DESCRIPTION:
The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (Wits University), is a highly ranked research-intensive institution renowned for its academic excellence, innovation, and global impact. Located in the vibrant city of Johannesburg, Wits University provides a dynamic and intellectually stimulating environment for both students and staff. The University is seeking to appoint a Head of the School of Architecture and Planning, in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, to assume the position in the (2nd) second semester of 2025. The standard contractual period of employment is (5) five-year fixed-period appointment, after which the candidate may seek another term, or be integrated into an appropriate teaching and research position in the school. If the appointee is an existing member of the permanent staff, s/he will revert to her/his previous academic position.
The School of Architecture and Planning (SoAP) is one of only four architecture, planning and interdisciplinary programmes on the African continent ranked among the top 200 programmes worldwide. It works with numerous international partners and has produced graduates who have made outstanding contributions to the fields of architecture and planning in South Africa and around the world. With a staff of approximately 50 people and a student body of over 600, SoAP offers accredited professional degrees streams and doctoral studies in architecture and urban planning, as well as non-professional master’s degrees in urban design and urban studies with various specializations and hosts post-doctoral research posts. It also houses three research entities: the South African Research Chair in Spatial Analysis & City Planning (SARChi), the Centre for Urban and Built Environment Studies (CUBES), the Campus Innovation Lab (CIL), and major initiatives such as the Wits-TUB-UniLag (Urban Lab).
Equipped with newly renovated studio and exhibition space, hybrid teaching and conferencing capabilities, a professional-level workshop and digital fabrication lab, a unique archive and excellent library facilities, SoAP continually seeks, to increase its visibility, both within Africa and around the world, using its unique location in a major metropolis with many built environment challenges as a lever to explore innovative design, policy and research strategies. For further information, please visit the school’s website at: https://www.wits.ac.za/soap/.
QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:
Applicants should hold a PhD in a discipline or specialist area related to the activities of the school and have significant professional or design accomplishments meriting appointment at a professorial level. The successful appointee should have demonstrable management and administrative experience, preferably within interdisciplinary teams; show an ability to provide leadership, embrace a variety of stakeholders, enhance public standing, and/or nurture a positive collective institutional or professional identity. The successful appointee should have a strong body of design or research work, backed by a body of evidence, preferably with an international profile and/or a practice or research orientation relevant to an African context. South African citizens and permanent residents currently employed in academia must be in possession of a National Research Foundation (NRF) rating (https://www.nrf.ac.za/rating/). Professional registration, or eligibility for international applicants is recommended.
DUTIES:
• To create an inclusive and supportive teaching and learning environment for students, promoting their academic success and well-being.
• To foster research excellence, innovation, and academic citizenship within the school.
• To promote diversity and inclusion in the staff and student bodies.
• To manage academic, administrative, and support staff, including recruitment and evaluation, and to work collaboratively and collegially with staff to enhance professional growth and strengthen the school’s academic standing.
• To manage the school’s budget, allocating resources effectively and fairly to support teaching, administration, research, and facilities’ needs.
• To engage in fundraising efforts to secure grants, donations, and sponsorships for student bursaries, scholarships, and overall teaching and research activities across national and international networks.
• To maintain and strengthen collaborative relationships within the faculty and other Schools beyond the Faculty, industry partners, public agencies, and other academic institutions.
• To support curriculum development, ensuring relevance to industry trends and technological advancements, and promoting a culture of studio-based teaching.
Enquiries: Professor Thokozani Majozi; Executive Dean: Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment:
E-mail: Thokozani.Majozi@wits.ac.za or telephone: +27 11 717 7012
To Apply: Please submit a covering letter of motivation, a detailed CV with names and current e-mail addresses and contact numbers of (3) three referees, certified copies of qualifications, academic transcripts and South African ID and/or (copy of Passport if not a South African Citizen). Please state your research metrics in your covering letter. External applicants are invited to apply by registering on the Wits i-Recruitment platform located at https://irec.wits.ac.za Internal employees may apply directly on Oracle Self-Service on the Wits Intranet by selecting ‘’Apply for a job’’. Closing date: 15 October 2024
Please note that given the thrust of the University’s strategic plan on transformation, preference may be given to appointable applicants from the under-represented designated groups in terms of the relevant employment equity plans and policies of the University.
The University reserves the right to verify all information provided by candidates and to verify credit rating. Please note that correspondence will only be entered into with the shortlisted candidates.
