Chief Officer: Talent and Employability Development post level 8

Chief Officer:
Talent and Employability Development (post level
8) (Job ) - (2266)

Job Title

Chief Officer:
Talent and Employability Development (post level
8) (Job )

Organizational Unit

University of the Free State ->
Deputy Vice-Chancellor:
Academic ->
Centre for Teaching and Learning

Contract Type

Permanent

Occupational Level

Junior Management

Location

Closing Date

7/9/2026

• Lead the conceptualisation and execution of innovative career development and employability initiatives that respond to the evolving labour market.
• Contribute to the strategic leadership for the design, implementation, and continuous development of all Talent and Employability Development (TED) programmes, projects, and services.
• Co‑develop and implement a comprehensive annual Talent and Employability Development operational strategy aligned with institutional and CTL priorities, student success objectives, and employability outcomes.
• Ensure TED initiatives support the institution’s broader mission of graduate employability, societal impact, and responsible global citizenship.
• Drive the integration of national and global career development practices into institutional programming and student development initiatives.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of institutional Work Integrated Learning (WIL) initiatives.
• Participate in institutional task teams that lead the work of WIL, employability and career development.
• Lead, manage and supervise the Talent and Employability:
  Career Services team.
• Lead the human resources processes related to recruitment, onboarding, performance management and leave when necessary.

• Establish, cultivate, and sustain strategic partnerships with employer partners, industry partners, professional bodies, and external stakeholders locally, nationally, and globally.
• Serve as the primary institutional liaison for employers engaging with TED and student recruitment initiatives.
• Develop employer engagement strategies that expand internship, graduate employment, and experiential learning opportunities for students.
• Facilitate employer participation in career fairs, networking events, industry engagement programmes, and recruitment initiatives.

• Lead the development and delivery of comprehensive initiatives and activities (Educate, Engage and Enterprise) that prepare students for successful transitions into employment.
• Design and facilitate career readiness initiatives, including workshops, career weeks, employability training, and professional development opportunities.
• Ensure students have access to current information and resources related to career pathways, labour market trends, and professional opportunities.
• Promote student engagement in career development initiatives through targeted outreach and collaboration with faculties and student communities.
• Oversee student-focused initiatives and other peer‑led employability initiatives where applicable.
• Collaborate with other Student Success as well as Learning and Teaching programmes and services in the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) in optimising efforts related to student learning, development and employability.
• Oversee the operational budgeting and expenditure tracking as it related to TED:
  Career Services.

• Monitor national and global trends in career development, employability, student success and higher education to inform programme innovation.
• Engage with professional networks, research initiatives, and sector collaborations related to career development and graduate employability.
• Identify opportunities for institutional participation in national and international career development and employability initiatives, partnerships, and benchmarking activities.

• Develop and implement monitoring and evaluation systems to assess the effectiveness and impact of TED programmes and initiatives.
• Maintain quality assurance across all TED activities, events, and student engagement programmes.
• Compile institutional reports, strategic insights, and annual reviews related to TED…