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• Remuneration Level 9: $148,012 - $157,056 + 17% Superannuation
• Location: Kensington, NSW (flexibility to work from home and on campus attendance required minimum 2 days a week)
• Full Time (35-hour week)
• Fixed Term to February 2028

Why The Role Matters:

The Senior School Manager is responsible for the effective operational leadership of the School, reporting to the Deputy Faculty Executive Director (DFED) with strategic input from the Head of School (HOS). The role oversees business operations including workload planning, finance, HR, physical resources, student support, and WH&S. As part of the Faculty Operations Management team, the position contributes to faculty-wide policy and systems development and manages a team of professional and specialist staff supporting the School. The role of Senior School Manager reports to Deputy Faculty Executive Director with a dotted reporting line to the Head of School and has a number of direct reports.

Accountabilities:

(please review the Position Description for a full list of Accountabilities)

• Provide direction, in consultation with HOS and DFED to advance, develop, evaluate and maintain teaching and research strategies that align with the Faculty’s strategic plan, and effectively initiate and manage change activities as needed.
• Provide strategic advice to the HOS and operational management on the full range of School activities, planning and performance. Proactively advise, influence and contribute to the business planning, change delivery and objectives of the School, Faculty and University, whilst exercising discretion, initiative and confidentiality at all times.
• With the HoS and DFED, plan, manage and allocate human, physical and financial resources to deliver School services in all functional areas e.g. Workload allocation, teaching and learning, research and research training and administration.
• Consistent with Faculty and University strategy, policies and processes; manage, advise, and report on a range of functional areas concerning financial management, human resources, information systems, development, future student recruitment, student administration, estate management, risk and WHS ensuring that any risks and issues are managed and mitigated. Develop strong relationships with divisional business partners to support the above and proactively seek a range of potential solutions when operational issues arise in these functional areas.
• Working with the HOS and Discipline Directors oversee and manage the ongoing performance and allocation of the school’s human resources, through driving career conversations, setting priorities and contributing to the planning and review of work objectives, and managing academic staff workload , casual budgets and casual staff payments (with the schools executive team).
• Oversee and manage the correct payment of casual staff.
• Manage and contribute to the development and review of the faculty’s strategic and operational business plans and reporting.
• Represent the School and Faculty on committees and Initiate and/or lead and deliver projects and ensure the involvement of appropriate stakeholders. Monitor actions to ensure the efficient follow through, resolution, change management and closure of the projects.

Skills and Experience: 

To be considered you will hold Australian Working Rights or Australian Citizenship. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment.

(please review the Position Description for a full list of Skills and Experience)

• Relevant degree and extensive relevant management experience or equivalent in an academic or similar large and complex environment (or equivalent competency gained through another combination of education, training and experience).
• Demonstrated experience in people leadership, development and management, with the demonstrated skills to motivate inspire, and mobilise teams to create a positive workplace culture and deliver quality outcomes.
• Excellent consultation, influencing, communication, negotiation and networking and proven ability to engage effectively with diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Extensive operational management skills including planning, priority setting, and managing a high volume, process-driven administrative environment with variable workflows.
• Demonstrated strong analytical and problem-solving skills and proven capacity to exercise initiative, flexibility and to be proactive in development of robust solutions to problems.
• Demonstrated experience in financial planning and management and proven ability to interpret financial data to provide high quality advice.
• Proven skills and experience in strategic and resource planning, goal setting and project management.
• Substantial experience in business improvement activities and leading change activities.

Pre-Employment Checks:
 
Aligned with UNSW’s focus on cultivating a workplace defined by safety, ethical conduct, and strong integrity preferred candidates will be required to participate in a combination of pre-employment checks relevant to the role they have applied for. These pre-employment checks may include a combination of some of the following checks:

• National and International Criminal history checks
• Entitlement to work and ID checks
• Working With Children Checks
• Completion of a Gender-Based Violence Prevention Declaration
• Verification of relevant qualifications
• Verification of relevant professional membership
• Employment history and reference check
• Financial responsibility assessments/check
• Medical Checks and Assessments

Compliance with the necessary combination of these checks is a condition of employment at UNSW.

Benefits and Culture:

People are at the core of everything we do. We recognise it is the contributions of our staff who make UNSW one of the best universities in Australia and the world.

Our benefits include:

• Career development opportunities
• 17% Superannuation contributions and additional leave loading payments
• Additional 3 days of leave over Christmas period
• Discounts and entitlements (retail, education, fitness)

For further details on the benefits, please visit https://www.jobs.unsw.edu.au/lifestyle-benefits

How to Apply:

Submit both a Cover Letter and CV online via the UNSW Job Board before Wednesday 21^st January 2026 by 11:30pm. Please ensure your Cover Letter addresses the core Skills and Experience mentioned in the advert (no more than 2 pages).


Get in Touch:

Any applications sent to the contacts below will not be accepted.

If you have questions about the role, please contact Brad Gascoigne at b.gascoigne@unsw.edu.au

If you have questions about the recruitment process, please contact Allyssar Hamoud at a.hamoud@unsw.edu.au

UNSW is committed to evolving a culture that embraces equity and supports a diverse and inclusive community where everyone can participate fairly, in a safe and respectful environment. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and encourage applications from people of diverse gender, sexual orientation, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background, people with disability and those with caring and family responsibilities. UNSW provides workplace adjustments for people with disability, and access to flexible work options for eligible staff.

The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.