Head Strategy & Planning

• Employment Type: Full Time (35 hours per week)
• Duration: Fixed Term through December 2026
• Remuneration: Competitive Remuneration Package – Senior Appointment
• Location: Kensington NSW (Hybrid Working Arrangements)

Why your role matters

The Head, Strategy & Planning is a senior leadership role within Registrar & Student Services (RaSS), part of the Division of Education and Student Experience. The role provides strategic leadership across the portfolio, driving integrated planning, institutional alignment and evidence-based decision-making in support of broader Divisional and University priorities.

Working closely with senior leaders and key stakeholders, the Head, Strategy & Planning leads the development and implementation of portfolio-wide strategies, performance frameworks and actionable insights that improve service effectiveness and efficiency, enable operational efficiencies and inform executive decision-making. The role is responsible for ensuring RaSS initiatives are data-informed, future-focused and aligned with the University’s long-term strategic goals.

Reporting to the Registrar & Director, Student Services, the position plays a key role in shaping the strategic direction of the RaSS portfolio and translating institutional priorities into coordinated and measurable outcomes. The role has one direct report.

Specific accountabilities include:

• Lead and own strategic planning and performance initiatives across the RaSS portfolio, ensuring alignment with Divisional and University-wide priorities.
• Drive a structured approach to strategic technology planning, ensuring alignment between business needs, technical capabilities, and future-state objectives at an enterprise level.
• Engage and collaborate with senior leadership, academic stakeholders, IT teams, and key internal resources to define and refine high level project objectives and goals that will inform definition, planning and prioritisation.
• Responsible for transforming the RaSS operating model within University governance frameworks, driving efficiencies at an enterprise level.

About You:

• Relevant tertiary qualification with subsequent relevant experience or equivalent competence gained through any combination of education, training and experience.
• Proven experience in leading and managing strategic projects within a large organisation, including the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Strong understanding of aligning strategies with organisational goals, including the ability to develop short, medium, and long-term recommendations.
• Excellent consultation, influencing and negotiation skills and proven ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders to achieve successful outcomes.
• 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.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce clear and concise documentation and reports.
• Demonstrated leadership skills, with the ability to manage and mentor a team of direct reports effectively.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and work effectively in a dynamic environment.
• Capability to work independently with minimal disruption to existing teams, managing a busy workload effectively.
• Proven experience in preparing executive-level reports and delivering strategic advice to senior leaders.

For further details on role responsibilities and skills & experience required, refer to the position description found under the position listing on Jobs@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:

• Flexible working options.
• 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

Pre-Employment Checks
As part of our recruitment process candidates may be required to undergo pre-employment screening, which may include reference checks, qualification verification, right-to-work verification, and criminal history screening where relevant to the role. Compliance with the necessary combination of these checks is a condition of employment at UNSW.

How to Apply: Submit your CV & cover letter addressing the key selection criteria (no more than 2 pages) before 11.55pm Thursday 6 August 2026. Please note: Sponsorship is not available for this role, valid Australian working rights are required on application.

Job queries contact: Chloe Gane, Talent Acquisition Consultant E: **********@unsw.edu.au (applications to the address cannot be accepted, please apply online)

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.