Senior Assistant Officer (Post level 12): Department of Communication Science at University of the Free State

Duties and responsibilities

Academic Administration:

•    Assist the Programme Director with applications, registrations, admissions, and academic advising of undergraduate and postgraduate students.
•    Manage administrative processes that relate to postgraduate students, including external moderation.
•    Pull data from Gradebook and Blackboard for analysis of student records for purposes of tracking progress, enrolment, and quality control.
•    Capture information pertaining to research outputs on RIMS.
•    Assist with scheduling, lecture venues, and class timetabling.
•    Assist with the departmental graduation programme.
•    Handle front-office enquiries from students and internal and external stakeholders, via email, face-to-face and telephonically, and/or referring them to relevant staff.

Financial Administration:

•    Manage departmental entities and cost centres and monitor the progress of encumbrances for all departmental entities.
•    Manage ad hoc claims for the department, including payment of all claims.
•    Request and appraise quotations, make bookings, submit invoices to the finance department for payment of service providers, and follow up on outstanding invoices.
•    Receive purchase orders and forward them to suppliers.
•    Purchase, order and receive office supplies, stationery, goods, and equipment.
•    Capture reports and follow up on job requests for maintenance and repairs.
•    Capture and submit travel arrangements for staff, including research fellows, for research travels and capture expense reports for staff after travelling.

General Administration:

•    Manage general office administration and operations, including filing, records keeping, arranging departmental meetings, taking and keeping minutes, and departmental website management.
•    Handle travel and accommodation arrangements in the department.
•    Handle enquiries from internal and external stakeholders face to face, via email and telephone, and maintain an orderly, welcoming, and functional reception area.
•    Oversee efficient distribution of office supplies and equipment.
•    Maintain and update the asset register.
•    Provide administrative support to the head of the department and the department’s academic staff.
   

Inherent Job Requirements:

• ​​​​​​​   A BA in Communication on NQF level 7 or Advanced Diploma in Communication Science or a related field on NQF Level 7. 
•    A minimum of two (2) years’ relevant working experience related to the duties and responsibilities.

Recommendations:

•    Some knowledge of university data capturing and digital platforms such as Gradebook, RIMS, Oracle, and Blackboard (or similar).
•    Familiarity with the basic environment of research, teaching and learning in a university is an added advantage.
•    Familiarity with or an interest in university curricula.
•    Familiarity with or an interest in the Communication field/discipline.