Academic Manager Commerce

Job description

• Ensure that programmes comply with STADIO teaching, learning, quality assurance and regulatory standards. Monitor curriculum implementation, assessment outcomes and academic quality. Implement improvement actions and support audits, accreditation, research and community engagement activities.

• Coordinate academic staff and campus support services to ensure effective programme delivery. Manage at-risk students, academic complaints, orientation, timetabling, pastoral support, academic deadlines and communication with staff and students.

• Develop industry partnerships, applied learning opportunities and student networking initiatives. Coordinate industry seminars and relevant summer or winter programmes that strengthen workplace readiness and promote the school. This includes any community engagement projects from the campus or STADIO

• Manage programme budgets, library and specialist resources, digital learning platforms, staffing capacity and workload allocation. Ensure that academic resources support effective programme delivery and meet STADIO standards.

• Manage campus-based academic staff delivery. Support appointments, induction, mentoring, performance management and staff development. Ensure that teaching, learning and assessment practices and materials meet academic standards and that School and campus reporting remains effective.

• Represent the School at Campus MANCO and participate in relevant committees. Lead academic staff meetings, oversee academic administration and assessment requirements, meet governance deadlines, maintain accurate communication and ensure adherence to policies and standard operating procedures

• Minimum bachelor of commerce honours or post graduate equivalent qualification (NQF 8) with relevant studies in commerce.
• A relevant master’s degree/CA (SA) is advantageous

• A minimum of three years’ academic management or academic leadership experience within a higher education environment.
• A minimum of three years’ teaching or lecturing experience within a relevant law or commerce discipline.
• Demonstrated experience in managing academic programme delivery, academic calendars and institutional deadlines.
• Sound knowledge of higher education quality assurance, programme accreditation, regulatory requirements and academic governance.
• Experience in managing academic staff, including appointments, induction, workload allocation, performance management and staff development.
• Experience in supporting student retention, academic success, at-risk students and student complaints.
• Experience in analysing assessment outcomes and implementing academic or programme improvement actions.
• Proven ability to work with learning management systems and support teaching and learning in online and blended environments.
• Experience in managing budgets, academic resources and relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong communication, administrative, reporting and stakeholder-management capabilities

• Strong academic leadership and the professional credibility to guide staff and uphold academic standards.
• A student-centred approach with a clear commitment to academic success, retention and equitable support.
• Sound judgement and the ability to make balanced decisions in complex academic and operational situations.
• High levels of accountability, integrity and attention to quality, governance and regulatory compliance.
• Strong planning, organisational and time-management capabilities, with the ability to manage competing deadlines.
• Effective communication, relationship-building and conflict-management skills.
• A collaborative leadership style and the ability to work effectively across the School, campus, support services and external stakeholders.
• Adaptability, resilience and the ability to lead staff through change.
• Confidence in using digital systems, academic data and evidence to support decisions and improvement.
• A proactive, solution-focused approach with the ability to work independently and take ownership.