Cavendish University Uganda (CUU), which commenced operations in 2008 is a leading private University licensed by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE).
Our Vision is to be a Centre of Excellence, Innovation and Transformation with the primary objective of preparing and helping each student to achieve gainful employment and entrepreneurship globally.
The University is dedicated to academic excellence, ethical leadership and providing a transformative education.
The University seeks to recruit a visionary and highly motivated leader to join the team to drive the University’s to achieve a critical strategic goal on Innovation, Partnerships and Engagement.
Position Details
Job Title: Deputy Vice Chancellor – Innovation, Partnerships and Engagement
Reports: Vice Chancellor
Direct Reports: Manager Innovations and Entrepreneurship
Job Purpose
The role holder will be a key architect in realizing the University’s vision to become a center of excellence, innovation, and transformation. This role strategically drives revenue generation through grants, consultancy, commercialization, and intellectual property (IP) licensing, enhances global reputation through internationalization, and ensures graduate relevance by bridging the gap between academia and industry.
The role will support the Vice Chancellor to lead the University’s strategic agenda for Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Partnerships, and community engagement and will serve as the primary bridge between the institution and external stakeholders (government, industry, global partners, alumni, and communities), while promoting a high-quality entrepreneurial and innovative culture across all academic and operational units.
Key Result Areas
1. Structure, Culture and Financial Impact
- Lead and deliver the University’s innovation, entrepreneurship, community and international engagement strategy
- Promote a high-performance entrepreneurial culture that boosts partnerships, grants consultancy and global collaborations across all departments and faculties
- Drive revenue generation avenues and ensure availability of adequate resources for Innovation, Entrepreneurship exchanges and alumni engagements.
2. Operational Excellence and Strategic Governance of IPE Units
- Establish, implement, and periodically review governance frameworks, quality standards, and ethical policies for innovation, entrepreneurship, partnerships, and consultancy, benchmarked against international best practices
- Lead and drive the professional development and high-performance culture of staff within the IPE units to ensure capabilities meet strategic goals
- Monitor and enforce strict implementation and regulatory compliance of all IPE activities with approved internal policies, NCHE guidelines, and partnership agreements
- Provide leadership for all IPE related internal and external reviews on strategic impact, efficiency and resource utilization
3. External Relations and Policy alignment
- Oversee the submission and follow-up of major partnership proposals, grant applications, and
initiatives requiring regulatory validation or external approval - Manage agreements and protocols for international student/faculty exchanges, strategic partnerships, and consultancy projects, maintaining an updated and active database of all linkages
- Act as the liaison with partners, HEIs, industry, innovation hubs and government agencies.
4. Stakeholder Engagement and Global Outreach
- Lead all high-profile innovation, entrepreneurship, alumni, and community engagement activities, ensuring maximum visibility and impact
- Coordinate the annual work plans, and budgets for outreach and engagement activities
- Oversee the development and strategic dissemination of innovation and engagement outputs to both local and global audiences
5. Curricular Innovation and Future Focused Learning
- Guide curriculum teams across all faculties to embed high-impact innovative learning opportunities, including mandatory internships, capstone projects, and targeted mentorship that directly contribute to students attaining gainful employment and entrepreneurship.
- Lead the development and delivery strategy for online/blended learning platforms that support innovation, entrepreneurship, and flexible learning pathways
- Guide the adoption of effective learning technologies and manage relevant consultants to future-proof the University’s content delivery methods.
6. Professional Development and Strategic Networking
- Lead the capacity building and continuous professional development (CPD) strategy for faculty and staff, focusing on high-demand skills in innovation, entrepreneurship, commercialization, and internationalization
- Cultivate and strategically expand global, industry, and governmentt networks to significantly enhance the University’s visibility, secure future partnerships, and increase resource mobilization
- Institutionalize and champion a proactive culture of innovation, impactful outreach, and commitment to lifelong learning across all academic and operational units of the University.
A. Person Specifications
- We are looking for an inspiring leader with a proven record of scholarly achievement and high-impact commercial and strategic execution
- Must be at least at the rank of Associate Professor
B. Desired Skills and Competencies
- At least 10 years’ senior academic or related leadership experience in a similar institution with a demonstrable track record in driving innovation and generating substantial non-tuition revenue
- Strategic and commercial acumen: Proven ability to translate strategic vision into quantifiable financial and operational results
- Excellent understanding of the African and global higher education, research, and innovation landscape
- Exceptional interpersonal, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills, with established networks across government, industry, and international academic institutions
- Demonstrated experience in successfully securing major grants, managing Intellectual Property (IP), and commercializing research outputs or university services.
How To Apply
Candidates who meet the above specification should submit the following;
- A compelling cover letter outlining how your experience aligns with the University’s vision and the requirements of the DVC-IPE role
- An updated CV including three professional referees
- Copies of relevant academic transcripts and certificates.
Applications should be sent to the email: hrd@cavendish.ac.ug not later than 19th December 2025.
CAVENDISH UNIVERSITY UGANDA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
