Director: Environmental Learning Research Centre

The Department of Secondary and Post School Education, Environmental Learning Research Centre invites suitably qualified candidates to join their team.

At Rhodes University, all programmes contribute to the university's mission to be foremost in generating and advancing locally responsive and globally engaged knowledge that seeks to create a just and sustainable society.

Within this broader mission, and aligned with the vision and mission of the University, in the Education Faculty all academics are responsible for the creation and/or co creation of knowledge (research), sharing of (dissemination), and critical engagement with knowledge (teaching and learning), community engagement and professional involvement in their field beyond the university. With this, we recognise differences in the execution of these responsibilities within the various departments, disciplines, faculties, research centres, and institutes in the faculty and the university more widely. Academics are also expected to assume administrative, management, and/or leadership duties at the departmental, faculty, and/or university levels.

In the case of this position, the incumbent will be required to provide academic, administrative, and management leadership roles to enable the sustainability and flourishing of a research centre in the Department of Secondary and Post School Education, namely the Environmental Learning Research Centre. The ELRC is a leading research centre for the study of Environment and Sustainability Education in Africa. Its core objective is 'To facilitate critical and innovative environmental learning and related research for just, transformative societies and sustainable environments in Africa and the global South'. It aims to

• Produce credible knowledge of education, training and social learning practices focusing on African social ecological contexts and issues.
• Provide tailored educational products and services to enhance educational quality and innovation in Africa and the global South.
• Strengthen and contribute to durable knowledge institutions and African networks promoting social ecological resilience and sustainability education.
• Promote and disseminate quality knowledge products by African scholars and practitioners on environment, sustainability, and learning.
• Undertake focused advocacy with influential public and development agencies.

The role of the Director of the ELRC will involve inter alia, academic, administrative and strategic management leadership to advance the following areas: teaching and learning; research; community engagement; and partnership building in the field of Environment and Sustainability Education.

The leadership contribution of this position should be evidenced firstly and foremost within the Research Centre, and through this at Departmental, Faculty and Institutional levels. It will involve providing academic (research, teaching, and supervision), as well as professional leadership and administrative management in Directing and leading the research programmes of the Environmental Learning Research Centre, which includes partnership building, fundraising and management to advance the objectives of the Research Centre.

The position will involve collaboration with the two research Chairs currently based in the ELRC, who will also provide mentoring support to the Director in the first few years of the position as required and relevant to the position.

• PhD in Education (Environment and Sustainability Education or closely related education or learning science fields) and at least 5 years of research project/programme management leadership and experience.
• At least 5 years of experience in providing research leadership and research project and/or programme management in the field of Environment and Sustainability Education (ESE) / Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) or a closely related education or learning sciences field, with a multi institutional, national and international focus or reach.
• Research supervision of Master's and PhD degrees will be a strong advantage and/or extensive complementary experience supervising complex research teams and projects involving post graduate scholars at an international level with more complex partnership structures.
• Emerging international profile in the field.
• Teaching in Environment and Sustainability Education (ESE) / Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) or a closely related field, preferably at post graduate levels.
• Track record of administration, management, and project management leadership roles, including project or programme fundraising, programme management and management of strategic partnerships in project, programme and/or institutional contexts.
• The ability to speak more than one South African language will be an advantage.

• PhD in Education (Environment and Sustainability Education or closely related education or learning science fields) and at least 3 years of research project/programme management leadership and experience.
• At least 3 years of experience in providing research leadership and research project and/or programme management in the field of Environment and Sustainability Education (ESE) / Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) or a closely related education or learning sciences field, with a multi institutional, national and international focus or reach.
• Research supervision of Master's degrees will be a strong advantage and/or extensive complementary experience supervising complex research teams and projects involving post graduate scholars at the national level with smaller groups of partners.
• National profile in the field.
• Teaching in Environment and Sustainability Education (ESE) / Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) or a closely related field, preferably at post graduate levels, may also include teaching in professional and/or community engaged contexts and/or undergraduate level.
• Track record of administration, management, and project management leadership roles, including project or programme fundraising, programme management and management of strategic partnerships in project, programme and/or institutional contexts.
• The ability to speak more than one South African language will be an advantage.

Basic Pensionable Salary per annum: R

Cost to Company per annum (Approximately): R

Basic Pensionable Salary per annum: R

Cost to Company per annum (Approximately): R

01 June 2026

Rhodes University strongly encourages South African members of under represented designated groups as well as persons with disabilities to apply. Spouses and partners of existing staff members are also encouraged to apply.

All appointments are made in line with the requirements of the Employment Equity Act of 55 of 1998, as amended, the Immigration Act No. 13 of 2022 and the University's Recruitment and Selection policies.

All applications will be treated in strict confidence. This post is advertised as a permanent post, but the University may opt to appoint on a fixed term contract of not less than three years. The University reserves the right not to proceed with the filling of the post. An application in itself does not entitle the applicant to an interview. Employment checks will be conducted on recommended candidates.