SENIOR LECTURER.2.01 - Head Student Success

Qualifications and Experience* Academic Qualification: The incumbent must hold a PhD in a relevant field.

• Formal qualification in education would be an advantage.

• Formal certification in academic advising would be an advantage.

• Professional Experience: A minimum of 5 years of experience working in higher education, with a demonstrable focus on student success, data and data analytics, academic advising, and/or student development.

• Data Literacy: Experience managing, analysing, and drawing actionable insights from student datasets, including evidence of advanced, hands-on capability with business intelligence and data visualization tools.

• Strategic Collaboration: A high degree of comfort working with business intelligence services and institutional research offices.

• Research Record: As an academic track role, the candidate must have a track record of accredited, peer-reviewed publications and conference contributions, including in the areas of higher education, teaching and learning, or student success.

Contextual Knowledge: Deep understanding of the South African higher education landscape, including challenges related to transformation, the "missing middle," and the unique needs of undergraduate and postgraduate students. Job Description* Lead the conceptualisation and implementation of strategic student success frameworks responsive to the undergraduate and postgraduate lifecycles, respectively.

• Develop and manage robust monitoring and evaluation (M&E) to evaluate student success initiatives and interventions in the faculty.

• Analyse complex student data sets to identify high risk courses, providing actionable insights to the relevant stakeholders.

• Implement tracking mechanisms specifically designed to monitor student progress and success.

• Undertake student advising in one-on-one and group settings, on a variety of topics (e.g., curriculum planning, excellence skills, psychosocial matters, socioeconomic matters).

• Deliver training, workshops, and symposia relevant to the role.

• Contribute to the design and rollout of appropriate and evidence-informed orientation programmes for undergraduate and postgraduate students.

• Interact with student success stakeholders in the faculty and university.

Conduct and publish research on the scholarship of student success and related topics.

Key Competencies* Strong understanding of the public higher education student landscape.

• Excellent facilitation, training, and advisory skills.

• Analytical ability to interpret student data and identify actionable improvements.

• Evidence of scholarship and the ability to conduct research both independently and as part of a research team.

• Highly developed interpersonal skills appropriate to working effectively in a range of contexts and settings with students and staff from diverse backgrounds.

• Excellent English oral presentation, facilitation, and communication skills.

• Experience of working with online and digital technologies.

• Excellent organisational and project-management skills.

• Reliability and conscientiousness, with the ability to follow through with responsibilities.

• The ability to be self-directed: anticipating needs and taking initiative.

• The flexibility to adapt, and to optimise resources in an emerging/changing environment.

• The ability to work independently or in a team, and to manage multiple concurrent responsibilities.

A high level of proficiency in MS Office and related applications, and in using learning management systems.

Detailed Description

Job Requirements

Additional Details

How To Apply

Submit a covering letter together with a CV that includes the names, addresses and contact details (as well as e-mail addresses) of three referees, copy of ID and certified copies of degrees/diplomas by registering your profile on the Wits i-Recruitment platform located at https://irec.wits.ac.za and submitting your application. Closing date: 31 August 2026

By applying for this post, the Applicant acknowledges that their personal information will be processed by the University. The Applicant, by their conduct in proceeding with an application for this position, gives their consent to the processing of their personal information as required by the University’s Recruitment, Selection and Appointment Policy. Such processing includes logging their information on the University’s recruitment systems and disclosing their personal information to University employees identified to take part in the selection and recruitment process. The Applicant consents to any further processing of their personal information as may be required for relevant verification and reference check purposes. The confidentiality of the Applicant's personal information will be maintained

The University is committed to employment equity. Preference may be given to appointable applicants from the underrepresented designated groups in terms of the relevant employment equity plans and policies of the University. The University retains the right not to make an appointment and to verify all information provided by candidates.

Please note that correspondence will only be entered into with shortlisted candidates. The University reserves the right not to make an appointment or to re-advertise.

Minimum Salary

Maximum Salary

Currency

Amount of Travel

Work At Home