Vice-Dean: Agriculture (post level 5) (contract appointment: five years, with the possibility of reappointment for a further term) at University of the Free State

Duties and responsibilities

•    Participate in all aspects of the core business of the faculty, but with specific reference to agricultural innovation and development.
•     Work in close collaboration with the Vice-Dean: Teaching and Learning, Vice-Dean: Research and Postgraduate Studies and the Dean in advancing the agriculture-related priorities of the University and Faculty.
•     Take co-responsibility with the Dean to ensure the achievement of the mission of all faculty-based agricultural academic programmes and initiatives
•     Act as liaison between the UFS and the Agricultural sector (including but not limited to the private and public sector and potential donors and emerging commercial farmers).
•     Improve collaboration between staff in the Agri-Science division and general between staff within the faculty.
•     Take co-responsibility with Vice-Dean Teaching and Learning on new innovative agricultural curriculum development.
•     Take co-responsibility with Vice-Dean Research and Postgraduate programmes on partnership and networks within the Agricultural fields.
•     Identify clear strategic growth for agricultural programmes.
•     Identify opportunities and shared needs and interests in terms of research direction, output and engaged scholarship.
•     Develop a strategic management initiative and be actively involved in the operations and management of the UFS Experimental Farms, including the Innovation Hub, to achieve financial stability.
•     Secure bursaries for undergraduate and postgraduate agricultural students.
•     Provide opportunities and motivate faculty members to be relevant in agriculture in South Africa and Africa.
•     Develop innovative strategies for agricultural development and stimulate the focus on agricultural research.
•     Source funding opportunities and increase third-stream income revenue for the faculty and agricultural development.
•     Identify and develop current and future agriculture priorities of the faculty in research and, undergraduate and postgraduate studies.

Inherent Job Requirements

•    A Doctoral degree on NQF level 10 within related Agricultural fields.
•     Five-year’s experience on managerial level.
•     Proven evidence in third-stream income generation and project management.
•     Proven experience in forming networks and linkages between the UFS and the Agricultural industry.
•     Proven evidence of publishing in peer-reviewed journals.
•     Proven experience related to Experimental Farm management.
•     Proven record of research output as evidenced by publishing in peer-reviewed journals.
•     Proven record of research grant applications and management and experience in third-stream income generation.

Recommendations

• ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​    Proven evidence in the supervision of Master and PhD students.
•     Institutional knowledge of Agri-Science to expand the current position of academic departments and the UFS Experimental farm.
•     Broad understanding of the national and international agricultural sectors, with proven evidence of international involvement, specifically in Africa.
•     Good linkages and relationships with the agricultural industry, both private and government sectors to broaden the agricultural landscape.
•     Ability to source funding and innovation for agricultural initiatives (including initiatives like the experimental farm).
•     Proven leadership (on the agricultural forefront), regarding new innovative approaches to the UFS, unique from other tertiary institutions.
•     Involvement in agricultural initiatives like NAMPO, farmer days, open days, and collaborations with the Agricultural sector, like Grain SA, FAO, etc.
•     Knowledgeable about the functioning of the Executive committee of a faculty.
•     Analytical problem-solving skills with impeccable attention to detail.
•     Ability to set an overall strategy and drive process improvement.
•     Evidence of industry and commodity involvement.
•     Evidence of inter-faculty and inter-department collaborations.
•     Ability to build relationships with and between faculty and UFS staff.
•     Monitor the competitive landscape and attend industry events to stay abreast of new initiatives.
•     Identify, train, and develop leaders within the faculty and set them on a path for management.
•     Established research leadership and research team-building capacity.
•     NRF Rated in an agricultural discipline.
•     A deep understanding of national, continental, and international needs and new and emerging trends developments in agricultural education and research