Director, Graduate Futures

Macquarie University; Ryde; On-site; AUD 200,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible, hybrid work arrangements

Superannuation 17%

Subsidised onsite parking

Extensive training and professional DE

Onsite childcare facilities

Discounted health insurance

Sport & Aquatic Centre membership

Employee Assistance Program

Onsite healthcare facilities

Job summary

Macquarie University invites applications for the role of Director, Graduate Futures within the PVCE portfolio. The role leads student employability, career readiness, and global mobility, guiding Future Ready program delivery and scalable initiatives across faculties with a focus on AI-readiness and industry partnerships.

You will manage ~25–30 staff, partner with industry and exchange organizations, and drive measurable outcomes for graduates across the lifecycle.

Qualifications

• A degree and postgraduate qualifications (or equivalent) in a relevant field.
• Proven leadership and management of student-facing functions in higher education.
• Proven track record delivering high-impact programs in careers, employability, WIL, or student mobility.
• Experience guiding large-scale, university-wide curriculum or program implementations.
• Expert knowledge of emerging trends in employment, AI, and automation and their impact on graduate outcomes.
• Excellent communication and senior stakeholder engagement skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for Graduate Futures aligned with university goals.
• Guide university-wide implementation of the Future Ready unit across undergraduate courses.
• Support AI-ready graduates through partnerships with faculty and industry.
• Foster external relationships and act as a credible voice on graduate capability and the future of work.
• Oversee inbound/outbound student exchange programs and global mobility strategies.
• Measure and report on program impact to inform continuous improvement.
• Lead and develop a team of 25–30 staff to deliver high-quality programs.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Graduate employability

Work integrated learning

Global mobility

Education

Degree and postgraduate qualifications in a relevant field

Job description

• Full-time, 5 year appointment (renewable)
• Macquarie University, Wallumattagal Campus, North Ryde

Shape graduate futures, build meaningful partnerships and create impact at scale

Macquarie University is seeking an outstanding leader to join us as Director, Graduate Futures within the Pro Vice-Chancellor Education (PVCE) portfolio. This is a rare opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping how Macquarie students transition from university into the world of work - locally, nationally, and globally.

Reporting to the Pro Vice-Chancellor Education, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across student employability, career readiness, and global mobility, helping to ensure that every Macquarie graduate is equipped to thrive in workplaces increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. You will guide the University-wide implementation of the Future Ready transdisciplinary unit, oversee inbound and outbound student exchange programs, and build the partnerships and platforms that position Macquarie as a partner of choice for producing work-ready, future-focused graduates.

This is a position for someone who is energised by impact, collaboration, and innovation at scale. If you are motivated by helping students build the skills, literacies and adaptability they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world, we would like to hear from you.

About the Role

The Director, Graduate Futures provides strategic and operational leadership in the advancement of student employability, career readiness, and global mobility across all student cohorts and faculties. Partnering closely with faculty stakeholders, industry partners, and exchange organisations, you will help ensure that work integrated learning, global experience, and employability preparedness are accessible, impactful, and coherent across the full student lifecycle.

Key responsibilities include:

• Strategic Leadership: Provide visionary, best-practice guidance and strategic direction for the Graduate Futures function, keeping its programs aligned with the University's broader goals - including its commitments to graduate employability, AI-readiness, and student mobility.
• Future Ready Implementation: Guide the University-wide implementation of the transdisciplinary Future Ready unit across all undergraduate courses, partnering with faculty education leaders, curriculum teams, and the broader PVCE portfolio to enable consistent, high-quality, and scalable delivery.
• AI-Ready Graduates: Work with faculty partners and industry to help graduates navigate, critically evaluate, and effectively use AI tools in professional contexts, and to prepare them for labour market transitions driven by automation and technological change.
• Corporate and Industry Engagement: Foster a culture of partner stewardship, represent Macquarie in relevant industry forums, and act as a credible institutional voice on graduate capability and the future of work.
• Student Exchange and Global Mobility: Provide strategic oversight of inbound and outbound student exchange programs, keeping these well-integrated with broader employability and curriculum strategies and accessible to diverse student cohorts.
• Impact and Evaluation: Measure, analyse, and assess the real-world impact of programs and services on graduate outcomes, using evidence to inform continuous improvement and responsiveness to employer and market needs.
• People Leadership: Guide, mentor, develop, and motivate a team of approximately 25-30 staff to deliver high-quality, accessible, and valued programs, and to help build a collaborative, high-achieving culture.

About Us

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) is the Chief Academic Officer of the University and holds overall responsibility for the planning, quality, and delivery of education to Macquarie's undergraduate and postgraduate students. The PVCE provides senior leadership in developing and implementing strategies that advance educational excellence, student access, widening participation, academic success, graduate outcomes, and the Macquarie University College.

You will be joining a dynamic portfolio at the heart of Macquarie's academic mission, partnering with Faculty education leaders, industry and exchange partners, Student Services teams, and a range of internal and external stakeholders.

About You (Selection Criteria)

You are a strategic, commercially aware, and people-centred leader with deep expertise in graduate employability, careers, work integrated learning, and/or global mobility. You bring a well-developed understanding of the future of work, including the impact of AI and emerging technologies on graduate skills demand, and you are skilled at translating that understanding into programs that genuinely improve outcomes for students.

• A degree and postgraduate qualifications (or equivalent) in a relevant field.
• Demonstrated experience in the leadership and management of student-facing functions in higher education, or substantial relevant industry experience in careers, employability, or global education.
• Proven record of delivering high-impact programs in careers and employability, work integrated learning, curriculum-embedded employability, and/or student mobility.
• Demonstrated experience guiding large-scale, University-wide curriculum or program implementation initiatives, including the ability to engage and influence diverse academic and professional stakeholders.
• Expert knowledge of emerging social, economic, and technological trends relating to employment, the future of work, and graduate outcomes - including the impact of AI and automation on skills demand.
• Demonstrated success in building external relationships, with the ability to translate employer insights and market intelligence into responsive program and curriculum innovation.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to build credibility and engage at senior levels with academics, professional staff, industry partners, and regulatory bodies.
• A sound understanding of the Australian higher education regulatory framework (including TEQSA standards) and a global perspective on student exchange, mobility, and international education partnerships.

Applications Close: 23 September 2026

We reserve the right to progress or decline an application prior to the application closing date.

For enquiries, or a confidential conversation about the role please contact Taryn Jones, Pro Vice-Chancellor Education at ***********@mq.edu.au or Sarah Bate, Head of Talent Acquisition at **********@mq.edu.au.

Why Join Us?

Macquarie is a university engaged with the real and often complex problems and opportunities that define our lives. Since our foundation over 60 years ago, we have aspired to be a different type of university. Over the years, we have grown to become the centre of a vibrant local and global community. Connect with us today.

We rank amongst the top employers in the Australian Workplace Employers Index. Explore the fantastic benefits available to you when you become part of the team at Macquarie University.

• Flexible, hybrid work arrangements
• 17% Superannuation
• Subsidised onsite parking options
• Extensive training and professional development programs
• Onsite childcare facilities to support working parents
• Discounted health insurance
• Subsidised membership at our Sport & Aquatic Centre
• Access to an Employee Assistance Program for free and confidential support
• Convenient onsite GP, imaging, and physiotherapy clinics

Pre-Employment Checks

Macquarie University cultivates a workplace defined by safety, ethical conduct, and strong integrity. Prior to completion of an offer of employment, preferred candidates will be required to participate in a combination of pre-employment checks relevant to the role they have applied for.

Your employment is conditional upon the completion and maintenance of all role-required pre-employment or background checks in terms satisfactory to the University.

A Place Where You Belong

At Macquarie, we believe diversity makes us stronger, inclusion drives our success, and belonging inspires us to do our best work. We are proud to foster a community where different backgrounds, identities, and experiences are valued, and where our people are empowered to thrive through supportive leadership, shared responsibility, and a deep commitment to genuine care and respect for our community. Find out more about our vision for a truly inclusive workplace in our Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Framework.

Flexible Work

At Macquarie, we believe in supporting flexibility for our staff where it is possible. As a senior leader providing face to face leadership and student facing programs, there is an expectation that this position will have a significant on campus presence. Standard work hours may vary to include weekend and evening work to meet the needs of the business.