Senior Manager (P6) (Human Capital Management Division: Organisational Development)
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.
Job Description:
The Human Capital Management Division within the University plays a crucial role in the University’s people management philosophy and processes, leadership development, instilling a culture of organisational citizenship behaviour, management of institutional culture and the implementation of strategies to optimally manage compensation expenditure.
We are seeking a visionary and strategic Senior Manager: Organisational Development to lead transformational people and organisational initiatives that will shape a high-performing, agile and future-fit institution.
This is an exceptional opportunity for a seasoned OD leader who thrives in complexity, influences at executive level, and is passionate about building cultures where people and performance flourish.
Why this role matters:
You will play a pivotal leadership role in advancing UJ's strategic priorities by driving organisational effectiveness, strengthening leadership capabilities, and embedding a high-performance culture across the institution. Your work will directly influence how we design, develop, and enable our people to deliver on UJ's ambitious goals.
What you will lead:
As a strategic OD partner to executive leadership, you will:
Drive organisational effectiveness
- Lead the design and optimisation of organisational structures and operating models
- Provide strategic advice to senior leadership on organisational design and effectiveness
- Enable a future-ready, agile institutional workforce
- Oversee and continuously improve the institutional performance management framework
- Align individual, team, and organisational performance to strategic priorities
- Embed a culture of accountability, feedback, and continuous development
- Design and implement integrated talent management and succession strategies
- Identify critical roles and build robust leadership pipelines
- Partner with leaders to enhance management and leadership capability
- Drive structured change management across strategic initiatives
- Support leaders through complex organisational change
- Monitor and manage people impact to ensure sustainable adoption
- Oversee job evaluation, role profiling, and grading governance
- Contribute to reward and recognition strategies aligned to performance and affordability
- Strengthen and refine a compelling Employee Value Proposition (EVP)
- Partner with executive leadership, organised labour, and key stakeholders
- Provide strategic insights, reporting, and recommendations to senior leadership
- Ensure compliance with relevant legislation and governance frameworks
Minimum requirements
- Postgraduate qualification in Industrial Psychology/Human Resources Management or equivalent (NQF Level 8)
- Five (5) to eight (8) years’ experience in organisational design, change management, talent and performance management
- At least 3 years in a senior management role
- Demonstrated facilitation and stakeholder engagement at executive level
- Demonstrated capability in project management
Competencies and Behavioural Attributes:
- Strategic and analytical thinker
- Strong business and organisational acumen
- Influential communicator and facilitator
- High resilience and ability to operate in complex environments
- Sound judgement and decision-making
- Excellent reporting and presentation skills
Recommendations:
- Master’s degree in Industrial Psychology or Human Resources Management.
- Professional registration with SABPP or relevant professional body.
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.
