Job Description

Direct Reporting Line:
Head: Academic Operations

Varsity College is an educational brand of The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE). The IIE enjoys the reputation of being at the forefront of private higher education in South Africa and is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to provide higher education qualifications accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE)

The IIE's Varsity College, Waterfall Campus has a vacancy for a Deputy Head: Academic Operations.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Quality Assurance

• 
  Supports the implementation, management and compliance monitoring of academic policies
• Actively involved in ensuring compliance within all areas of Academic Operations
• Implements the Assessment Strategy and Policy and all related procedures which are aimed at ensuring compliance
• In the absence of the Head: Academic Operations, the Deputy Head: Academic Operations approves all departmental documentation and communication to all stakeholders prior to dissemination
• Maintains and develops relationships with all stakeholders including students, parents and other staff

Operational Programme Management

• 
  Ensures the delivery of timetables from the Capacity Planning and Timetabling Centre are time efficient and contribute to the overall academic delivery of the programme
• Supervises the output of the Results Centre regrading accuracy of Cumulative Assessment (CASS) release, results capturing, moderation and results release
• Oversees the campus readiness regarding programme starts, student groups and timetables received
• Ad hoc assistance and operational support on registrations, cancellations, de-registrations and transfers.
• Signs off the assessments schedule received from the National Operations team taking into account campus capacity to accommodate the central assessment schedule on campus

Student Support

• Supports the timeous response and resolution of all internal queries managed by the Customer Relations Centre, other Centre of Excellence
• In the absence of the Head: Academic Operations, represents the campus on the VC Voice committee
• Ensures system set up for the submission of assessments under non-exam conditions being submitted through the anti-plagiarism software

Independent Contractor (Lecturer & Invigilator) Operational Support

• Ensures that the operational requirements of Independent Contractors are met timeously
• Holds the role of 2nd line approver for all invigilator claims/timesheets
• Manages the lecturer allocation timelines to ensure the timetable timelines are met in accordance with programme start dates

Departmental Management

• Supervises the Centre of Excellence within Academic Operations and ensures compliance in all functions that are completed by each Centre of Excellence
  
• Reports to the Head: Academic Operations on the functioning and performance of each Centre of Excellence and identifies critical areas of improvement
• Recruit staff for the Centres of excellence with the scope of supervision
• Sources, screens, appoints, trains, and manages (including claim management) the campus invigilators
• Provides training and onboarding for new and existing staff for the Centres of Excellence within the scope of supervision
• Supports the Head: Academic Operations with any internal or external audit process up to and including submission of improvement plans
• Ensures all policy updates are communicated to the Customer Relations Centre and that students are informed accordingly
• Manages the For Action Now (FAN) report response
• Ensures that verification takes account of any capping constraints and that students who are sitting the assessments as a supplementary or special exam have been identified
• Manages all delays, deadlines and processes for the Centres of Excellence within the scope of supervision with respective stakeholders such as The Independent Institution of Education (The IIE), Central Academic Team (CAT) and Lectures
• Supports the Head: Academic Operations in ensuring compliance to The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) legislation relevant to the Academic Operations department
• Supports the Head: Academic Operations with running focus group sessions with the Centres of Excellence where challenges and improvements on existing processes are discussed

Competencies required:

• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills
• Problem solving skills
  
• Public speaking/presentation skills
• Best suited to a friendly, organised person who works accurately and is able to handle pressure
• Leadership skills
• Time management skills

Minimum Qualification requirements:

• Minimum of Advanced Diploma or Bachelors Degree (NQF Level 7).
• Postgraduate qualification advantageous.

Minimum Work Experience requirements:

• Minimum of 2 years operational management/ project management, 2 years supervisory, 3 years administrative and 3 years customer service experience.