The University of Fort Hare (UFH) is a respected Eastern Cape institution with a notable history and campuses in Alice, Bhisho, and East London.
It invites experienced media, communications, and PR professionals to apply for two newly created strategic positions in its Directorate for Marketing and Communications — Manager: Media and Communications and Senior Specialist: News Writer.
The positions form part of an important new phase in the institution’s efforts to further amplify its public voice and deepen storytelling, while strengthening stakeholder communication across paid, earned, owned and social media channels.
JP Roodt, director: Marketing and Communications at UFH, says the university is seeking stronger and more specialised communication at a time when reputation, visibility and trust matter more than ever in South African higher education.
“These are not ordinary positions or vacancies. They are strategic appointments created to amplify, disrupt and reinvent how UFH is seen, understood and heard.”
Roodt says the new roles offer more than professional advancement. “This is a rare opportunity to help shape the voice and visibility of an institution whose legacy, history and heritage are deeply woven into black intellectualism, social justice and SA’s own journey of liberation and democracy.
“We are looking for talented, self-starting professionals with sound judgement, strong values and the ability to perform in a demanding and challenging but rewarding environment.”
Available positions
Manager: Media and Communications
This strategic management role is suited to an experienced communications professional.
The ideal candidate will demonstrate sound judgement, discipline, and range — someone capable of operating at the intersection of strategy, reputation, storytelling, and institutional leadership.
The successful incumbent will lead UFH’s storytelling efforts and content agenda, strengthen media and stakeholder visibility, and oversee both internal and external communications. They will head a team comprising two writers and a social media and web content officer.
Requirements:
- Honours degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, English or a related field. (Master’s degree advantageous.)
- Minimum five years’ experience in media and communications.
- Minimum five years’ experience in a management role in the same disciplines.
Senior Specialist: News Writer
This role is designed for an exceptional writer with strong journalistic instincts, editorial discipline and a sharp sense of news value.
The successful candidate will be required to produce a steady pipeline of compelling and authentic stories covering the domains of teaching and learning, research, community engagement, sport, student life, infrastructure and technology, people management and engagement.
Requirements:
- Honours degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, English or a related field. (Master’s degree advantageous.)
- A minimum of five years’ relevant experience, including at least five years’ experience as a copywriter or journalist.
Why join UFH’s Marketing and Communications team
Successful incumbents will join a small and dynamic team with a proven record of excellence.
For four consecutive years, UFH’s Directorate for Marketing and Communications has ranked first among universities in the Eastern Cape for the number of MACE Excellence Awards received. These awards are widely regarded as the benchmark of excellence in higher education marketing, communication and advancement.
In both 2024 and 2025, the directorate also ranked joint third nationally for the total awards won at MACE, alongside Stellenbosch University and the University of Pretoria.
“These achievements reflect recognised excellence across digital communications, stakeholder engagement, event management, content development, visual communication, issues management, community engagement, video production and communication research, underscoring the calibre of the environment in which incumbents will work,” says Roodt.
UFH offers an attractive remuneration package and the opportunity to contribute within a respected, purposeful and high-performing institutional environment.
How to apply
Professionals with the experience, discipline and ambition to contribute meaningfully to the next phase of UFH’s communications journey are invited to apply via the Careers section of the UFH website by April 6 2026.
Visit Ufh.ac.za/careers for more information.
This article was sponsored by UFH.