Job Description

Duties/Pligte
Defining the scope, objectives, and deliverables of the project. Executing if these were already predefined in an existing project. Creating a comprehensive project plan, including schedules, tasks, and resource allocation. Depending on the type of project, developing a budget and managing project finances. Assembling a project team, defining roles and responsibilities, and fostering a collaborative and productive working environment. This requires collaborating with academic, administrative, and technical stakeholders; ensuring alignment and integration. Motivating and guiding team members to meet project goals and deadlines. Ensuring effective communication within the team and with stakeholders. Identifying potential risks and issues that could affect the project's success. Developing and implementing risk mitigation strategies. Monitoring and addressing issues as they arise to keep the project on track. Allocating and managing project resources, including personnel, equipment, and software. Ensuring that team members have the necessary tools and support to complete their tasks. Managing the project's scope, and making sure that changes are documented and approved. Preventing scope creep, if possible, which can lead to project delays and increased costs. Documenting changes and any additional costs that are incurred. Establishing quality standards and processes to ensure that project deliverables meet the required specifications. Conducting quality assessments and audits to maintain high standards. Acting as a primary point of contact for project stakeholders, including clients, sponsors, and upper management. Unless defined by a project as a shared responsibility with the project owner. Keeping stakeholders informed about project progress, issues, and changes. Preparing and delivering regular status reports and presentations. Monitoring project timelines and deadlines. Adjusting schedules and priorities as necessary to keep the project on track. Using project management tools and techniques to manage time effectively. Monitoring and controlling project costs to ensure that the project stays within budget. (Depends on the project type.) Tracking expenditures and discussing budget adjustments with the project owner as needed. Maintaining comprehensive project documentation, including project plans, defining and managing charters, governance logs, milestone tracking, schedules, reports, and change logs (some via JIRA). Ensuring that the project documentation is well-organised and accessible to team members and stakeholders. Identifying and acquiring the necessary materials, services, and equipment for the project. Managing vendor relationships and contracts, if applicable. Ensuring that all project components are integrated smoothly and working together as intended. Coordinating dependencies between different parts of the project. Building and maintaining strong relationships with project stakeholders. Addressing stakeholder needs, concerns, and expectations throughout the project. Reviewing and analysing the project's performance to identify areas for improvement. Implementing lessons learned and best practices in future projects. Evaluating project outcomes against initial objectives and deliverables. Preparing a project closure report and facilitating the transition of project results to the operational phase.



Job Requirements/Pos Vereistes
At least an NQF Level 7 qualification in the relevant field. Formal project management certification (e.g. ITIL, PRINCE2, Agile/Scrum). Formal or demonstrated experience in change management practices (e.g., Prosci, ADKAR, or equivalent frameworks). Strong written and verbal communication abilities, with active listening skills. At least five years' experience of managing IT projects in a higher education environment. Familiarity with project management tools (JIRA, SmartSheets, MS Project, or similar). Highly organised with a focus on planning and execution. Proven ability to collaborate at all levels of an organisation. Excellent problem-solving and root-cause analysis capabilities. The ability to work in a team-oriented, collaborative environment. Adaptability to work with both Agile and traditional project management methodologies. High attention to detail, with a strong focus on stakeholder value and sustainable outcomes.



Recommendation/Aanbeveling
Experience in working with academic staff, research, IT teams and university leadership to drive digital transformation. Experience and familiarity with academic calendars, institutional reporting cycles, and South African regulatory frameworks (e.g., POPIA, HEQSF). * Experience in working in higher education or public-sector IT environments.