About this role
STUDENT DEVELOPMENT OFFICER (Permanent, Payclass 10) Umthombo Centre for Student Success FACULTY OF HUMANITIES Umthombo Centre for Student Success, in the Humanities Faculty at the University of Cape Town (UCT), is seeking qualified professionals for the permanent post of Student Development Officer (Registered Practitioner) for an appointment starting as soon as possible. The successful candidate will provide psycho-social services and functions including brief assessment consultations, counselling, psychoeducation and programmatic mental health promotion within a diverse academic unit. The successful candidate will manage the Humanities First-year Mentorship Programme and deliver short-term clinical and psychoeducational interventions within their scope of practice as well as group support sessions. The Registered Practitioner must work under the regulations of the professional Board of Psychology and the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Requirements for the job: A Master’s degree (NQF level 9) in Clinical Psychology or Counselling Psychology Current registration with the HPCSA as a Registered Practitioner Professional Indemnity insurance or willingness to obtain this upon being appointed At least three years’ post-qualifying experience in a Higher Education or related environment Evidence of counselling skills and experience Demonstrable personal accountability and commitment to student support A strong interest in and an empathic attitude to students Skills and sensitivity to engage students on mental health matters in forums and similar settings Leadership and management ability and capacity Ability to manage budgets and finances The following will be advantageous: Ability to build relationships with the student population Ability to work with a diverse team Ability to adapt to virtual counselling modes as needed Responsibilities include but are not limited to: Conducting basic assessments of students with psychological and psychosocial problems and referring for further support where appropriate Supporting the Faculty Readmission Committee with psycho-social expertise and conducting follow-ups with affected students Organising and managing psycho-social support groups for students required by their readmission conditions to avail themselves for such programmes Managing the Humanities First-year Mentorship Programme, including appointing and managing a team of mentor coordinators In the case of a psychiatric emergency, arranging and following up on admission to an appropriate hospital Preparing and maintaining appropriate documentation, clinical notes and correspondence Participating in university activities for mental health promotion Managing the Student Development Office budget and conducting all other administrative tasks related to the role The annual remuneration package, including benefits is between R661, 967 to R778, 783 To apply, please visit the UCT Jobs site ( www.jobs.uct.ac.za to create a candidate profile and to submit your application. Please complete/attach the following to your profile before submitting your application: Cover letter that speaks to the specific requirements of the position. Curriculum Vitae (CV). Current registration with HPCSA Copies of relevant qualifications and ID Three referee names which must include their title and name, position details, relationship to you, their e-mail address and telephone number. An application which does not comply with the above requirements will be regarded as incomplete and will not be considered. Only candidates shortlisted for an interview will be contacted and may be required to undergo a competency test. Any enquiries for the position to be addressed to Ms. Natasha Khan at [email protected] or 021650 3469 Website: https://humanities.uct.ac.za/hum-lsu Reference ID 1447 Closing date: 28th August 2026 UCT is a designated employer and is committed to the pursuit of excellence, diversity and redress in achieving its equity targets in accordance with the Employment Equity Plan of the University and its Employment Equity goals and targets. Preference will be given to candidates from the under-represented designated groups. Our Employment Equity Policy is available at www.hr.uct.ac.za/hr/policies/employ_equity When you apply for a position at UCT, we collect your personal information to assess your application, communicate with you, and coordinate interview logistics. Information such as race, gender, nationality, and disability status is used to support our Employment Equity obligations. We also verify your references, qualifications, conduct criminal and, for certain roles, credit checks. For more information about how the University of Cape Town uses personal information and your rights, please email [email protected]. The University reserves the right to extend the closing date for applications if deemed necessary and reserves the right to make no appointment.