Registrar

In brief

**Overview** The University of Cape Town is inviting applications for the permanent position of Registrar, with employment commencing on 1 March 2027. This is a senior executive role central to the University's governance, academic administration, and institutional regulatory environment. The Registrar reports to the Vice-Chancellor and holds University-wide responsibility for the effective functioning of key governance structures, academic administration, integrity of the academic record, legal services, secretariat and institutional records, student systems support, information governance and data privacy, and institutional compliance with applicable legislation, the UCT Statute, and Council policies. **What you will do** The successful candidate will be responsible for: * Providing strategic and executive leadership across the Office of the Registrar and contributing to the leadership, governance, and strategic direction of the University. * Serving as Secretary to Council, Senate, and Convocation, ensuring these statutory bodies and their committees are properly constituted, effectively serviced, and supported by sound governance advice, accurate records, and appropriate institutional processes. * Providing authoritative advice on the interpretation and application of the Higher Education Act, UCT Statute, institutional policies, rules, and governance requirements, and safeguarding the integrity of University governance processes. * Providing executive oversight of the University's legal services and legal affairs, including the interpretation and implementation of legislation and policy, legal compliance, and the exercise of delegated legal authority. * Leading the University's academic administration, covering student recruitment and admissions, registration, course and class administration, examinations, certification, graduations, student records, University handbooks, student systems, and associated academic-administration processes. * Safeguarding the integrity of the academic record and ensuring accurate institutional information, certification, and statutory reporting, including HEMIS returns. * Providing leadership and oversight in relation to relevant institutional compliance, information governance, data privacy, and other responsibilities assigned to the Registrar's portfolio. * Leading and developing a capable, accountable, and service-oriented professional team, including effective organisational design, workforce planning, performance management, staff development, employment relations, and transformation. * Ensuring effective financial and resource stewardship within the Registrar's portfolio, including appropriate planning, budgeting, procurement, and expenditure management. * Building and maintaining effective relationships with the University's executive and academic leadership, faculties, students, and relevant external stakeholders, including higher-education, regulatory, legal, and professional bodies, and representing UCT externally as required. * Exercising a high level of independent institutional judgement and delegated authority, including decision-making responsibility in areas such as academic administration, legal proceedings and external legal instructions, contracts within delegated authority, certain grievance and dismissal appeals, and whistle-blower matters. **Requirements (from the original advert)** * An appropriate NQF Level 9 qualification Masters degree in Law, Higher Education, Public Administration, Governance, Business Administration, Management or a related discipline. * A relevant doctoral qualification or admitted attorney status will be advantageous. * At least 10 years’ recent and relevant experience in a complex higher education environment, including substantial senior-level leadership experience in academic administration, university governance and/or legal and regulatory affairs, with demonstrated experience in strategy, institutional leadership and change management. * Demonstrated senior leadership capability, with the authority, credibility and judgement to operate effectively across complex executive, academic, governance and professional environments. * Strong strategic, conceptual and systems-thinking capability, with the ability to understand and manage the interdependencies between governance, academic administration, legal and institutional systems. * The ability to establish and sustain effective relationships and exercise influence across multiple levels of a complex institution. * Detailed knowledge of applicable higher-education legislation, governance frameworks and policies. * Demonstrated ability to provide strategic oversight of financial and resource management, risk governance and organisational sustainability within a complex higher education environment. * Demonstrated ability to drive organisational performance and effectiveness through strategic planning, performance management, continuous improvement and the alignment of people, processes and resources with institutional priorities. * Knowledge and understanding of the academic core business of a university and the institutional administrative and operational systems that support it. * Knowledge of HEMIS reporting requirements. * Financial, resource and risk management. * Demonstrated integrity and the ability to exercise sound judgement and accountability in the stewardship of institutional responsibilities and resources. **Who should apply** The ideal candidate is an accomplished senior leader with the judgement, credibility, independence, and institutional perspective required to operate across the University's executive, Council, Senate, faculties, and professional, administrative, and support structures, while effectively engaging with students and external higher-education, regulatory, and professional stakeholders. They should possess strong senior leadership capability, strategic and systems-thinking skills, and the ability to build effective relationships across a complex institution. A deep understanding of higher-education legislation, governance, and the academic core business of a university is essential, alongside proven ability in strategic financial, resource, and risk management, and driving organisational performance with integrity and sound judgement. **Deadline** 2 November 2026 **Reference** Original posting: https://www.myjobmag.co.za/job/registrar-university-of-cape-town Source: myjobmag

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At a glance

• At least 10 years of experience.

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