PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

To provide:

•                          Governance support and instructions to the Residence & Catering departments on all three campuses.

•                          To manage the centralised NWU Fleet Services with decentralised deployment on all three campuses.

•                          Periodic reporting of activities on all three campuses in the Residence & Catering Services as well as the NWU Fleet Services, including financial and operational matters.

•                          Represent the department in all Residence, Catering & Fleet Services related meetings, including Capital Projects, Capital Renewals, Student Housing Committee, CMC, OHS etc.

•                          System Owner of the Residence Management System (StarRez) to see implementation and licencing for the next 5 years.

•                          Represent the NWU at ACUHO-I and ACUHO-I SAC.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Business & Financial Management

Analyse Income & Expense figures and related performance indicators per division:

•                          Residence Services.

•                          Catering Services.

•                          Food & Beverage Services.

•                          Fleet Services.

Staff analyses

Oversee annual three-year rolling budget for RCF

Contract Management (BooMedia, Finclude, Lease agreements, Year Contracts of Maintenance or Service Providers in the RCF environment).

Strategy Implementation

See to the implementation of the following strategies:

•                          Residence Strategy.

•                          Reaching campus minority placement ratios per campus.

•                          Fee strategy.

•                          Define new strategies for:

•                          Capital Renewals of campus residences.

Residence Management

•                          Ensure aligned Residence Rules.

•                          See to the successful implementation of the Residence Management System (StarRez) at the NWU.

•                          Manage the StarRez 5-year licencing contract.

•                          Represent RCF at Capital Projects as well as Capital Renewal Projects.

Consolidated Reporting

•                          Monthly reporting of Income and Expenses against budget with narratives for deviations.

•                          Management Participation

•                          Represent RCF at Campus Management Committee [CMC] meetings on all three campuses.

•                          Represent RCF at CMC & sec meetings at all three campuses.

•                          Standing member of Student Housing Committee SHC).

•                          Standing member of Student Diversity and Transformation Committee (SDTC).

•                          Standing member of Committee on Student Support Services (CoSSS).

•                          Standing member of.

•                          Monthly oversight meeting with the three Managers: Residence & Catering.

•                          Attend monthly Physical Infrastructure and Planning project progress meetings with FIDC.

•                          Part of the Student Information Crisis Committee (SICC).

•                          Represent RCF at Ad Hoc requests like Student Life Landlord lmbizo, Pam Golding due diligence investigation into the purchase of Green Meadows.

People Management

•                          Create an enabling leadership culture by developing a shared direction, shared values and alignment and commitment to transform the organisational culture.

•                          Foster a participative and developmental leadership style; improve team cohesion, synergy and effectiveness.

•                          Develop a Strategic Workforce Plan that builds proportions of African and People with disabilities and implement the Plan.

•                          Arrange and implement culture improvement interventions, establish a baseline, receive a report and feedback and implement; actively remove engagement barriers.

•                          Engagement with People & Culture in the 3B-realignment and placement of staff.

•                          A master’s degree (NQF level 9).

•                          A minimum of five (5) years’ management experience in a large, complex organization.

•                          Experience in student housing or large-scale accommodation services - knowledge of residence life models and student well-being programmes.

•                          Experience of managing large-scale catering operations, restaurants and decentralized sales outlets, including contract oversight, the Liquor Act and cost control.

ADDED ADVANTAGES & PREFERENCES:

•                          Registration with the ACUHO-I.

•                          Experience with fleet management systems, transport compliance, and logistics planning.

•                          Demonstrated budget responsibility of R300m or equivalent in a large portfolio; Strong record of financial sustainability, cost control, and revenue generation; Project management (capital projects and expansions, capital renewals, or service modernisation).

KEY FUNCTIONAL/TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES:

•                          Residence Services: Knowledge of student housing policies, residence life models, and student wellbeing practices;

•                          Facility operations, maintenance planning, and compliance with health & safety standards; Residence admissions,

•                          allocations, placement and occupancy management systems.

•                          Catering Services: Large-scale catering management (menu planning, nutritional standards, food safety legislation, and operational efficiency); Supplier contract management and procurement processes; Knowledge of customer satisfaction

•                          and quality assurance methodologies in food services.

•                          Fleet & Logistics Management: Fleet operations: vehicle acquisition, lifecycle management, cost optimisation, and usage policies; Compliance with transport legislation, licensing, and road safety standards; Digital fleet management systems,

•                          reporting, and tracking.

•                          Financial & Business Acumen: Strong financial management (budgeting; forecasting, variance analysis, cost containment); Revenue generation models for residences and catering services; Contract and vendor management, including leases, service-level agreements and procurement compliance; Use of management information systems (KPls, dashboards, benchmarking tools).

•                          Operational Excellence: Project management and change management skills; Risk management and mitigation strategies across residence, catering, and fleet operations; Knowledge of university policies and regulatory frameworks; IT literacy for enterprise resource planning (ERP), facility and fleet management systems, and catering software.

KEY BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES:

•                          Leadership & People Management: Inspirational leadership with the ability to motivate and manage 400 diverse staff; Delegation and empowerment of managers and supervisors while ensuring accountability; Talent development, mentorship, and succession planning; Effective conflict management and labour relations handling.

•                          Strategic Thinking & Decision-Making: Aligns residence, catering, and fleet services with institutional strategy; Balances long-term strategic vision with short-term operational demands; Makes evidence-based, transparent decisions under pressure.

•                          Communication & Interpersonal Effectiveness: Clear, persuasive communication with executives, staff, students, and external partners; Builds trust and collaborative relationships across academic and operational environments; Strong negotiation and influencing skills with unions, contractors, and stakeholders.

•                          Student-Centric Orientation: Commitment to student well-being, inclusivity, and enhancing student experience; Sensitivity to diversity and cultural differences within a university context; Responsiveness to student needs and feedback.

•                          Personal Effectiveness: Resilience and stress tolerance in high-pressure environments; Ethical leadership and integrity in finance; HR, and operational decisions; Adaptability and agility when priorities shift; Results-driven mindset with a focus on continuous improvement and innovation.

REMUNERATION:

The annual total remuneration package will be commensurate with the level of appointment as advertised and in line with the NWU policy guidelines.

ENQUIRIES REGARDING JOB CONTENT MAY BE DIRECTED TO:                      Prof Daryl Balia on 018 299 2601

ENQUIRIES REGARDING RECRUITMENT PROCESS MAY BE DIRECTED TO:   Mr. Lionel Eksteen on 018 285 2104

CLOSING DATE:                                                                                                               22 October 2025

PLANNED COMMENCEMENT OF DUTIES:                                                             As soon as possible

Kindly note that applications must be submitted online through the official NWU vacancy website. Incomplete applications and those submitted through any other platform will not be considered.

The University subscribes to and applies the principles of the Employment Equity (EE) Act and is committed to transformation. Preference will be given to candidates from the designated groups, in accordance with the principles of the EE Act and NWU Employment Equity Plan.

The University reserves the right not to make an appointment. Communication will be limited to shortlisted candidates only.

If you are not contacted within two months from the closing date of this advertisement, please accept that your application was unsuccessful.

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