"Senior Manager, Professional Experience"

Be Bold. Belong. Be More.

At Southern Cross University, we do things differently, and so can you.

A career with us is more than you might expect. Yes, it’s about the heart, connectedness and community you’d hope for in a regional university. But there’s also so much more. Our game changing Southern Cross Model brings a deeper, focused learning experience and our research is deeply connected to our regions, making a difference on a global scale. This is your chance to help us build something new and meaningful for our students, our communities and your career. To drive change, make a real impact, and thrive in a place as unique as you.

You can be good anywhere. Here, you can be great.

Your opportunity

Southern Cross University’s Faculty of Education is seeking a Senior Manager, Professional Experience to provide strategic and operational leadership of the Faculty’s Professional Experience program. This pivotal leadership role will drive the development, continuous improvement and governance of one of the University’s most critical student-facing functions, ensuring high quality placement experiences that meet accreditation, compliance and regulatory standards.

Working closely with the Associate Dean (Education Partnerships), and Faculty Executive, you will lead a large, multilayered professional team responsible for coordinating professional placements across Early Childhood, Primary, Secondary and Higher Education programs. You will shape service delivery models, strengthen external partnerships, optimise systems and processes, and ensure a culture of service excellence aligned with the University’s strategic objectives.

You will make an impact by:

• Providing strategic and operational leadership of the Professional Experience Centre, driving continuous improvement, service performance, workforce planning and sustainable operating models
• Leading and developing a high performing Professional Experience team, setting clear expectations, building leadership capability, and fostering a resilient, student-focused service culture
• Oversee governance, compliance and risk management across professional experience programs, ensuring alignment with accreditation, WHS, legal and regulatory obligations
• Establish and strengthen strategic partnerships with schools, ECEC settings, accrediting authorities and government bodies to secure and sustain quality placement opportunities
• Drive data informed decision making, reporting and system optimization, including SONIA and CRM platforms, to enhance placement outcomes and student experience

What you will bring

You’re a strategic and experienced leader with a strong track record in managing complex, student-facing operations within highly regulated environments. You bring commercial acumen, governance expertise and a deep understanding of service delivery, combined with the ability to lead teams through change and continuous improvement.

To succeed in this role, you will also need:

• Postgraduate qualifications in Education, Business, Administration, Management or a related field, with extensive experience leading placements or student services in a higher education or a comparable environment
• Demonstrated success leading large-scale professional experience or placement programs within complex and regulated settings
• Proven ability to lead and develop multilayered professional teams, manage budgets and resources, and drive a high-performance service culture
• Extensive experience building and sustaining external partnerships across education or industry sectors
• Strong analytical capability, with experience using data, reporting frameworks and CRM systems to inform strategy, compliance and service excellence

Why Southern Cross University

SCU is proudly a regional university, young, small and vibrant. That means you’ll find more exposure, opportunity and ownership - to grow, achieve and build a career that means more. And you’ll do it alongside passionate people and leaders who go the extra mile to help you succeed. A career with us is about more than just work. It’s about place, community and the life you want to live. With three main campuses at the Gold Coast, Coffs Harbour and the Northern Rivers region of NSW, we’re integral to all these wonderful communities. Find your place and be more in this beautiful part of the world.

Your opportunity is:

• Full-time, continuing (permanent)
• Located at Gold Coast, QLD 4225 or Lismore, NSW 2480. Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450 also considered. Relocation assistance is available, making it easier to join our regional communities
• HEW Level 10. The base salary ranges from $142,445 - $161,055 per annum, plus 17% employer’s contribution to superannuation. The total remuneration package is up to $188,434.

You will enjoy a range of perks designed to support your wellbeing, growth and work-life balance. For more information on our benefits and what it’s like to work at SCU, visit Why work at Southern Cross University

Be more with Southern Cross University today

Southern Cross University values potential as much as experience. If you do not meet all the listed requirements but are excited about the role and confident you can contribute, we encourage you to apply or reach out for more information.

Name: Professor Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles
Executive Dean, Faculty of Education
Email: EAEducation@scu.edu.au

Applications close 11.30pm AEST 22 March 2026.

Position Description