Senior Director: Transdisciplinary Ocean Sciences Programme

Senior Director: Transdisciplinary Ocean Sciences Programme

Recruiter

Phaki Personnel

Job Ref

JHB000291/A

Date posted

Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Location

Port Elizabeth, South Africa

SUMMARY

JOB PURPOSE

• Direct and cohere all strategic aspects of ocean sciences at the organization, including developing and implementing a forward-looking strategy to create an enabling and conducive ecosystem for academic, operational, and service delivery excellence.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• A relevant doctoral degree or equivalent
• A minimum of 10 years’ experience in a senior management role in an organization of significant size and complexity.
• Demonstrated experience in managing complex systems and projects and leading inter- and transdisciplinary teams.
• Proven success in fostering collaborative partnerships and networks at local, national, continental, and international levels.

POSITION INFO

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategically lead and manage the following areas with respect to Ocean Sciences:

• Provide visionary, strategic, transformational, and transformative leadership and management of Ocean Sciences as a transversal priority.
• Coordinate and facilitate a transdisciplinary approach to ocean sciences learning and teaching, under- and postgraduate programme and curriculum development, and short learning programmes in collaboration with the Deputy Vice-Chancellors, all faculties, entities and Research Chairs.
• Coordinate and facilitate transdisciplinary Ocean Sciences research, postgraduate studies, innovation, and internationalisation in collaboration with the Deputy Vice-Chancellors, all faculties, entities and research chairs
• Strategically direct and manage collaborative transdisciplinary engagements, networks and partnerships in ocean sciences with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders nationally, on the African continent, and internationally in collaboration with the Deputy Vice-Chancellors and all faculties, entities and Research Chairs.
• Strategically direct and manage human, financial, and infrastructural (physical and digital) resources for ocean sciences in close collaboration with the Ocean Sciences Stakeholder Forum and relevant MANCO portfolios.
• Strategically direct and manage the branding and strategic positioning of Transdisciplinary Ocean Sciences Programme through impactful outreach, stakeholder engagement, communication, and marketing.
• Advance the long-term sustainability of the Programme through innovative, strategy-aligned resource mobilisation, budgeting and stewardship.