Job Description

PLEASE NOTE THAT ONLY FULL-TIME PERMANENT SUPPORT STAFF FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POST
KINDLY TAKE NOTE: Applications may only be submitted online through the official UFS vacancy website: https://ufs.hua.hrsmart.com/hr/ats/JobSearch/viewAll - 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).

Duties and responsibilities:
Support to the Dean

• Provide a professional service to the Dean's office by attending to all telephonic, email, and other enquiries to the Dean.
• Provide an effective interface between the office of the Dean and members of the University community, public, private, and community organisations, and business and government sectors.
• Provide support to the Dean by dealing with or referring enquiries.
• Contact and liaise with internal and external visitors and staff members who enter the Dean's office in a friendly and professional manner. This includes screening of visitors to the Dean's office.
• Help other staff of the Dean's office as and when required, to guide visitors, take messages, and make phone calls.
• Total management of the diary of the Dean, including setting up meetings with relevant departments, committees, and or external stakeholders. Making, cancelling, or changing appointments when necessary to accommodate important commitments.
• Ensure that the diary is kept up to date.
• Compile the Dean's daily programme, ensuring that he/she is familiar with it and that all the relevant documents are available.
• Alert the Dean to urgent and important matters on a day-to-day basis.
• Scrutinise and record details of all incoming mail, print out relevant messages, and prioritise according to urgency, and redirect inappropriately addressed mail to the correct quarter.
• Investigate complex queries and prepare responses/reports for the Dean.
• Maintain a pending system for following up previous correspondence and referring items to the Dean for follow-up action.
• Maintain confidentiality when dealing with sensitive and confidential information.

Office Administration

• Deal with general administration, including typing, dispatching faxes, emails, correspondence, reports, directives, schedules, references, and other documentation.
• Maintain a register of leave applications for other staff reporting to the Dean, including an overseas/special leave register of all Faculty staff.
• Ensure office compliance with safety regulations and arrange for maintenance and repairs when necessary
• Maintain a filing system.
• Monitor telephone accounts of staff reporting to the Dean and bring any discrepancies to his/her attention.

Financial Administration

• Arrange travel and accommodation bookings for the Dean.
• Obtain and appraise quotes, and process orders for all office requirements.
• Generate and process invoices and other payments relating to purchases, renewal of subscriptions, subsistence and travel, etc.
• Liaise with the Finance Department to transfer funds to the required allocation code.

Inherent requirements:

• Bachelor's degree or an advanced diploma/BTech degree/postgraduate certificate on NQF Level 7 or a three-year National Diploma on NQF Level 6 in Office Management/Administration or closely related field.
• Minimum of two (2) years of relevant administrative experience.

Recommendations:

• Three (3) years of relevant administrative experience.
• Knowledge of the PeopleSoft system, especially Finance and Human Resources systems.
• Knowledge of the procedures of the Faculty and the University (including financial procedures, faculty and UFS rules, human resources policies and procedures, and budgeting processes).
• Understanding of staff management and leadership.

Competencies
Required competencies:

• Results Orientated:

- The ability to cope with a frequently changing environment and to adapt to evolving situations.
- The ability to be reliable, responsible, dependable and to fulfil obligations.

• Strategic Thinking:

- The ability to deal with several activities at a time.
- The ability to plan work and to follow plans.

• Business Acumen:

- The ability to adhere to rules and strictly follow work regulations.
- Proficient in using MS Office.

• Leading:

- 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:

- The ability to negotiate, sell, influence and to persuade others.
- The ability to be sensitive and understanding to the needs and feelings of others.
Assumption of duties:
01 April 2026
Closing date:
1 February 2026
Salary:
The annual remuneration package, including benefits is R 447 323.31- R 562 750.48 per annum, depending on the budget available for the position, relevant work experience and qualifications.
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 feel free to contact 051 401 2558 or email or . Additionally, kindly contact 051 401 9813 / 2979 / 2876 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