Deputy Director

About the role

The Department of Education (Free State) is hiring a Deputy Director, based in EMIS Sub-Directorate Bloemfontein (supporting ECD). This is a permanent post, paying R932,292 – R1,098,195. Free State Department of Education Early Childhood Administration and Reporting System (eCares) Manager How to apply: For All Posts: https://www.erecruitment.fs.gov.za Reference number to quote: PS17/2026/01 Closing date: 23 October 2026 Use the new Z83 form and attach a detailed CV.

Responsibilities

• The successful candidate will be responsible for Provincial eCares System Use & Performance management.
• Lead provincial support for system usage, performance and adoption, Monitor user compliance with system functionality and data workflows, Advocate system utilisation for decision-making.
• User Support & Access Management, Manage 1st line helpdesk support for PED users, Manage user access, roles and permissions, Escalate issues promptly to national and service providers.
• User Training & Capacity Building- Conduct ongoing training on: New releases, Functional improvements, Reporting and dashboards.
• Support districts and circuits to drive usage.
• Testing & Implementation-Lead provincial testing of system releases and updates, Develop test plans, record UAT outcomes, submit feedback to developers, Validate system enhancements prior to deployment.
• Systems Maintenance Support- Work with DBE and vendors (e.g. Mezzanine/Vodacom) to ensure continuity, Identify and resolve technical issues affecting provincial users.
• Reporting & Master Data Management-Maintain alignment between eCares and EMIS Masterlists, Validate EMIS number allocation in eCares, Support provincial reporting needs and accuracy.
• Stakeholder Collaboration-Work closely with PED ECD and EMIS Directorates, National EMIS and ECD teams social partners such as Ilifa Labantwana and the Bana Pele Initiative.
• The candidate will report to the provincial EMIS head and work closely with the ECD Directorate.

Requirements

• A SAQA-recognised three-year postmatric qualification (NQF Level 7) in Education (B.Ed./PGCE) or a SAQArecognised three-year post-matric qualification (NQF Level 7) in Information Systems/ICT/Computer Science/Data or related field.
• 5 years Management Experience.
• 6-7 Years’ relevant experience in Systems administration and user support, User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and training facilitation.
• Data reporting and system usage monitoring.
• Knowledge of:
• Cloud-based system operations, Provincial EMIS environment and/or ECD system landscape
• Strong analytical, data manipulation and reporting skills (Excel advanced level)
• Ability to coordinate multi-level stakeholders (national, provincial, district)
• Problemsolving ability, attention to detail, and customer service orientation
• Ability to work independently and travel extensively
• A valid driver’s license is essential
• EMIS experience will be an added advantage