Academic Planner Optimisation Lead

Eduvos is looking to employ a Academic Planner Optimisation Lead on a fixed term basis at any of our National campuses.

Type of role:

Fixed-term

Purpose of the role:

Academic planners at Eduvos are strategic tools that map and sequence modules across academic cycles while forecasting enrolment and resource needs. They serve as the operational backbone for aligning curriculum delivery with compliance, capacity, and student progression.

To lead the optimisation and governance of academic planner data and processes across the institution, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and scalability of Eduvos' academic planning model with an emphasis on its programme and module offerings. The successful candidate will coordinate the implementation of approved business rules in Eduvos's academic planning system, monitor module viability based on business metrics, and drive data-informed decision-making to enhance operational planning and improve staff and student experience.

• Master's degree, or a postgraduate qualification in Education, Curriculum Development, Educational Technology, Data Science, or a non-related field with relevant experience.
• Minimum 5 years' experience in Higher Education academic operations, planning, or quality assurance.
• Demonstrable experience in data analytics and data visualisation (e.g. Tableau, Power BI).
• Proven track record in managing curriculum design and adaptation, module sequencing, and curriculum lifecycle processes.
• Knowledge of CHE, SAQA, and DHET frameworks and quality assurance processes

Preferred:

• Experience working with digital learning ecosystems (e.g., CRM, WAM, SIM).
• Certification in Project Management, Data Analytics, or Business Intelligence.
• Demonstrated success in leading cross-functional optimisation or change projects.

1. Academic Planning & Optimisation

• Oversee the development, validation, and governance of academic planners across all faculties.
• Ensure alignment with approved curriculum structures and institutional business rules for scheduled student intakes.
• Identify and address duplication, misalignment, and data inconsistencies across relevant institutional systems and collaboratively resolve root causes.
• Manage the deactivation of outdated modules and support teach-out planning to optimise offerings.
• Coordinate with IT and Academic Systems to ensure planners are accurately reflected in the student information system and lecturer workload allocation models.

2. Module Viability & Data Governance

• Lead national module viability reviews post-payment and census dates.
• Identify low-enrolment modules and propose consolidation, nationalisation, or discontinuation strategies.
• Monitor and recommend deactivation of modules with zero enrolments post-census, ensuring adherence to governance and Senate-approved processes.
• Maintain oversight of curricula-related data integrity in finance & operations- , student information-, and academic planner databases.

3. Integration with Workload Allocation Model (WAM)

• Work closely with the WAM Project Manager and task team to ensure all planner changes (additions, removals, sequencing adjustments) are accurately reflected in WAM workload allocations. · Coordinate the module lifecycle process — including activation, deactivation, and teach-out — in line with the standard operating procedures being developed
• Facilitate feedback loops between Academic Projects, Faculties, and WAM to ensure planner data is consistently validated, version-controlled, and operationally aligned.
• Support workload recalibration following planner updates — ensuring lecturer timetables and workloads automatically reflect changes in module status or grouping.
• Contribute to the design of automation logic and reporting mechanisms for module viability, product deactivation, and workload forecasting.

4.Data Integration, Analytics & Reporting · Establish and maintain data governance documentation (change logs, lifecycle registers, audit trails) to ensure all planner and module decisions are traceable, approved, and reportable.

• Collaborate with the Academic Digitalisation Lead to integrate planner, WAM, and enrolment data into dashboards (e.g. Power BI, Microsoft Fabric).
• Document and track module status changes in collaboration with Academic Systems to enable real-time dashboards that monitor module activity, teach-out, and viability across intakes.
• Conduct data analysis to identify trends, inefficiencies, and risks affecting academic and operational performance.
• Generate actionable insights to inform faculty decision-making, programme planning, and national resource allocation.

5. Change Management & Process Improvement

• Administer the academic change process related to planners, sequencing, and module offering structures.
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration between faculties, Academic Operations, and Digital Systems.
• Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for academic planner management and module lifecycle governance.
• Drive continuous improvement through innovation, automation, and process simplification.

6. Stakeholder Engagement & Capacity Building

• Serve as the key liaison between faculties, Nexus, Academic Operations, and IT on all planner-related matters.
• Provide training and guidance to Programme Managers, Heads of Programmes, and faculty assistants on planner best practices.
• Foster alignment with institutional priorities and change initiatives through proactive communication and stakeholder engagement.

• Strategic and analytical thinking
• Attention to detail and data accuracy
• Systems and process orientation
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Problem-solving and innovation
• Project and stakeholder management
• Excellent written and verbal communication