"Head of School, School of Economics"

• Opportunity for a distinguished academic to lead the School of Economics
• Be a part of the leadership team of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
• Fixed-term role for a period of 5 years with an attractive remuneration package

About the opportunity

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Sydney is seeking to appoint a distinguished academic as Head of School, School of Economics who will join the Faculty's leadership team. The Head of School is responsible for the School's academic teaching, learning and research performance outcomes that support the Faculty's strategic goals, maintaining accreditation standards, the student experience, meeting financial targets and workplace culture. The position has formal financial and people delegations and is responsible for effective decision making to ensure financial sustainability. The successful applicant will contribute to the recruitment, appointment, development and retention of talented staff who are able to attract research funding and develop students across the School's programs. The successful applicant will also help to promote the School's, the Faculty's and the University's reputation for excellence and its national and international academic standing. The successful candidate will also play a role in ensuring that the Faculty meets its goals as set out in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Strategic Plan.

The School of Economics at the University of Sydney is one of the primary centres for economics in Australia and the broader Asia-Pacific region. School academic staff have varied specialisms and areas of expertise, including microeconomic theory, macroeconomics, behavioural economics and econometrics. The School of Economics is located within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences which is ranked 1st in Australia and 45th in the world for studies in the arts and humanities. It offers one of the most comprehensive and diverse ranges of humanities and social science studies in the Asia-Pacific region.

About you (skills, capabilities and experience)

The successful candidate will hold a PhD qualification and will have a recognised international academic and professional standing within a relevant academic field. You will have extensive experience in people leadership and management within the higher education/knowledge worker sector, experience in working with industry, and a track record in managing financial sustainability, infrastructure and the operational needs and practices of an academic unit. Your ability to make strategic decisions, together with a strong business acumen, will support your endeavours in academic leadership, key stakeholder management and industry collaborations.

The successful applicant must have a wide network of established relationships with key academic, industry and professional institutions, partners and stakeholders, that can be leveraged to enhance the standing of the School, the Faculty and the University.

Sponsorship / work rights for Australia

Visa Sponsorship and relocation assistance will be provided if required.

Term and remuneration

The term of the appointment is 5 years with the possibility of renewal, subject to negotiation. The successful candidate will also be offered a professorial appointment in the School and will retain that position at the conclusion of their headship. An attractive remuneration package will be offered.

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 candidate information brochure/position description for further details.

Candidate Information Brochure

Click to view the Position Description for this role.

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 Lucy Porter (Senior Talent Partner, Recruitment Operations, Human Resources) on + 61 429 771 115 or by email lucy.porter@sydney.edu.au

Applications Close

Wednesday 04 February 2026 11:59 PM