DIRECTOR (3 YEAR FIXED-TERM APPOINTMENT) - UKZN HEALTH CONSORTIUM
Position summary
Introduction
Job description
- The UKZN Health Consortium aims to establish a centralised Shared Services hub that streamlines governance, finance, human resources, legal oversight, intellectual property, and grant administration.
- This infrastructure is designed to liberate academics from administrative burdens, enabling them to concentrate on specialist research and translational impact.
- By managing complex donor-funded and contract research activities, the Consortium fosters an entrepreneurial culture rooted in rigorous business controls to ensure sustainable growth.
- A key objective is to integrate clinical services, professional consultancies, and turnkey platforms for trials, diagnostics, and health-care delivery, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and impact.
- The Consortium is committed to building and maintaining strategic alliances with government, industry, NGOs, and international research bodies to strengthen collaborative efforts
- The role is pivotal in driving institutional transformation, aligning with UKZN’s Project Renewal, and fostering ethical governance and inclusive impact across research, teaching, clinical services, and community engagement.
- The Director will champion a bold vision for health innovation, positioning UKZN as a continental leader in translational research and integrated health-care delivery.
- By empowering academics to lead in areas such as professional consultancies, collaborative research, drug formulation and distribution, and clinical testing, the Consortium will unlock new pathways for academic entrepreneurship and societal benefit.
- This position is designed to catalyse the critical development of UKZN’s capacity to bridge public and private sector partners—both locally and internationally—fostering alliances that accelerate translational health innovations, expand service reach, and deliver measurable benefits to South African and continental communities.
Minimum requirements
- PhD or Medical Doctorate degree or in a related field (e.g. public health, medicine, clinical / applied psychology, nursing)
- Registration with the appropriate Health Professions Council
- A minimum of 5 (five) years’ leadership experience in health research, innovation, or academia
Essential Requirements:
- Proven success in securing funding, leading teams, and driving impact
- Established connections in the health sector, academia, and industry
- Extensive knowledge of health systems
- Extensive knowledge of intellectual property
- Strategic planning and implementation
- Leadership and team management
- Stakeholder engagement and partnership building
- Fundraising and resource mobilization
- Financial management and risk management
- Visionary leadership
- Collaborative mindset
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Advantages:
- A postgraduate qualification in business-related studies will be an advantage.
The closing date for receipt of applications is 24 October 2025. The University reserves the right not to make any appointment.
Applicants are required to complete the relevant application form which is available by clicking the following link: https://hr.ukzn.ac.za/forms/
Kindly note that the University of KwaZulu-Natal (“the University”) is required to process any Personal Information (as defined by the Protection of Personal Act, 2013 “POPIA”) submitted by candidates when applying for positions at the University. The provision of the Personal Information is a requirement in terms of the University’s recruitment and selection process. The retention of any personal information is as a consequence of the University being bound by legislative requirements and / or good governance practices as well as record keeping for statistical purposes. The University will endeavor to ensure that the appropriate security measures are in place and implemented for both electronic and paper-based formats that are used for processing of the personal information recorded through this recruitment and selection process.
The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) is committed to meeting the objectives of Employment Equity to improve representivity within the Institution. Preference will be given to applicants from designated groups in accordance with our Employment Equity Plan.
- Please do not send us copies of your degree and other certificates. We will request certified copies if you are short listed for interview.
- Please read the advertisement carefully. We do not consider applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements.
- The University is committed to Employment Equity.
- The University reserves the right not to fill a vacancy.
- Should you not hear from us within six weeks of the closing date, please assume you are unsuccessful
- Please familiarise yourself with the University’s Section 18 Notice regarding the processing of your Personal Information.
