Deputy Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

University of Sydney; Camperdown; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Visa sponsorship

Relocation assistance

Job summary

The University of Sydney in Camperdown invites applications for Deputy Dean in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. This is a five-year, full-time leadership role reporting to the Dean, with responsibilities spanning strategy, operations, financial management, people management and external engagement.

The appointee will drive a collegiate culture, guide Disciplines and Schools, advance equity and inclusion, and contribute to Sydney in 2032 objectives.

Qualifications

• PhD in a relevant FASS discipline with demonstrated research excellence.
• Experience leading academic units with financial and operational oversight.
• Strong strategic planning and senior stakeholder engagement.

Responsibilities

• Provide academic leadership and contribute to strategy, operations and finances.
• Manage people, and engage internal and external stakeholders on strategic priorities.
• Deputise for the Dean and drive collaboration across Disciplines and Schools.
• Shape equitable, diverse, and future-focused staff development and governance.
• Lead initiatives aligned with the Faculty 2032 plan and external engagement.

Skills

Academic leadership

Strategic planning

Financial management

People management

Stakeholder engagement

Workforce planning

Research excellence

Equity, diversity, inclusion

Education

PhD in a relevant FASS discipline

Job description

• Located in Camperdown
• 5 year FIXED-TERM position with an attractive remuneration package

About the opportunity

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) at the University of Sydney has commenced an international search for the key leadership role of Deputy Dean. The new Deputy Dean will be joining at a key time, as the University enters the second phase of its ten-year strategic cycle (Sydney in 2032) and the Faculty progresses its own strategic plan. The new Deputy Dean will work alongside the Dean, Professor Lisa Adkins, as FASS looks to consolidate its position as a world-leading centre for education and research across the humanities, arts, and social science disciplines.

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Sydney is the oldest and one of the most comprehensive of its kind in Australia. The Faculty remains proud of its past while focused on the future. The Faculty’s distinctiveness lies in the depth and breadth of its disciplines, with its many research and teaching strengths earning it a deserved reputation for excellence nationally and internationally.

The Faculty’s research is driven by the pursuit of multidisciplinary knowledge that benefits Australia and the wider world. In 2025 we welcomed two new flagship centres, the Centre for AI, Trust and Governance, which advances responsible AI development through multidisciplinary research, fosters public trust, and informs policy decisions in complex regulatory environments; and the Contemporary Inequalities Centre, which brings together multidisciplinary expertise to pursue collaborative, problem-driven research, aiming to respond to emerging social and economic challenges to build the evidence base needed to shape new policy responses.

Our other flagship research centres include the Vere Gordon Childe Centre, and the Sydney Centre for Healthy Societies. Other research centres, institutes, and groups in the Faculty include the Sydney Institute for Community Languages Education, the CREATE Centre, and the Sydney Social Sciences and Humanities Advanced Research Centre (SSSHARC).

For our students, and in collaboration with our partners, the Faculty offers internships and work placements, overseas exchange and interdisciplinary collaboration around complex, real-world problems. As we mature our connections with industry, community and government, the Faculty is seeking to establish anchoring partnerships operating across its research and education portfolios.

About you (skills, capabilities and experience)

The Deputy Dean is a key member of the FASS leadership team, providing academic leadership, and contributing to strategy, operations, financial management, people management and internal and external stakeholder engagement, as well as deputising for the Dean (as required). A key responsibility of this role is strategically guiding and advising Disciplines and Schools to ensure effective collaboration and partnership across the University and to accelerate and enhance priority initiatives. The position also provides strategic input around the development of an equitable, diverse, and future-focused academic workforce. Priorities going forward are the implementation of key initiatives as part of the second phase of our Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences 2032 strategy; the development of leadership capabilities in FASS; enhancing our external engagement activities and connections with industry, community and government, and ensuring the safety, health, and well-being of all staff and students.

The appointee will hold PhD qualifications in a relevant FASS discipline with demonstrated research excellence and scholarship. They will bring a deep commitment to innovation, excellence in research and education, equity, diversity, inclusion, sustainability, and collaboration. They will have had significant experience leading academic units, including financial and operational management and strategic planning and delivery. They will have a mature understanding of workforce planning and management, research, education, and engagement in academic environments. They will also demonstrate a deep understanding of key strategic issues in the higher education and experience in the development and delivery of initiatives and projects therein.

Sponsorship / work rights for Australia

Visa sponsorship and relocation assistance will be provided if required.

Term and remuneration

The term of the appointment is five years on a full-time basis. The successful candidate will also be offered a professorial appointment in an appropriate discipline in the Faculty and will retain that position at the conclusion of their Deputy Deanship.

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 successful completion of all pre-employment or background checks required for the role in terms satisfactory to the University. Also, to meet the University’s obligations under the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Eliminate Gender-Based Violence you will be asked to declare if you have been investigated for, or found to engaged in, sexual harm or gender-based violence in the course of previous employment or in a legal process. 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 LGBTQIA+. We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.

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

© The University of Sydney

The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.

Applications Close

Sunday 01 November 2026 11:59 PM