Deputy Principal job at Makerere University

Background

Makerere University, Uganda's premier institution of higher learning and one of Africa's leading research universities, invites applications from suitably qualified and distinguished individuals for the positions of Principal and Deputy Principal in the Colleges listed below. The University seeks visionary leaders with demonstrated academic excellence, strategic leadership, and a commitment to institutional transformation. This advertisement is for the positions of: (1) Principal and Deputy Principal, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. (2) Principal and Deputy Principal, College of Education and External Studies. (3) Principal and Deputy Principal, College of Natural Sciences. (4) Principal and Deputy Principal, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity. (5) Principal, College of Computing and Information Sciences. (6) Deputy Principal, College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

POST: DEPUTY PRINCIPAL – 5 POSITIONS

A Deputy Principal is the Deputy Head of a College, as established by the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions (Management of Colleges and Other Academic Units of Makerere University) Statute, 2026.

Purpose of the job

The Deputy Principal deputises the Principal of a College and performs such other duties as may be assigned by the Principal in accordance with the laid down procedures of Makerere University.

Eligibility

(1) Candidate Specification

(a) Possess a PhD or any other academic Doctorate from a lawfully recognised institution in a discipline offered at the College where the applicant intends to lead. (b) Be at the rank of Senior Lecturer and above in an institution whose academic ranking is comparable to that of Makerere University, as accepted by the Makerere University Senate. (c) Applicants at the rank of Senior Lecturer should not be above 56 years of age at the time of application. Applicants at the rank of Associate Professor should not be above 61 years of age at the time of application. Applicants at the rank of Professor should not be above 66 years of age at the time of application.

(2) Experience

(a) At least five (5) years of senior academic leadership at the level of Head of Department and/or its equivalent or higher in a recognised institution comparable to that of Makerere University, as accepted by the Makerere University Senate. (b) Demonstrated experience in managing budgets exceeding UGX 100,000,000 (One Hundred Million Uganda Shillings), ensuring financial sustainability and accountability. (c) Proven ability to mobilise resources, secure grants, and attract external funding to support institutional growth. (d) Experience in handling procurement and asset management, ensuring transparency and value for money. (e) Experience in leading workforce planning, recruitment, and talent development strategies, ensuring a high-performance institutional culture. (f) Track record of mobilising resources for research and other academic activities. (g) Evidence of capacity to network locally and globally. (h) Experience in integrating ICT solutions in academic, financial and administrative operations, improving service delivery and efficiency. (i) Experience in students' mentorship and managing student grievances. (j) Experience in building partnerships with government agencies, donors, private sector investors, and international organisations to enhance institutional funding. (k) Evidence of supervision of at least five (5) postgraduate students (Masters and PhD) to completion. At least one (1) of the students must have been at the PhD level. (l) Evidence of publication of a minimum of eight (8) papers in peer-reviewed journals within the disciplines offered within the College where the candidate intends to lead.

(3) Personal Attributes

(a) High level of integrity, transparency, and ethical leadership, with a record of financial prudence. (b) Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, backed by evidence of successfully managing complex academic challenges. (c) Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, ensuring effective stakeholder engagement. (d) A visionary leader with the ability to drive academic excellence, financial sustainability, administrative efficiency, and institutional growth.

Term of Office of a Deputy Principal

The appointment shall be for a term of four (4) years and may be eligible for renewal for re-appointment for one further term, in accordance with the applicable laws, policies, and procedures of Makerere University.

Salary Scale: PU4

• Deputise the Principal of a College.
• Perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Principal in accordance with the laid down procedures of Makerere University.

• Strategic leadership
• Academic excellence
• Institutional transformation
• Budget management
• Resource mobilization
• Grant securing
• External funding attraction
• Procurement and asset management
• Workforce planning
• Recruitment and talent development
• Research resource mobilization
• Networking (local and global)
• ICT integration
• Student mentorship
• Student grievance management
• Partnership building
• Postgraduate student supervision
• Publication in peer-reviewed journals
• Integrity, transparency, and ethical leadership
• Financial prudence
• Analytical skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Decision-making skills
• Communication skills
• Negotiation skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Stakeholder engagement
• Visionary leadership

• PhD or any other academic Doctorate from a lawfully recognised institution in a discipline offered at the College where the applicant intends to lead.
• Rank of Senior Lecturer and above in an institution whose academic ranking is comparable to that of Makerere University, as accepted by the Makerere University Senate.
• At least five (5) years of senior academic leadership at the level of Head of Department and/or its equivalent or higher in a recognised institution comparable to that of Makerere University, as accepted by the Makerere University Senate.
• Demonstrated experience in managing budgets exceeding UGX 100,000,000.
• Proven ability to mobilise resources, secure grants, and attract external funding.
• Experience in handling procurement and asset management.
• Experience in leading workforce planning, recruitment, and talent development strategies.
• Track record of mobilising resources for research and other academic activities.
• Evidence of capacity to network locally and globally.
• Experience in integrating ICT solutions in academic, financial and administrative operations.
• Experience in students' mentorship and managing student grievances.
• Experience in building partnerships with government agencies, donors, private sector investors, and international organisations.
• Evidence of supervision of at least five (5) postgraduate students (Masters and PhD) to completion, with at least one (1) at the PhD level.
• Evidence of publication of a minimum of eight (8) papers in peer-reviewed journals within the disciplines offered within the College where the candidate intends to lead.