;
• Develop, in consultation with relevant stakeholders (HC Managers, SET Managers, Students, internal and external service providers)  student training and development programmes;
• Manage, implement, review and continuously improve the training of student and their development;
• Ensure buy-in for new development initiatives from relevant stakeholders (HC Management, SET Management and Leadership, internal and external Students, TEI partners, DST);
• Develop and implement on-boarding and orientation programmes under this portfolio;
• Develop, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, and implement appropriate psycho-social programmes to facilitate ongoing student interaction and  active  involvement within the CSIR;
• Develop and implement suitable protocols for monitoring and evaluating student and intern mentorship to ensure consistency and optimum application across the organisation;
• Develop and implement information and reporting systems to support programme implementation;
• Manage and ensure oversight of the  graduate development programme budget;
• Prepare annual budgets for graduate development programmes in terms of demand and overall commitments from the divisions;
• Implement graduate development programmes within set budgets and in an efficient manner;
• Manage, mentor, coach and guide graduate development team;
• Liaise with Divisions to achieve alignment of processes and an integrated and consistent implementation across the organisation;
• Market the CSIR HCD programmes using various media and other opportunities to ensure wide awareness and good responses to partnership proposals.

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• A Postgraduate qualification in Science, Engineering and Technology or management or human resources with at least eight years’ experience in graduate development, of which three years should be in a senior or managerial role;
• At least five years’ experience in a research or education institution;
• Track record of effective process management;
• Advanced communication skills;
• Discernible passion for people development;
• Ability to communicate effectively with young people;
• Ability to take initiative;
• Problem solving skills.