Departmental Secretary: Administrator to the Director (P11) (Academic Development and Support: Centre for Psychological Services and Career Development) (Re-advert)
Position Summary
Introduction
The University of Johannesburg (UJ) is a vibrant and cosmopolitan institution, guided by its bold UJ Strategy 2035, which emphasises Societal Impact and Sustainability, Global Footprint and Partnerships, and Technology for the Future. Committed to transformative change, UJ’s mission is “To transform and serve humanity through innovation and the collective and collaborative pursuit of knowledge.” The University is guided by the vision of building “An international university of choice, anchored in Africa and the global south, dynamically shaping a sustainable future"
Job description
“Please note that the University is obligated, in terms of recent amendments to the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act 2021 (Act 13 of 2021), to assess all prospective employees (including applicants) against the National Register for Sex Offenders (NRSO). The outcome of such an assessment may have an impact upon possible employment with the University.
ADS: Centre for Psychological Services and Career Development (PsyCaD)
Job Purpose:
To provide specialised, confidential, and HPCSA governance-aligned mental health administrative coordination within PsyCaD to support psychological service delivery, crisis response processes, clinical record management, staff onboarding and student wellbeing initiatives within the Director’s office.
Responsibilities:
Client and Student Service Administration & Support:
- Provide confidential mental health administrative support within a psychological services environment, ensuring compliance with the HPCSA and UJ governance requirements.
- Coordinate staff and student appointments, referrals, and service access pathways that are received from the Director’s office.
- Maintain secure management of PsyCaD psychological data, and records per HPCSA guidelines.
- Support documentation processes including reports, referral letters, and service-related correspondence from the Director’s office.
- Manage psychological telephonic and walk-in enquiries with professionalism and sensitivity, ensuring appropriate triaging to PsyCaD staff.
Psychological Crisis Administration:
- Provide administrative coordination for student psychological crisis matters reported to Director.
- Support the Director in ensuring accurate tracking, documentation, and escalation of urgent psychological cases.
- Facilitate referrals to internal and external stakeholders in accordance with established protocols.
- Support the Director in maintaining crisis governance records.
Management Administration:
- Facilitate the onboarding of staff within PsyCaD in line with HPCSA requirements.
- Coordinate the Director’s schedule with prioritisation of urgent staff and student-related matters.
- Liaise with faculties, divisions, and external stakeholders to support integrated PsyCaD services.
- Support quality assurance processes, surveys, and reporting requirements.
- Provision of high quality and confidential administrative and secretariat support to all PsyCaD management.
- Assist with requests to the Director: PsyCaD, collect and collate information from internal and external stakeholders.
- Organise travel and monitor travel arrangements to enable effective use of time and travel budget.
Finance and Psychosocial Project Administration:
- Provide administrative support and marketing administration for all PsyCaD projects.
- Create and curate content for social media platforms including PsyCaD microsite in consultation with the Director: PsyCaD.
- Assigned PsyCaD process Coordinator.
- Ensure the provision of accurate and complete supporting documentation for financial transactions.
- Ensure effective communication with PsyCaD staff regarding internal controls, financial liability, and the management of financial risks in consultation with the Director.
Professional Administration and Community Engagement (CE):
- Professional reports and documentation as required within PsyCaD and ADS.
- Participate in collaborative projects with internal/external stakeholders when required.
Minimum requirements
- A Diploma (NQF 6) in Business, Administration or Management Studies or a related field.
- Three (3) years’ mental health administrative experience within a student counselling in a higher education environment.
- Proven experience in providing administrative support to a Senior Manager within a higher education environment.
- Proven experience in supporting psychological crisis coordination and student wellbeing initiatives.
- Proven experience in institutional financial administration and related systems.
- Proven experience in facilitating the onboarding of sessional staff.
- Proven experience in mental health client management administration systems (practice management).
- Proven experience in working with confidential and HPCSA regulated administrative processes.
- Experience in administration of psychosocial departmental projects.
- Computer literacy and proficiency in MS Office/365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and One Drive) and other relevant software.
Recommendations:
- More than five (5) years’ mental health administrative experience within a student counselling higher education environment.
- More than two (2) years’ experience in providing administrative support to a Senior Manager within a higher education environment.
- Demonstrated ability of working with data protection requirements of the HPCSA.
- Experience in working with persons with disabilities.
- Extensive knowledge of UJ Procurement and Finance Policies and Procedures.
- Experience in social media coordination for student-focused psychosocial projects.
- Experience in CPD/workshop administration.
Competencies and Behavioral Attributes:
- Demonstrated ability to exercise discretion, sound judgement, and emotional maturity when managing psychologically sensitive or crisis-related matters.
- Proficiency in the use of social media and online/cloud platforms.
- Knowledge of structure and content of the appropriate language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar.
- Knowledge of the higher education environment.
- Knowledge of UJ financial and practice management systems.
- Knowledge of change management.
- Knowledge of the requirements associated with operating within a counselling service environment.
- Good problem-solving skills and ability to use independent judgment to manage and impart confidential information.
- Ability to make professional decisions and work with others.
- Able to critically reflect on all aspects of own contribution to the role and a commitment to continuous improvement and creative ways of working within a multidisciplinary team.
- Good administration and reporting skills, including report writing.
- Ability to work within strict ethical guidelines.
- Availability to work flexibly (after hours) and travel as appropriate to meet the needs of UJ.
- Ability to handle students with diplomacy, tact, and sensitivity.
Your application, comprising of a detailed Curriculum Vitae as well as the names and full contact details (including telephone numbers and e-mail addresses) of at least three traceable and credible referees must be uploaded before or on the closing date of the advertised post. Please also attach the following: a copy of your highest academic qualification, proof of registration with professional bodies you might belong to and if applying for an academic position, a list of accredited research output and/ or a portfolio of your creative output.
If you require technical support / assistance on the UJ e-recruitment website, please contact our service provider PNET on the following contact details: 0861 227337/010 140 3099 or email ujsupport@pnet.co.za.
Candidates may be subjected to appropriate psychometric testing and other selection instruments.
In conjunction to merit on the basis of qualifications, experience and proven achievements the University of Johannesburg is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for persons with disabilities and those individuals from the historically disadvantaged groups. As necessitated by operational requirements the University reserves the right not to make an appointment to positions advertised. If you have not received a response from the University within 8 weeks of the closing date, you should assume that your application has been unsuccessful.
Please note that the University is obligated, in terms of recent amendments to the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act 2021 (Act 13 of 2021), to assess all prospective employees (including applicants) against the National Register for Sex Offenders (NRSO). The outcome of such an assessment may have an impact upon possible employment with the University.