Research Ethics Committee Administrator

SACAP (The South African College of Applied Psychology) is the leading independent provider of accredited Psychology, Counselling, Human Resource Management, Business Management and Social Work qualifications, with all courses grounded in psychology. We have campuses in Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Online.

SACAP is looking to employ a Part-time Research Ethics Committee (REC) Administrator based at SACAP Head Office. This dual-role position provides administrative support to both the Research Ethics Committee (REC) and the Scientific Review Committee (SRC), ensuring smooth operations, alignment between the two committees, and compliance with ethical and institutional research standards. The Administrator will work closely with the Chair of REC to manage administrative processes, facilitate communication, and maintain organised documentation.

**Duties include but are not limited to**:

- Scheduling and coordinating REC meetings and sittings, including preparing and distributing agendas and meeting materials.
- Maintaining accurate records of REC membership, attendance, and meeting minutes.
- Receiving, logging, and tracking research ethics proposals.
- Ensuring all submission documentation is complete and compliant with ethical guidelines.
- Liaising with researchers to clarify submission requirements and provide guidance.
- Recording, transcribing, and distributing minutes for all REC Office meetings and REC sittings.
- Documenting and storing all relevant information related to engagements, complaints, disputes, and appeals.
- Monitoring review timelines and sending reminders to committee members and researchers.
- Ensuring timely communication of feedback and decisions to researchers.
- Assisting with the termly Quality Assurance (QA) review and the annual National Health Research Ethics Council (NHREC) report.
- Ensuring that REC processes comply with institutional, national, and international ethical guidelines.
- Managing the storage and efficiency of the REC Office Teams channel and OneDrive folders.
- Preparing and submitting periodic reports on submission status, ethics reviews, and decisions.
- Providing administrative support to the Scientific Review Committee (SRC) to ensure efficient management of research review processes.
- Logging and tracking scientific review submissions, ensuring all documentation is complete before review.
- Ensuring alignment between the REC and SRC processes, facilitating smooth transitions between scientific and ethical review stages.
- Maintaining records of SRC membership, attendance, and review outcomes.
- Managing the SRC-related documentation and storage within Teams and OneDrive folders.

**Qualifications and Experience**:

- A minimum of an Honours degree in Social Sciences, Psychology, Human Resources, or Business Management.
- Previous administrative experience in a research environment, ethics committee, or scientific review committee (preferred).
- Knowledge of research ethics principles and scientific research review processes, particularly in higher education.
- Strong organizational, communication, and multitasking skills.
- Advanced computer literacy skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office, Teams, OneDrive, and other electronic document management systems.

**Skills**:

- Attention to Detail: Ensuring accuracy in documentation and communication.
- Communication: Effective interaction with researchers, committee members, and stakeholders.
- Time Management: Ability to meet deadlines and handle multiple tasks efficiently.
- Problem-Solving: Addressing obstacles in administrative processes.
- Confidentiality: Handling sensitive research data and committee matters with integrity.

**Personal Attributes**:

- Enthusiasm for Higher Education in South Africa, particularly within the Private Higher Education sector (PHEI).
- A passion for supporting ethical and scientific research processes.
- Responsible, reliable, and purpose-driven approach to tasks.
- Self-motivated with a commitment to excellence.
- Flexible and adaptable to meet workload demands and deadlines.
- High level of integrity in all situations.
- Empathetic and person-centered approach when engaging with researchers and stakeholders.
- Professional, diplomatic, and able to manage sensitive information with confidentiality.
- Ability to manage stress and work effectively under pressure.

This role reports to the Chair of the Research Ethics Committee (REC), ensuring effective support for SACAP’s research governance framework.

**Operating Hours**:
This is a part-time position operating from Mondays to Fridays: 08:30 - 13:00

Part-time position (22,5 hours per week)
**Applications Process**:
Kindly complete the questionnaire, submit a copy of your ID and all relevant supporting documents via our careers portal by **09 May 2025.