GCRO seeks a Principal and Senior Researcher in Inclusive Economies

The GCRO is recruiting two positions: Principal Researcher: Inclusive Economies; and Senior Researcher: Inclusive Economies

The Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO) is a research centre set up as a partnership between the University of Johannesburg (UJ), the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (Wits), the Gauteng Provincial Government, and organised local government in Gauteng (SALGA-Gauteng). The GCRO’s mission is to build the knowledge base that government, business, labour, civil society and residents all need to develop a functionally integrated, spatially coherent, economically competitive, environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive Gauteng City-Region. We undertake research ourselves and in partnership with others, collect data and use it to benchmark the region locally and internationally, and provide policy support to government, working to the highest academic standards.

The Inclusive Economies Research Programme (IERP) is a joint initiative of the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) and the Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO). It seeks to develop and implement a research agenda that will enhance the understanding of the city-region’s economy and enable effective policies and strategies for inclusive economic growth and development. The programme will specifically focus on research and policy relevant analysis on high growth sectors; the region's economic geography; optimal future growth paths and constraints to these; and on government's own economic interventions, all with a view to exploring options for and obstacles to greater economic inclusivity.

GCRO Principal Researcher: Inclusive Economies (Wits University level AC06)

GCRO is seeking to appoint a highly motivated and multi-skilled Principal Researcher (equivalent of Associate Professor) to the Inclusive Economies Research Programme (IERP) who will:

• Provide intellectual leadership on inclusive economic development to government, business, labour and civil society stakeholders.
• Develop a comprehensive Inclusive Economies Research Programme in close consultation with the IERP’s Joint Steering Committee (GPG and GCRO) and the GCRO’s Management Committee.
• Manage a team of GCRO IERP staff to effectively implement the IERP’s defined research projects.
• Undertake analysis, research and quantitative and qualitative surveys on inclusive economic development.
• Work in collaboration with a range of research entities, locally and internationally, in pursuit of the programme’s objectives.
• Manage short-term appointments (on a consultancy basis) to supplement existing capacity and/or address urgent research needs.
• Initiate policy proposals and/or co-production on inclusive economic development with provincial and/or local government.
• Ensure effective dissemination of the team’s output to stakeholders and society at large via media, social media and dialogues.
• Undertake academic research and publish in academic journals.
• Build an international and national profile for the programme and its outputs, for example through projection of findings into conferences and other forums, and/or through engaging in selected international comparative research projects.

We are looking for (selection criteria):

• Applicants with a PhD-level qualification, or in exceptional cases a Masters with substantial experience and evidence of progress towards attaining a PhD.
• A candidate with well-established leadership in research in inclusive economic development, regional economic development and/or related disciplines.
• Applicants with substantial experience in translating research into public policy.
• A candidate with significant quantitative data/statistical analysis will be an advantage.
• Ability to engage at a high level with a wide range of academic, research, government and civil society stakeholders.

A Principal Researcher is broadly equivalent to a university Associate Professor and a competitive remuneration package at the level of an Associate Professor is available. The successful candidate will be given a five year contract, renewable.

GCRO Senior Researcher: Inclusive Economies (Wits University level AC07)

GCRO is seeking to appoint a highly motivated and multi-skilled Senior Researcher (equivalent to Senior Lecturer) to the Inclusive Economies Research Programme (IERP) who will:

• Assist in the development of a comprehensive Inclusive Economies Research Programme.
• Participate as a GCRO IERP team member to effectively implement the IERP’s defined research projects.
• Undertake analysis, research and quantitative and qualitative surveys on inclusive economic development.
• Work in collaboration with a range of research entities, locally and internationally, in pursuit of the programme’s objectives.
• Initiate policy proposals and/or co-production on inclusive economic development with provincial and/or local government.
• Participate in the effective dissemination of the team’s output to stakeholders and society at large.
• Undertake academic research and publish in academic journals.

We are looking for (selection criteria):

• Applicants with a PhD-level qualification, or in exceptional cases a Masters with substantial experience and evidence of progress towards attaining a PhD.
• A candidate substantially involved in research in inclusive economic development, regional economic development and/or related disciplines.
• Applicants with experience in translating research into public policy.
• A candidate with quantitative data/statistical analysis will be an advantage.
• Ability to engage at a high level with a wide range of academic, research, government and civil society stakeholders.

A Senior Researcher is broadly equivalent to a university Senior Lecturer and a competitive remuneration package at the level of a Senior Lecturer is available. The successful candidate will be given a five year contract, renewable.

If you have any further queries, please address them to: The Executive Director, GCRO, Private Bag 3, Wits 2050 or e- mailed to info@gcro.ac.za.

Closing date for applications: close of business on 30 September 2022.

How to apply:

Applicants are invited to apply, by registering their profile on the Wits i-recruitment platform located at https://irec.wits.ac.za and submitting their application. Internal Wits employees are invited to apply directly on Oracle by following the path: iWits /Self Service application/“Apply for a job”. Applications received via email will not be considered.

To apply, submit a covering letter addressing the selection criteria specifically; a detailed CV with names, addresses, contact numbers and email addresses of 3 referees willing to provide references; and certified copies of your academic qualifications, i.e. degrees/diplomas.

Applicants should include examples of published work, preferably your last three published items. The closing date for all applications is 30 September 2022. Shortlisted applicants may be required to sit for skills and psychometric assessments as part of the interview process.

The applicant must adhere to the Covid regulations of the University of the Witwatersrand https://www.wits.ac.za/covid19/vaccine-implementation/

The University is committed to employment equity. Preference may be given to appointable applicants from the underrepresented designated groups in terms of the relevant employment equity plans and policies of the University. The University retains the right to verify all information provided by candidates.

Please note that correspondence will only be entered into with shortlisted candidates. The University and GCRO reserves the right not to make an appointment or to re-advertise.