University Secretary – Senior Executive Leadership Role

About the role

The University Secretary serves as the Chief Administrative Officer, reporting directly to the Vice Chancellor and acting as Secretary to the Governing Council. This senior executive role provides strategic leadership across governance, finance, procurement, estates, and human resources to drive institutional excellence.

Key responsibilities

• Act as Secretary to the Governing Council, preparing agendas, minutes, and ensuring compliance with the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act and university statutes.
• Serve as the Accounting Officer, overseeing budgeting, financial accountability, and resource allocation in line with the university charter.
• Direct strategic procurement, ensuring transparency, competitiveness, and value for money while managing asset disposal.
• Provide overall operational leadership for university estates, infrastructure, and general operations.
• Lead strategic human‑resource functions, including workforce planning, talent acquisition, performance management, and employee relations.
• Drive institutional transformation initiatives, change management, and organizational restructuring.
• Champion digitization of HR records, financial tracking, procurement processes, and governance archives.
• Develop and maintain the institutional policy library and coordinate the production of the annual report.

Required profile

• PhD in a relevant discipline (Public Administration, Law, Business Administration, etc.) with professional certification from a recognized body.
• Minimum ten years of progressive administrative experience, including at least five years in senior management within a reputable institution.
• Proven expertise in university governance, board administration, and compliance with higher‑education regulatory frameworks.
• Strong knowledge of Uganda’s labor laws, public financial management principles, and procurement regulations.
• Demonstrated strategic leadership, change‑management capability, and ability to build high‑performance institutional systems.