Executive Director: People & Culture (N000755)
Listing reference: nwu_003660
Listing status: Online
Apply by: 15 August 2025
Position summary
Industry: Education & Training
Job category: University and Academy
Location: Potchefstroom
Contract: Fixed Term Contract
Remuneration: Market Related
About our company
NWU
Introduction
PURPOSE OF THE POSITION
The Executive Director: People and Culture (ED: PC) is an integral member of the North-West University (NWU) top management team (UMC), and as such co-responsible for the development and the overall implementation of strategy of the NWU. The ED: PC brings an in-depth knowledge of human resource management to the top management team. As the most senior human resource leader in the organisation, the incumbent is responsible for and accountable to lead in the execution of all activities in the divisions created for this purpose.
Job description
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Strategy Development
- Create and implement a human resource management strategy aligned to the overall strategy to enable the NWU to attract, motivate and retain the calibre of staff required for the university to accomplish its goals in a sustainable manner.
Human Resource Management
- Talent management (Staffing): Design, implement and manage an integrated talent-driven strategy to attract, deploy and develop a sustainable pool of talent for current and future organisation needs, as identified in the workforce plan.
- Learning and development: Provide occupationally directed and other relevant learning activities that will enhance knowledge, skills and behavior of employees for optimal organisational performance and sustainability.
- Performance management: Implement and maintain a planned process of directing, supporting and improving individual and team performance.
- Reward and recognition: Design, implement and maintain a competitive total reward system to attract and retain high-calibre staff, ensuring equitability and legal compliance.
- Employment equity: Create, implement, maintain and communicate to management an Employment Equity Plan, inclusive of all legislative reporting activities required.
- Employee wellness: Manage all activities required to ensure a healthy work and social environment, enabling team and individual wellness to enable optimal performance in alignment with organisational strategy and goals.
- Employment relations management: Manage individual and collective relationships in the organisation through implementation of good practices to ensure achievement of organisational objectives and compliance with the legislative framework and social-economic conditions.
- Organisation development: Implement planned systemic change management processes to continually improve the organisation’s effectiveness and efficiency.
- Human resource technology and measurement: Ensure the effective utilisation of technology to provide human resources staff as well as line management with the tools and information required for efficiency and effectiveness HR services and in support of effective decision making.
- Student affairs: oversee the governance and management of organised student life on the campuses.
Financial and Staff Management
- Responsible for providing strategic and expert functional leadership to the human resources team, wherever deployed; management of all activities necessary for optimal management of the human resources team and ensuring efficient and effective coordination of activities between human resources which are centrally located and locally deployed human resources teams. This includes but is not limited to:
- Maintenance of a high performing team,
- Supporting, implementing and embracing the positive advantages of implementing the transformation, diversity and employment equity goals of the university.
- Design, support and oversee cross-functional teams throughout the university.
- Continuously innovate towards process improvements and improved quality of service delivery.
- Keeping informed of developments in the fields of human resource management, not-for-profit management and governance, and the specific business of the university and use this information to help the university to operate with effectively and efficiently.
- Ensuring that evaluation systems are in place related to the divisional goals and objectives and report progress to the Vice- Chancellor and Council.
People and Culture Policies and Practices
- People and Culture practices, policy design aligned to strategy and in conformance to regulatory requirements.
- Policy implementation and effectiveness - joint accountability.
- Desired people practice profile design and practice development.
- Edge-creating practice development and constant enhancement.
- People practice application monitoring, advice and joint accountability for application.
Ad-hoc duties
- Fulfil functions pertaining to the position as well as other duties that may, from time to time, be entrusted to the incumbent by the Vice- Chancellor Mentor and provide professional guidance to junior investigators.
Management and Leadership Results Areas
- People and Culture unit team composition and effectiveness.
- People and Culture sub-unit team composition and effectiveness joint accountability.
- Co-worker effectiveness and joint accountability for team effectiveness.
- Stakeholder relationship development and effectiveness.
- Corporate governance, conformance, reporting and risk management.
- Budgeting, cost management and cost-effectiveness.
- Unit processes and systems design, utilisation, effectiveness and efficiency.
- Personal effectiveness, wholeness and development.
- Values-based behaviour leadership and personal compliance.
Minimum requirements
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
- A master’s degree in Human Resource Management/ Strategic Human Resource Leadership/ Labour Law/ Industrial Psychology/ Business Administration /Organisational Strategy Development/ Change Management & Transformation/ Talent & Performance Management/ People & Culture Innovation (NQF level 9).
- A minimum of ten (10) years’ specialist/operational human resources experience of which seven (7) years should be on senior management level and three (3) within the higher education environment.
- Registration with a relevant professional body would be advanteagous.
KEY FUNCTIONAL/TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES:
- Proven knowledge in the design and execution of human resource management activities at a senior management level.
- Mature knowledge of functional areas within the human resources or related domain.
- Working knowledge of most functional areas within human resources.
- Demonstrable knowledge and ability in developing and managing budgets, and hiring, training, developing, supervising and appraising a large team.
- Excellent communicator, both orally and written, with ability to influence and persuade across all levels of the organization and demonstrated ability to partner with executive staff.
- Demonstrated ability to make sound policy, programming and operational decisions.
- High level of integrity and dependability with a strong sense of urgency and results-orientation.
- Demonstrated ability to lead large teams.
- Strong problem solving, analytical and abstract reasoning skills.
KEY BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES:
- The ability to work in a multilingual and multi-campus environment.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Excellent interpersonal skills.
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 Marlene Verhoef on 018 299 2611
ENQUIRIES REGARDING RECRUITMENT PROCESS MAY BE DIRECTED TO: Mr Esrom Phungo on 018 299 4818
CLOSING DATE: 15 August 2025
PLANNED COMMENCEMENT OF DUTIES: As soon as possible
Kindly take note: 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 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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