"Senior Manager, Safer Communities"

• Student Support and Wellbeing Services (SWSS)
• Lead and champion a culture of respect and safety across the UQ community
• Senior Leadership role with the opportunity to drive meaningful cultural change
• Oversee the implementation of policies and procedures addressing gender-based violence and complex harmful behaviours
• This is a full-time continuing position with salary in the range $135,300 - $143,081 (HEW 9), plus a generous super allowance of up to 17%.
• Based at our St Lucia campus

About This Opportunity

Are you passionate about improving community outcomes and do you thrive in a values-driven environment? Are you seeking a career defining opportunity to build and shape a new team? We are seeking a dynamic and experienced leader with a proven track record in managing multi-service teams and budgets, building strong partnerships, and leading complex change.

Reporting to the Director, Student Support and Wellbeing Services (SSWS), this important Senior Manager, Safer Communities role provides strategic oversight for UQ's prevention and response functions regarding gender-based violence and harmful behaviours. You will champion a culture of respect and safety across the UQ community by applying a trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, and intersectional approach aligned with national best practice, while driving strong engagement across key internal and external stakeholders.

Key responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Provide strategic direction and oversight to ensure UQ Safer Communities complies with best-practice standards and relevant legislation, including the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence.
• Lead the development and implementation of policy and procedure related to gender-based violence and complex harmful behaviours.
• Oversee the delivery of triage, intake, and person-centred impact and risk assessments in response to all disclosures and complex behaviours of concern affecting staff and students.
• Provide strategic oversight for all UQ Respect prevention, education, and training programs, including consent education, bystander training, and staff capability development).
• Lead monitoring and evaluation activities to ensure evidence-based, data-informed practice and continuous improvement.
• Drive effective stakeholder engagement across UQ, affiliated organisations, and external specialist agencies to coordinate safety planning and response pathways.
• Provide clinical supervision to the response team, promoting psychosocial safety, embedding reflective practice, and continuously strengthening team capability.

About You

To be successful in this role, you will:

• Hold postgraduate qualifications in a relevant discipline (e.g. clinical psychology, forensic psychology, law, social work, or criminology), supported by extensive experience and advanced expertise in risk assessment, behavioural and threat assessment, and critical incident response.
• Demonstrate significant management experience with a proven ability to lead, motivate, and develop multidisciplinary teams, embedding psychosocial safety and specialist practice when working with priority population groups through trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, and gender-responsive approaches.
• Have a strong track record in building and managing complex stakeholder relationships, with the ability to consult, negotiate, and resolve sensitive issues, while producing clear, high-quality reports and submissions.
• Exhibit the ability to effectively utilise information systems and best-practice evidence to inform program planning, guide clinical decision-making, and evaluate service outcomes and operational effectiveness.

You must maintain unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this appointment, and may be required to complete background checks including, criminal history and education checks. Employer sponsored work rights are not available for this appointment.

About UQ

As part of the UQ community, you will have the opportunity to work alongside the brightest minds, who have joined us from all over the world.

Everyone here has a role to play. As a member of our professional staff cohort, you will be actively involved in working towards our vision of a better world. By supporting the academic endeavour across teaching, research, and the student life, you will have the opportunity to contribute to activities that have a lasting impact on our community.

Join a community where excellence is at the core of our culture, contributions are valued and a range of benefits and rewards are available, such as:

• 26 weeks paid parental leave or 14 weeks paid primary caregiver leave, 17% superannuation contributions, 17.5% annual leave loading.
• Access to flexible working arrangements including hybrid working options, flexible start/finish times, purchased leave, and a condensed fortnight.
• Health and wellness discounts – fitness passport access, free yearly flu vaccinations, discounted health insurance, and access to our Employee Assistance Program for staff and their immediate family.
• Discount parking, On campus childcare and Salary packaging options.

Want to Apply?

All applicants must upload the following documents in order for your application to be considered:

• Cover letter addressing the ‘About You’ section
• Resume

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Bethany at ssdirector@uq.edu.au. For application queries, please contact talent@uq.edu.au stating the job reference number (below) in the subject line.

Applications close 19 January 2026 at 11.00pm AEST (Job Reference Number - R-59399). Please note that interviews are tentatively scheduled to commence during the week of 26 January 2026.

Other Information

UQ is committed to a fair, equitable and inclusive selection process, which recognises that some applicants may face additional barriers and challenges which have impacted and/or continue to impact their career trajectory. Candidates who don’t meet all criteria are encouraged to apply and demonstrate their potential. The selection panel considers both potential and performance relative to opportunities when assessing suitability for the role.

We know one of our strengths as an institution lies in our diverse colleagues. We're dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion, fostering an environment that mirrors our wider community. We're committed to attracting, retaining, and promoting diverse talent. Reach out to talent@uq.edu.au for accessibility support or adjustments.

If you are a current employee (including casual staff and HDR scholars) or hold an unpaid/affiliate appointment, please login to your staff Workday account and visit the internal careers board to apply for this opportunity. Please do NOT apply via the external job board.