PROFESSOR/ ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR (AC.05.3)

Job description

PROFESSOR/ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR (AC.05.3)

Location: Johannesburg, South Africa.
Organization: School of Construction Economics and Management, Wits University.

Description

The School of Construction Economics and Management is one of the 33 (thirty-three) Schools within Wits University, Johannesburg and one of seven (7) within the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at Wits University.

The School offers undergraduate programmes in Construction Studies and Property Studies, postgraduate programmes at Honours, PG Diploma, Masters and PhD levels in the areas of Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, Property Development and Management, Real Estate, and Facilities Management, and executive education programmes in construction and property disciplines.

We recently started offering new Postgraduate Diploma programmes in Construction Project Management, Construction Management, Construction Health and Safety Management, Infrastructure Procurement and Delivery Management, and Construction Law and Contract Management.

Current enrolment in the School stands around 1500 students of which 46% are undergraduates and 54% are postgraduates.

We are a thriving School and our programmes are accredited locally and internationally by SACQSP, SACPCMP, SACPVP, RICS, CIOB and IREM.
We are the largest School in our field in South Africa and our vision is to be a collaborative, healthy and self‑sustainable team that works effectively to achieve high research output and impactful education internationally.

The School has an Industry Advisory Board comprising leaders of industry drawn from the construction and property sectors.

Our enrolment numbers have grown significantly in recent years, and we strive to provide a high quality education experience to all our students.

Our graduates occupy key positions in industry and are in some cases preferred by employers.
The school currently has a complement of 31 academic staff across various built environment disciplines and is now significantly expanding its staffing complement to support demand for its offerings and seeks to appoint experienced full‑time academics to drive research and teaching in the following fields: Project Management, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Facilities Management and Property Studies/Real Estate.

Research Themes

• Digitalization of the Built Environment
• Infrastructure Procurement and Delivery Management
• Real Estate and Infrastructure Finance and Management
• Sustainability in the Built Environment

Preference for Applicants

For Project Management positions, preference will be given to candidates with a construction or engineering management background who are capable of teaching in quantitative areas such as project control, project lifecycle analysis and quantitative risk analysis.

We are particularly interested in candidates who are able to provide quantitative methodological support to research supervision.

These positions may be particularly suitable for a candidate with a terminal degree in Management Sciences or Operations Research.
For Construction Management or Quantity Surveying positions, preference will be given to candidates with strong exposure to international best practice in areas such as measurement, procurement, contract management green building, sustainability, building services, health safety and wellness, and site production management, particularly in the use of digital technologies and AI in QS and CM practice including Building Information Modelling, Digital simulation and modelling and be able to integrate their use into teaching and learning and research.
For Facilities Management, Property or Real Estate positions, preference will be given to candidates who can teach applied quantitative methods in real estate such as Valuation, Applied Econometrics, Applied Corporate Finance, Real Estate Finance, Portfolio Analysis and Asset Management to undergraduate and postgraduate students and provide quantitative methodological support to research supervision and who have a track record of research on asset and facilities management, property and infrastructure finance and financial modelling.
The candidate’s qualifications and extent of relevant experience will determine the level of appointment.

Qualifications and Experience Of Candidates

• For Associate Professor Rank, Applicants
  • Must be holders, of a PhD in a built environment or business management qualification with experience lecturing in fields such as Project Management & Property Studies/Real estate
  • Should ideally be registered members of international or local professional bodies such as RICS, CIOB, SACPCMP, and/or SACQSP
  • Should be able to demonstrate evidence of excellence in teaching, course development and academic administration planning
  • Should be able to demonstrate substantial evidence of post graduate supervision to completion at doctoral level and below
  • Should have a track record of successful publication locally and internationally evidenced through citations and metrics such as Scopus or Web of Science
  • Should be able to demonstrate leadership of local and/or international collaborations
  • Have a track record of attracting internal and external funding
  • NRF rating required for colleagues practising in South Africa
  • Should be able to demonstrate evidence of substantial service and academic citizenship
• For Professorial Rank, Applicants
  • Must be holders, of a PhD in a built environment or business management qualification with experience lecturing in fields such as Project Management & Property Studies/Real estate
  • Should ideally be registered members of international or local professional bodies such as RICS, CIOB, SACPCMP, and/or SACQSP
  • Should be able to demonstrate evidence of excellence in teaching, course development and academic administration planning with evidence of scholarship in teaching and learning
  • Should be able to demonstrate extensive experience of post graduate supervision to completion at doctoral level and below
  • Should have an extensive and sustained track record of successful publication locally and internationally evidenced through citations and metrics such as Scopus or Web of Science
  • Should be able to demonstrate leadership of local and/or international collaborations
  • Have a track record of attracting internal and external funding
  • A high NRF rating is required for colleagues practising in South Africa
  • Should be able to demonstrate evidence of substantial service and academic citizenship locally and internationally
• For both Associate Professors and Professors, the following duties will be required:
  • To provide best practice‑informed teaching to undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education students.
    
    
  • To supervise industry and postgraduate research particularly in a cross discipline environment.
    
    
  • To use the insights from reflective practice in teaching and supervision to actively pursue a scholarship of teaching and learning.
    
    
  • To conduct research of national and international significance and publish consistently in leading international journals.
    
    
  • To write research grant proposals and secure external research funding.
    
    
  • To design and implement new programmes and manage existing programmes.
    
    
  • To participate in academic administration including committees at the School and Faculty level.
    
    
  • To provide leadership in the school in all areas and mentor colleagues and students.
    
    
  • To develop and sustain relationships with students, alumni and industry stakeholders.
    
    
  • To work effectively with key stakeholders to help achieve the strategic vision and priorities of the School and the industry especially in the areas of skills development, professionalism and the demographic transformation of the professions within the built environment.
    
    
  • To represent the School on multiple platforms and use his/her accomplishments to reinforce the brand of the School and the university.
    
    

Enquiries Only

Further information can be obtained from the Acting Head of School, Prof.

Dave Root, by e‑mail:

How To Apply

To apply: Please submit a covering letter of motivation clearly indicating which position you are applying for, a detailed CV with names and current e‑mail addresses and contact numbers of (3) referees, certified copies of qualifications, academic transcripts and South African ID and/or (copy of Passport if not a South African Citizen).

Applicants must clearly state which of the specialisation areas in the advert you wish to be considered for appointment.

Please also state your research metrics in your covering letter.

External applicants are invited to apply by registering on the Wits i‑Recruitment platform located at Internal employees may apply directly on Oracle Self‑Service on the Wits Intranet by selecting Apply for a job.

Closing Date

9 November 2025

EEO Statement

The University is committed to employment equity.

Preference may be given to appointable applicants from the underrepresented designated groups in terms of the relevant employment equity plans and policies of the University.

The University retains the right not to make an appointment and to verify all information provided by candidates.

Please note that correspondence will only be entered into with shortlisted candidates.

The University reserves the right not to make an appointment or to re‑advertise.

Required Skill Profession

Science, Research And Teaching