Director African Energy Leadership Centre(Three to Five year contract position)

Wits Business School, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management

The African Energy Leadership Centre (AELC) is a recently established centre within the Wits Business School (WBS). It seeks to produce a new generation of energy leaders able to develop Africa’s energy resources and to address energy poverty in Africa. It offers cutting edge post graduate academic programmes targetted at emerging leaders within the energy sector, conducts research and reaches out to the energy community.

The WBS is an internationally recognised business school in Africa, with over 50 years of experience in business education and has over decades spearheaded innovation, teaching and research excellence in South Africa. The school is based in the economic hub of South Africa and is in easy proximity of the country’s most vibrant cities. Our faculty come from 12 different countries, are predominantly African, but are also from the US, UK, Holland and Germany. 98% of our full time faculty are PhD qualified, and all of our full professors are NRF rated researchers.

We have around 1400 postgraduate students each year and significantly more executive education delegates. The School is at the centre of regular media events and topical debates showcasing opinion leadership from both business and academia.

We seek to fill the vacancy of the AELC Director. The position can be filled at the level of Professor or Associate Professor (applicants should hold a PhD and must provide evidence of substantial scholarly work published in refereed journals) OR at the level of Adjunct Professor (a practitioner of stature with a distinguished record in the energy field). The successful applicant will have a good understanding of the wider energy sector in the country, the region and globally.

The ideal candidate is expected to work closely with Senior Academics, energy industry leaders and students.

Reporting to a Steering Committee and the Head of School, the Director will strategically lead and manage delivery of the academic, research and outreach programmes for the AELC. The successful candidate will be expected to translate the Centre vision and strategy into delivery of high quality academic, research and outreach programmes.

The incumbent will be expected to:

• Take overall responsibility for the AELC’s suite of academic programmes and degrees and perform the functions of Programme Director
• Maintain a sustainable business model and strategy for the Centre, including developing its relationships with communities inside and outside the university.
• Move the Centre along the path towards being a globally recognised centre of excellence in the energy field
• Ensure that the academic programmes offered are at the cutting edge
• Manage the finance and budgeting of the AELC including administering and implementing funding agreements and fundraising
• Manage clients and raise additional funds to take the work into the future
• Develop and maintain high functioning networks and partnerships in South Africa, across the African continent and globally, with energy firms, universities, think tanks, multilateral organisations, and governments.
• Grow the AELC brand as a recognisable African brand of global energy excellence

Qualifications:

• S/he should have the prerequisite qualifications iro the level of the application (Professor/Associate Professor/Adjunct Professor)
• S/he should have at least 10 years’ experience in the energy sector including petroleum, gas, electricity and renewables.
• Possess excellent written and verbal communication skills (fluency in English)

Previous experience in academia and recognition as a scholar will be added advantages.

How to Apply  

Internal employees are invited to apply directly on Oracle by following the path: iWits /Self Service application/” Apply for a job”

External applicants are invited to apply, by registering your profile on the Wits i-recruitment platform located at https://irec.wits.ac.za  and submitting your application.

Your application must be supported with a covering letter and a CV that includes the name, address and contact details, (including email addresses) of three referees, copies of qualifications, professional memberships and the copy of identity.

The University is committed to employment equity. In accordance with our Employment Equity goals and plan, preference will be given to suitable applicants from designated groups, as defined in the Employment Equity Act, 55 of 1998 and subsequent amendments thereto. The University reserves the right not to appoint if suitable candidates are not found.

Email applications will not be accepted. Only those sent through the I-Recruitment platform will be considered.

For enquiries, please contact Professor Rod Crompton at Roderick.Cromton@wits.ac.za

Closing date for applications: 19 May 2020