Head of Maintenance & Building Management

UNSW International; Sydney; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

3 days extra leave in December

Up to 50% UNSW course discount

Flexible 17% superannuation

Discounts and entitlements

Job summary

UNSW is seeking a senior Facilities Management professional to lead Maintenance and Building Management across its campus portfolio. You will drive strategic asset management, safety frameworks, and high-value service delivery in a large, complex environment.

You will lead eight reports, oversee budgets, and partner with procurement to optimise contracts and performance, while promoting an inclusive, safety-first culture across UNSW estates.

Qualifications

• Senior facilities management expertise across complex portfolios.
• Proven leadership with change management capability.
• Strong safety, risk and assurance frameworks experience.
• Experience with budgets and asset management plans.

Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end maintenance and repairs across the university portfolio.
• Ensure compliance with safety standards, codes and legislation.
• Lead service providers and drive continuous improvements in cost and quality.
• Direct emergency response for major facilities incidents and outages.
• Collaborate with procurement on contracts and vendor performance.
• Forecast budgets and asset planning for the Building Asset Management Plan.
• Mentor and develop a high-performing maintenance team.
• Embed safety-first culture and drive inspection/audit programmes.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Stakeholder mgmt

Data analytics

WHS management

Change management

Education

Tertiary qualification in Property or Engineering

Job description

Head of Maintenance & Building Management

Job no: 544044
Work type: Full Time
Location: Sydney, NSW
Categories: Estate / Facilities Management

• Employment Type: Continuing, Full-time, on-site role, 35 hours per week
• Remuneration: Competitive Total Package
• Location: Primarily based in Kensington, NSW, with travel to other UNSW campuses and sites as required.

About UNSW

At UNSW, we pride ourselves on being a workplace where the best people come to do their best work. We aspire to be Australia’s global university, improving and transforming lives through excellence in research, outstanding education and a commitment to advancing a just society.

About the Role

Facilities Management (FM), within UNSW Estate Management, delivers building operations across the University’s property portfolio to shape an outstanding campus experience aligned with UNSW Strategy. Reporting to the Director of FM, the Head of Maintenance & Building Management holds overall accountability for repairs and maintenance budgets, long-term facility standards, and service provider partnerships.

Leading a team of eight direct reports, the role collaborates across Estate Management, faculties, and divisions to provide strategic planning and build trusted partnerships. Working alongside the FM Senior Management team, the position ensures safety, sustainability, and compliance are deeply embedded in operational culture while supporting UNSW’s broader vision.

The successful applicant will be required to undertake and have experience in the following areas of expertise:

• Deliver end-to-end management of University facilities, ensuring safety, business continuity, governance, and compliance across maintenance, repairs, hygiene, and presentation within approved budgets.
• Establish enterprise-level governance for building services and statutory maintenance compliance, ensuring full alignment with Australian Standards, the Building Code of Australia, and relevant legislation.
• Champion industry innovation, technology, and data analytics to build a data-ready operating environment that enhances portfolio performance, efficiency, and safety.
• Direct the emergency response to major facilities incidents, such as floods, gas leaks, and power outages, to protect assets and maintain operational continuity.
• Serve as trusted advisor on complex mechanical, electrical, gas, and fire systems, establishing customer-focused, cost-effective service processes supported by accurate reporting systems.
• Partner with Procurement to manage service provider contracts, oversee tender processes, monitor vendor performance, and drive continuous service improvements and cost efficiencies.
• Oversee financial management, budget forecasting, asset planning, and the Building Asset Management Plan (BAMP) in collaboration with cross-functional Estate Management teams.
• Foster a safety-first, service-minded team culture through mentoring and leadership while directing comprehensive inspection and audit programs to resolve compliance findings promptly.

About You

UNSW is seeking a senior Facilities Management professional to lead Maintenance and Building Management across its complex property portfolio. You will bring extensive professional experience in Facilities Management and strategic asset management within a large and complex portfolio, exceptional people leadership and proven change management capability, with a strong track record in implementing rigorous safety, risk and assurance frameworks, driving operational performance, strengthening asset assurance and delivering service improvement.

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Property, Engineering, or a related discipline, paired with extensive senior leadership experience in strategic facilities and asset management across complex portfolios.
• Proven track record in developing and executing strategic asset management plans, quality and compliance frameworks, and robust financial and budget management operations.
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing innovative technology and data solutions to optimise facility operations, maintenance, and continuous process improvement.
• Extensive experience managing Work Health and Safety (WHS) systems to proactively prevent workplace injury, improve WHS performance, and maintain a safe environment.
• Proven leadership capability to motivate, inspire, and develop diverse teams, driving a positive, high-performing workplace culture aligned with UNSW values and strategic aims.
• Superior consultation, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills, with a strong ability to exercise high-level judgement, solve complex problems, and lead organisational change.

For further information on the role & responsibilities, please refer to the Position Description

Please note: Sponsorship is not available for this role, valid Australian working rights are required on application.

UNSW Benefits and Culture:

People are at the core of everything we do. We recognise it is the contributions of our staff who make UNSW one of the best universities in Australia and the world. Our benefits include:

• Additional 3 days leave during December festive period.
• Up to 50% discount on UNSW courses
• Flexible 17% Superannuation contributions, additional leave-loading paymentsand salary sacrifice.
• Discounts and entitlements (retail, education, fitness passport)

UNSW is committed to equity diversity and inclusion. Applications from women, people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those living with disabilities, members of the LGBTIQ+ community; and people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, are encouraged. UNSW provides workplace adjustments for people with disability, and access to flexible work options for eligible staff.

Pre-Employment Checks

Aligned with UNSW’s focus on cultivating a workplace defined by safety, ethical conduct, and strong integrity preferred candidates will be required to participate in a combination of pre-employment checks relevant to the role they have applied for.

These pre-employment checks may include a combination of some of the following checks:-

• National and International Criminal history checks
• Entitlement to work and ID checks
• Working With Children Checks
• Completion of a Gender-Based Violence Prevention Declaration
• Verification of relevant qualifications
• Verification of relevant professional membership
• Employment history and reference checks
• Financial responsibility assessments/checks.
• Medical Checks and Assessments

Compliance with the necessary combination of these checks is a condition of employment at UNSW.

Advertised: 04 Nov 2026 AUS Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: 22 Nov 2026 AUS Eastern Daylight Time