Faculty Executive Director, UNSW Canberra

Employment type:   Full-time (35 hours per week)
Duration: Continuing

Remuneration: Level: 12 - Generous remuneration package, commensurate with skills and experience + bonus + 17% super

Location: UNSW Canberra, ADFA Campus

 

About UNSW Canberra
University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Canberra has multiple locations in the Nation’s Capital.
UNSW Canberra distinguishes itself from other institutions by its commitment to being thoughtful, practical, and purposeful in all endeavours. This combined approach is integral to the university's impact and contributes to its recognition as one of the top 20 universities globally, as well as a proud member of Australia's esteemed Group of Eight. Choosing a career at UNSW means embracing an environment where thriving, facing challenges, and engaging in meaningful work are not just encouraged but integral to the university experience. If you seek a career where you can excel and contribute meaningfully, you've found the right place.

At UNSW, we pride ourselves on being a workplace where the best people come to do their best work.

 

Why Your Role Matters:
The Faculty Executive Director (FED) is a key leadership role, contributing to the strategic and operational management of the Faculty, and serving as a member of its Executive team. The FED is responsible for overseeing the management of plans and processes to deliver operational services to the Faculty to ensure it meets its academic, research, teaching and learning outcomes. In particular, the Faculty Executive Director will be the conduit between the Faculty and UNSW professional service teams. The FED is also the primary lead for security management of the Defence contract for the UNSW Enterprise. This requires oversight and strategic lead for the Faculty and broader UNSW community’s response and management of security, including operating on a Defence site at ADFA. This role is the first point of contact for Security matters with ADFA. The Faculty Executive Director will report to the Rector (Dean) and has several direct reports in areas including: operations (Deputy FED), external engagement and communications, student life and experience, innovation and partnerships and security risk and management.

 

Accountabilities:

Multifaceted role which broadly includes

• Strategy
• Faculty Operations
• Leadership
• Compliance and Quality Assurance
• Responsibility for security management of the Defence contract for the UNSW Enterprise.

 

Who You Are (skills and experience): 

• Tertiary qualifications with extensive relevant experience in business administration and/or equivalent combination of relevant training and experience.

• In depth knowledge and understanding of the key strategic issues in the higher education sector, nationally and internationally, and how these translate to the practical operational management requirements of a large scale, research active, student focused and internationally competitive academic enterprise.

• Excellent consultation, influencing, communication, negotiation and networking skills, deployed to achieve organisational outcomes, including the ability to navigate through ambiguity, risk and complexity.

• Extensive experience in people leadership, development, engagement and management, with the demonstrated skills to create a positive workplace culture and deliver quality outcomes.

• Demonstration of working in the higher education sector, or related industries, with direct exposure to defence, national security or foreign interference management and emerging issues.

• Demonstrated commercial acumen and a track record in setting and managing large scale budgets, meeting financial targets, and managing financial sustainability.

• Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and a strong sense of equity, diversity and inclusion in working with diverse colleagues, partners and stakeholders.

 

Benefits and Culture:
UNSW is committed to helping staff balance work-life responsibilities, by providing access to high-quality services, facilities, and flexible work and leave arrangements.

 

• Flexible working options (work from home, flexible hours etc) 
• Additional three days leave during December festive period
• Career development opportunities 
• Up to 50% discount on UNSW courses
• Flexible 17% superannuation contributions, additional leave-loading payments and salary sacrifice
• Free gym access
• UNSW-wide strategy to focus on Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Healthy Places and Healthy Culture. 

You can learn more about our Benefits and Culture at Lifestyle & Benefits UNSW

Eligibility: 

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Candidates are required to hold Australian Citizenship to be considered for this position.

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

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 checks
• Financial responsibility assessments/checks
• Medical Checks and Assessments

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

 

How to Apply:

Make each day matter with a meaningful career at UNSW. Interviews will be scheduled for August, to be announced in early September 2026. Submit your application online before Thursday 30 July 2026 at 11:30pm, including your CV and a 1–2-page cover letter addressing the required skills and experience outlined in the position description. In order to view the position description, please ensure that you allow pop-ups for https://www.jobs.unsw.edu.au

 

Get in Touch:

For confidential, role-related queries, please contact:
Lou Adena – Faculty Chief of Staff
l.adena@unsw.edu.au

 

For recruitment process-related queries please contact:
Holly Whale – Talent Acquisition Partner
h.whale@unsw.edu.au

Applications cannot be accepted if sent directly to the contact listed.

Find out more about the lifestyle and benefits when working with UNSW  

For further information about UNSW Canberra, please visit: UNSW Canberra 
For further information on living in Canberra, please visit: Living in Canberra

 

UNSW is committed to equity diversity and inclusion. Applications from women, people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those living with disabilities, members of the LGBTIQ+ community; and people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, are encouraged. UNSW provides workplace adjustments for people with disability, and access to flexible work options for eligible staff.