"Department Chair and Associate Professor/Professor of Media and Communication"

• Key academic leadership position within the School of Social Sciences, Media, Film and Education
• Full-time, 3-years fixed term role with underlying ongoing position, Hawthorn
• Academic Level D/E salary + 17% super and additional salary loading for the duration of the fixed term appointment

About the Role

Swinburne University is seeking an outstanding academic leader to join us as Department Chair, Media and Communication. This is a senior leadership position responsible for the academic direction, research performance, teaching excellence, and operational management of the Department of Media and Communication within the School of Social Sciences, Media, Film and Education.

The Department delivers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs at Swinburne’s Hawthorn campus, online, and at TNE partner locations globally. Focused study areas include Advertising, Cinema and Screen Studies, Creative Writing and Publishing, Immersive Media, Journalism, Public Relations, Social Media, and media content creation and analytics. There are several strands of developed research activity both in the Department, and in partnership with the School’s Centre for Transformative Media Technologies.

As Department Chair, you will lead the strategic development and management of the Department’s academic offerings, research profile, student experience and external engagement. You will lead and support a team of academics to deliver on agreed strategic priorities, while fostering a collaborative and high-performing academic culture. The role includes identifying and developing new opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and partnerships with research centres, departments, industry, government, and other external stakeholders, and representing the University and School in external engagement, learning and teaching, and research activities relevant to the Department and School.

Reporting to the Executive Dean of the School and working collaboratively with Department Chairs, Associate Deans, Centre Directors, the Senior Manager School Operations, and other teams across the University, you will develop and implement strategies aligned with the University’s strategic direction to be Australia’s leading university in technology and innovation. You will play a key role in developing a rich culture of innovation in teaching and research through discipline groups; and building the capacity of the Department to realise strategic developments of programs and partners across Learning and Teaching, Research, and Engagement.

To be successful in this role, it is essential that you are a team-oriented individual with a demonstrated track record in leadership, research and education.

*The appointment as Department Chair is for a fixed term of three years and attracts a 10% salary loading for the duration of the appointment. This appointment is underpinned by an ongoing, substantive Associate Prof/Professor position at level D or E.

About You

To be suitable for this role you will need to have experience in the below key accountabilities:

• Demonstrated profile as an outstanding leader in the relevant discipline and the ability to lead across the broader discipline areas within the Department.
• A demonstrated academic research and teaching achievements track-record.
• Demonstrated ability to both lead and be an effective team contributor for the development of new course offerings in relevant disciplines and to lead and manage staff to deliver innovative course design in a multi-disciplinary setting.
• A thorough understanding of the tertiary education sector in Australia, including international activities, and trends in leadership and management of contemporary universities in a rapidly changing and competitive environment.
• High-level of interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to liaise with a wide variety of academics, work within a consultative, team environment in multi-disciplinary contexts. Ability to liaise with senior external members of relevant professions in industry and government.
• Demonstrated strong experience in the management of human, financial and physical resources.

Qualifications

• A PhD qualification in a discipline relevant to the Department.
• A teaching qualification is preferred.

About Swinburne University of Technology

Swinburne’s strategy draws upon our understanding of future challenges. We choose to build Swinburne as the prototype of a new and different university – one that is truly of Technology, of Innovation and of Entrepreneurship. We are committed to a differentiated university proposition in education and research.

Our Ad Astra strategy is the cornerstone of Swinburne’s bold ambition to lead globally in technology-driven education and research. This strategy positions us to create transformative solutions, empower learners, and partner with industry to thrive in an ever-changing world.

What We Offer You!

• Work your way with flexible working arrangements, including hybrid options and generous parental leave to support a balanced lifestyle.
• Exclusive staff discounts, including discounted Medibank health insurance, 50% off Swinburne courses and other partner offers.
• Swinburne offers 17% super and salary packaging options, including car leasing and extra super contributions.

Want to learn more? Head over to our benefits page!

To Apply

Please submit the following:

• CV
• Cover letter
• Statement of claims against the Key Selection Criteria

To review the Position Description and to apply, please scroll down to the bottom of the page.

If you are viewing this advert from an external site, please click ‘apply’ and you will be redirected to Swinburne’s Jobs website to access the Position Description at the bottom of the page.

Please Note: Appointment to this position is subject to passing a Working with Children Check.

If you are experiencing technical difficulties with your application, please contact the Swinburne Talent Acquisition Team on talentacquisition@swin.edu.au

Applications Close: Friday, 27 March 2026 at 5:00pm AEDT.

Swinburne offers flexible working options contained in our leave and parenting/carer policies to support work-life balance.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Swinburne has become a world-class university, driving social and economic impacts through science, technology, and innovation. As a dual-sector university, our vision is for people and technology working together to build a better world.

Central to our vision is our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We pride ourselves on being an equal opportunity employer focused on attracting, retaining, and developing great talent. We work to remove barriers related to gender identity, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, and age.

We strongly encourage applicants from diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Our Moondani Toombadool Centre leads our Indigenous education and culture at Swinburne, guided by community wisdom and leadership.

We support applicants with disabilities. Adjustments can be requested at any time during the recruitment process. For Reasonable Adjustment requests, including accessible formats for the PD, application form or any other document, please contact at DCR@swin.edu.au or call +61 3 9214 3550.

Please note the above number and DCR email address are for disability or reasonable adjustments queries only. General enquiries about the role can be sent to talentacquisition@swin.edu.au (general enquiries will not be answered by phone).

Victoria’s Commitment to Action: Improving international student employment outcomes.

As a signatory to Victoria’s Commitment to Action, Swinburne seeks to remove barriers to international graduate employment. We welcome and encourage applications from international graduates.

As a Circle Back Initiative Employer, we commit to responding to every applicant.

#LI-SW

Click here for the Position Description Opens in new window