YOU ARE HERE: You are a senior manager from any industry who is responsible for managing managers and you are eager to benchmark and further your own potential. This programme is aimed at equipping senior managers with the necessary knowledge, leadership and change management skills to function effectively within a corporate environment. The SMDP forms part of USB-ED’s comprehensive programme offerings. What does it cover? The following chart explains the core focus areas of this programme. CONTEXT This programme contains modules that focus on the Context category. These modules focus primarily on contextual, foundational and environmental building blocks. Context modules include: Introduction to strategy, sustainability and organisational resilience and integrating economics. PEOPLE This programme contains modules that focus on the People category. These modules focus mainly on the building blocks that relate to human resources and people development. People modules include: Leadership and change management and building human capital. FUNCTION This programme contains modules that focus on the Function category. These modules focus primarily on the function or task-specific building blocks. Function modules include: Increasing excellence in operations and supply chain, financial management, marketing for excellence, managing projects for strategic advantage and information systems management.
What will be required of you? You will be required to complete various individual assignments as well as a Business Driven Action Learning group assignment (BDAL). The focus of this assignment is for participants (as part of a pre-selected syndicate group) to design a turnaround strategy for an NGO that is in need of improving its performance. In addition, an implementation/roll-out plan for implementing these recommendations effectively must be developed. As part of the group assignment the various syndicate groups will present their findings to a panel consisting of faculty members from USB-ED as well as a representative of the NGO (if available). What is your return on investment? Executive Development You will be equipped to understand and apply entrepreneurial principles in a business context; analyse the financial health of an organisation and recommend ways of improving its financial viability; analyse and interpret the effect of economic drivers on industries and companies; use the techniques provided by operations and project management to plan and execute projects and processes in your own organisation effectively and efficiently; draw up an advanced marketing plan incorporating all the facets of a sound and comprehensive marketing approach; manage, organise, motivate and build people into a great team through considering their personal management and leadership styles; draw up a comprehensive business plan integrating all the disciplines of the programme to demonstrate an understanding of their interrelationship; build an invaluable network of managers who face the same challenges in the work environment; and gain a greater awareness of your own abilities to think and act strategically, and to translate strategies into actions. Certificate On successful completion of the programme you will receive a certificate of competence from the University of Stellenbosch. Credits towards an international qualification: BAHons Business Management USB-ED alumni who have completed the SMDP will now have the opportunity to enrol for a BA(Hons) in Business Management from the University of Lincoln in the UK. USB-ED’s open enrolment SMDP is recognised by the University of Lincoln for 240 credits. To obtain the BA(Hons) in Business Management, you need to register with the University of Lincoln for the outstanding 120 credits (total of 360 credits required for Hons). Alumni Association Successful participants will automatically become part of the USB Alumni Association. The Alumni Association fosters close relationships with alumni through its branches in South Africa, greater Africa and abroad. The USB provides learning and networking opportunities, mentorship opportunities, various publications, newsletters, Leader’s Angle speaker events and annual fundraising gala dinner. Financial Services Board determines the SMDP to be fit and proper The SMDP is now recognised by the Financial Services Board as per Board Notice 44 of 2010. Individuals in the financial services industry who successfully complete the SMDP will now also meet the fit and proper qualification requirements as per the “Determination of Fit and Proper Requirements for Financial Service Providers”. Admission requirements No formal tertiary qualifications are required. Participants should have experience and a basic knowledge of the programme topics and an understanding of the subject matter presented in USB-ED’s Management Development Programme (MDP) or an equivalent. Participants who do not have a basic knowledge of finance should attend USB-ED’s Programme in Financial Management for Non-financial Managers prior to attending the SMDP. Five years in middle to senior management is recommended. NQF alignment This programme is presented on the complexity level of an NQF 7.