| Closing Date |
2025/07/31 |
| Reference Number |
HSR250630-1 |
| Job Type |
Permanent |
| Job Title |
SENIOR RESEARCH DIRECTOR: AISA |
| Business Area |
Africa, BRICS and Global South – AGBS |
| Department |
Africa Institute of South Africa – AISA |
| Number of Positions |
1 |
| Workplace Type |
Hybrid |
| Location – Town / City |
Pretoria |
| Location – Province |
Western Cape, Gauteng |
| Location – Country |
South Africa |
| Minimum Education Level |
NQF 10 – PhD Degree or equivalent |
| Application Closing Date |
31-Jul-2025 |
| Job Category |
Education |
| Job Advert Summary |
Within the Africa, BRICS, and the Global South (ABGS) Division, the Africa Institute of South Africa (AISA) drives the HSRC’s Pan-African research and partnership agenda. AISA serves as a catalyst for policy-relevant, interdisciplinary, and impactful research that deepens Africa’s collective capacity to address development challenges, including inequality, poverty, unemployment, and marginalisation. In doing so, AISA supports the implementation of the HSRC’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan and South Africa’s African Agenda, in alignment with the DSI’s Africa Strategy, SADC’s RISDP 2020-2030, Agenda 2063, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
AISA is seeking to appoint a visionary and experienced academic leader as:
SENIOR RESEARCH DIRECTOR: AISA
(Ref. No. HA: AISA 07/25)
Permanent Appointment |
| Minimum Requirements |
- A PhD in a relevant discipline in the social sciences, humanities, or African studies.
- At least 10 years of senior research and leadership experience, including five years at a director or professor-equivalent level.
- A strong record of scholarly publishing, with a significant number in local and international peer-reviewed journals.
- Proven success in research leadership, strategic planning, and organisational management.
- Experience in securing and managing large-scale research grants and partnerships, particularly those involving African and multilateral stakeholders.
- Demonstrated interest and expertise in African development, Pan-African policy frameworks, and knowledge diplomacy.
- Ability to lead interdisciplinary teams and deliver results in complex, fast-paced environments.
- Working knowledge of STATA, SPSS, NVivo, AtlasTI or similar packages is an advantage.
- Fluency in English and at least one other African language is highly desirable.
|
| Duties & Responsibilities |
- Lead and oversee AISA’s research, partnerships, and implementation support in alignment with HSRC’s 2025-2030 strategy, with a strong emphasis on regional integration, development justice, and science diplomacy.
- Conceptualise and implement innovative, interdisciplinary research programmes that contribute to the HSRC’s impact agenda and advance inclusive knowledge systems across the African continent.
- Produce high-quality research outputs, including policy briefs, working papers, and peer-reviewed publications.
- Foster and manage strategic partnerships with African governments, universities, research councils, multilateral agencies, and civil society actors.
- Mobilise research funding and steward large-scale, multi-country and multi-stakeholder projects.
- Support the generation, analysis, and use of spatial and other data relevant to Africa’s development.
- Champion knowledge translation and policy uptake, representing AISA and the HSRC in high-level forums across the continent and globally.
- Provide strategic leadership, mentorship, and performance management to a diverse and multidisciplinary research team.
- Contribute to internal governance, organisational development, and compliance with the HSRC’s operational policies and national legislation.
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