"Executive Program Director, Collective Excellence 2028"

About the opportunity

Collective Excellence 2028 represents a significant evolution in how the University achieves its ambitions-shifting from multiple plans to one aligned strategy, from dispersed effort to targeted action, and from foundational work to measurable impact. Building on substantial groundwork already completed, this role will drive the next phase: embedding collaboration, elevating collective leadership capability, and creating sustainable forums and channels for joint achievement.

As the Executive Program Director, Collective Excellence 2028, you will lead one of the University's most significant transformation agendas, spearheading a strategic portfolio of eight major university-wide initiatives designed to elevate education, research, and institutional performance.

This senior leadership role will convene and facilitate cross-institutional collaboration, working through complex stakeholder landscapes to drive collective ownership and accountability for the CE28 portfolio. You will design and lead forums for co-creation, build collective leadership capability across faculties and Portfolios, and establish the governance mechanisms that enable-rather than constrain-collaborative achievement.

Partnering closely with the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Provost Office, Education and Students, Research and Community and Leadership portfolios, faculties, University schools and the strategy portfolio you will bring deep expertise in large-scale transformation to guide decision-making and drive consistent, high-quality implementation. With a focus on measurable improvements in teaching quality, research performance, and student outcomes, your leadership will ensure transparent, on-time, on-budget delivery of the Collective Excellence 2028 initiatives alongside key leaders of the individual programs, helping shape the future of the University.

The objectives for the Executive Program Director, Collective Excellence 2028 are to:

• Lead collaborative delivery and institutional alignment - Convene senior leaders, facilitate cross-portfolio working groups, and build forums for co-creation and collective problem-solving that drive University-wide performance uplift and shape future strategic investment proposals
• Develop collective leadership capability -Support capacity building across the institution for collaborative leadership, enable cross-functional teams to jointly own outcomes, and champion the cultural and behavioural shifts required for sustained excellence
• Establish enabling governance frameworks - Implement and oversee CE28 Board and workstream structures that facilitate rather than constrain delivery, ensuring strong risk management, transparent decision-making, and alignment with institutional priorities
• Drive benefits realisation through partnership - Partner with faculties and University schools and portfolios to co-develop benefits models, define measures and baselines, embed tracking mechanisms, and jointly monitor impacts on institutional KPIs while driving continuous improvement across the CE28 portfolio
• Provide portfolio oversight and strategic direction - Monitor progress across faculties and University schools and the three academic portfolios leading initiatives, resolve delivery challenges, oversee program financials end-to-end (including budgeting, allocation of funds, expenditure monitoring, and identifying financial risks), and maintain transparent reporting to Senate and executive committees
• Execute communications and stakeholder engagement - Implement CE28 communication strategies, build strong relationships with senior leaders across all portfolios but in particular the program teams leading the 8 initiatives, and sustain engagement through the transformation journey, championing University values and enabling policy and cultural improvements.

About you

The ideal candidate will bring:

• Exceptional stakeholder engagement and facilitation expertise, with demonstrated success building consensus, facilitating complex decision-making forums, and navigating matrixed organisations to achieve collective outcomes in higher education or public sector contexts
• Advanced communication and influence skills, with the ability to convene diverse groups, broker agreements, resolve conflict constructively, and engage, challenge and support senior executives through trusted advisory relationships, building collective leadership capability across senior teams with tact, judgement and discretion
• Proven leadership (Director or above) in large-scale transformation, with experience delivering complex programs, defining measurable outcomes, and aligning organisational capability with strategic goals within a large matrixed organisation, preferably higher education or public sector
• Strong governance and policy capability, with extensive experience managing governance matters in large, complex institutions and translating frameworks into effective operational processes that enable rather than constrain delivery
• Exceptional people leadership and team management, including motivating multidisciplinary teams, managing performance, and guiding staff through significant change
• Highly developed project and operational skills, including process design, budget oversight, prioritisation, and managing multiple concurrent initiatives in a fast-paced environment

Work rights

You must have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this employment to apply. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment.

Term and remuneration

This position is fixed-term. The successful candidate will be offered a competitive remuneration package commensurate with the responsibilities of the position and the candidate's relevant experience and qualifications.

Pre-employment checks

Your employment is conditional upon the completion of all role required pre-employment or background checks in terms satisfactory to the University. Similarly, your ongoing employment is conditional upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements. If you do not meet these conditions, the University may take any necessary step, including the termination of your employment.

EEO statement

At the University of Sydney, our shared values are trust, accountability and excellence and we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive. We are committed to creating a University community that thrives through diversity and reflects the wider community that we serve. We deliver on this through our commitment to diversity and inclusion, evidenced by our people and culture programs, as well as key strategies to increase participation and support the careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people living with a disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and those who identify as LGBTIQ+. We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.

We are proud to be recognised as an Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Gold employer. Find out more about our work on diversity and inclusion.

How to apply

Applications (including a CV and cover letter outlining how your skills, capabilities and experience meet the requirements for the role) can be submitted via the Apply button at the top of the page. Please refer to the position description for further details.

For employees of the University or contingent workers, please login into your Workday account and navigate to the Career icon on your Dashboard. Click on USYD Find Jobs and apply.

For a confidential discussion about the role, or if you require reasonable adjustment or any documents in alternate formats, please contact Sajad Bahram (Senior Talent Partner, Recruitment Operations, Human Resources) on + 0433 694 010 or sajad.bahram@sydney.edu.au

Position Description for this role.

Applications Close

Sunday 01 February 2026 11:59 PM