HEAD CLINICAL UNIT (MEDICAL) GRADE 1 (HEPATOBILIARY SURGERY)

This is a senior medical leadership post as Head of the Clinical Unit for Hepatobiliary Surgery at Groote Schuur Hospital in Observatory. The successful candidate will take charge of the Surgical Gastroenterology and Hepatobiliary Surgery Unit, providing and managing a full clinical service in a major tertiary academic hospital. The role sits within the broader surgical division, requiring close collaboration with academic and management structures to ensure high standards of patient care, training and research. As a Grade 1 post, it is suitable for a medical sub-specialist who has already gained at least three years of appropriate experience after registration as a Surgical Gastroenterologist and Hepatobiliary Surgeon. The position is demanding and operates in a high-volume clinical and surgical environment, so the incumbent must be clinically and surgically competent in this field and able to handle the pressures of a busy academic hospital.

Applicants must hold a qualification that allows registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa as a Medical Sub-Specialist in Surgical Gastroenterology and Hepatobiliary Surgery, and must be registered with the HPCSA in that specialty. The role requires a minimum of three years of relevant post-registration sub-specialist experience. Beyond clinical work, the Head of the Clinical Unit is expected to conduct clinically relevant research in the field, and to teach and train undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as sub-specialist fellows. The role therefore demands not only surgical excellence but also strong academic leadership and a commitment to developing the next generation of specialists. Insight into the challenges of local healthcare delivery, as well as a genuine understanding of diversity, transformation and equity in health services, is essential.

Key duties include providing and managing surgical gastroenterology and hepatobiliary surgery services within the unit, managing and training surgical staff, and actively participating in the academic and management activities of the division. There are also inherent requirements attached to the post: the incumbent must be available to work commuted overtime, limited to 12 hours, when operational needs demand it, and must participate in the after-hours call system. This is an Occupational Specific Dispensation (OSD) graded position, with a remuneration package that allows a portion to be structured according to the individual’s personal needs. Shortlisted candidates may be subjected to a practical test as part of the selection process. As with all posts in the provincial government, no payment of any kind is required when applying. This is a career-defining opportunity for an experienced hepatobiliary surgeon wanting to lead a prestigious unit at one of South Africa’s foremost teaching hospitals.