Job Description

The Director: Student Life and Governance provides strategic, operational, and governance leadership to the integrated Student Life and Student Governance Portfolio, ensuring the holistic development, engagement, and success of students. The role strengthens institutional governance, student leadership development, co-curricular programming, and campus culture, while assisting the Executive Director: Student Affairs, Sport, Arts and Culture with the execution of strategic responsibilities across the portfolio.
This position plays a pivotal role in advancing the University of the Free State's Vision 130 goals by creating an enabling student environment, fostering ethical governance, and developing a cohesive, supportive, and transformative student experience in line with the re-imagined Student Affairs structure and strategic direction.
Duties and responsibilities
Strategic Leadership:

• Provide strategic direction for Student Life and Student Governance, ensuring strong alignment with Vision 130 and the integrated Student Affairs, Sport, Arts and Culture portfolio.
• Assist the Executive Director in conceptualising, implementing, and monitoring strategic initiatives across Student Affairs.
• Strengthen the student experience, campus life, and governance stability through strategic programmes, systems, and partnerships.
• Lead the development and implementation of student life and student governance frameworks, policies, and standards.

Governance and Compliance:

• Oversee Student Governance, including SRC governance, student leadership structures, student constitutions, and electoral processes.
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, UFS Statute, governance protocols, and institutional policy frameworks.
• Strengthen governance systems to support ethical leadership, accountability, and transparent decision-making.
• Partner with Legal Services to ensure adherence to rules, governance instruments, and disciplinary codes.

Operational Leadership of Student Life and Governance Units:

• Oversee and provide strategic direction to the following units:

o Career Services
o Student Leadership Development
o Food Environment Programme
o KovsieACT (Co-curricular Student Development)
o Student Research & Development Office
o Student Governance

• Ensure integration, collaboration, and synergy among all units for a coherent student development and engagement model.

Student Leadership Development:

• Lead comprehensive student leadership development programmes fostering ethical leadership, governance capability, and personal growth.
• Provide mentorship and advisory support to student structures.
• Coordinate leadership pipeline development for emerging student leaders.

Student Engagement and Co-Curricular Development:

• Drive high-impact co-curricular programmes, events, and activities to enhance the student engagement ecosystem.
• Strengthen partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to broaden student learning pathways.
• Oversee and ensure quality of KovsieACT offerings, experiential learning, and graduate attribute development.

Risk, Crisis and Stability Management:

• Provide leadership during student-related crises, unrest, or governance instability.
• Work closely with the Executive Director and relevant units to ensure early identification of emerging risks and effective mitigation.
• Contribute to policy and procedure refinement to ensure institution-wide stability and student well-being.

Institutional Advisory and Representation:

• Serve as the primary advisor to the Executive Director on all student life and governance matters.
• Represent the division on relevant university committees, task teams, and governance structures.
• Provide regular reporting, analytics, and trend insights to inform executive decision-making.

People and Resource Management:

• Lead, manage, and develop staff across the integrated portfolio.
• Ensure optimal resource allocation, performance management, and staff professional development.
• Oversee budgeting and financial management for Student Life and Governance.

Inherent Job Requirements

• A master's degree on NQF Level 9 in Higher Education, Social Sciences, Public Administration, Organisational Leadership, Law, or a related field.
• A minimum of 8 years of relevant progressive management experience with 5 years at middle management level in higher education, governance, student affairs, or related environments.
• Demonstrated experience across all or most of the following areas:

o Oversight of student governance
o Leadership development
o Management of all units within this portfolio
o Strategic planning and execution
o Policy development and compliance
Competencies
Key Competencies Required:

• Results Orientated:

- The ability to set high standards, establish tough goals, and to work to achieve success.
- The ability to cope with a frequently changing environment and to adapt to evolving situations.
- The ability to maintain composure and self-control.
- The ability to deal calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

• Strategic Thinking:

- Strategic thinking and planning.
- Change leadership.
- Governance and compliance expertise.
- Stakeholder engagement and relationship-building.

• Business Acumen:

- Programme management.
- Crisis and risk management.
- Policy development.
- Conflict resolution.
- Proficient in using MS Office.

• Leading:

- The ability to maintain high levels of personal motivation, energy and enthusiasm.
- The ability to lead, take charge of situations, and offer opinions and directions to others.
- The ability to be cooperative with others, display a good-natured attitude and encourage people to work together.

• Building Coalitions:

- High emotional intelligence.
- Strong communication and negotiation skills.
- The ability to interact with others and establish personal connections with people.
KINDLY TAKE NOTE: Applications may only be submitted online through the official UFS vacancy website: - Applications submitted through any other platform will not be considered. The system allows a maximum of eight attachments. To avoid upload issues, we recommend merging some or all documents into fewer files before submitting.
INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED!
To ensure your application is complete, you must submit ALL documents listed under the inherent requirements, as well as the following standard documentation:

• A detailed Curriculum Vitae.
• Copies of your qualifications, or official proof of qualifications obtained (If you hold foreign qualifications, please include SAQA accreditation).
• A copy of your identity document (South African ID or passport for foreign nationals).
• Confirmation of employment in the form of a letter, appointment contract, service certificate, or recent payslip from your current or most recent employer (applicable to external applicants only).

Assumption of duties:
As soon as possible.
Closing date:
13 February 2026
Salary:
The salary is available on request.
Fringe benefits:
(Subject to specific conditions): pension scheme, medical aid scheme, group life insurance, housing allowance, leave and sick leave, service bonus and study benefits.
Enquiries:
For enquiries, please contact vermaakm@ufs.ac.za or phone 051 401 9329. In addition, kindly contact 051 401 9848 for assistance.
General:
The UFS is a designated employer and is committed to the pursuit of excellence, diversity, and redress in achieving its equity targets in accordance with the Employment Equity Plan of the University and its Employment Equity goals and targets. Preference will be given to candidates from the under-represented designated groups including candidates with disabilities. Our Employment Equity Plan is available at:
The University processes personal information in line with its obligations under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and any personal information provided to the University will be treated as confidential and processed in accordance with the rights provided to data subjects under POPIA.
The University reserves the right not to fill the post. The UFS will only consider applications of candidates who meet all the inherent requirements of the position. Applications that are incomplete will not be considered. Communication will be limited to shortlisted candidates only. Should you not be contacted within six weeks of the closing date for applications, you may assume that your application was unsuccessful.
Additional Information

Skills Required