Head Of Student Engagement And Activities

Slade Group; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

15% superannuation

Campus F&B discounts

Job summary

University of Queensland Union (UQU) is seeking a Head of Student Engagement and Activities (SEA) to lead its core student experience portfolio, including clubs, events, campus life, and Student Advocacy & Support (SAS). You will work with student leaders and executive teams to shape an integrated SEA strategy and ensure services run smoothly and effectively across multiple campuses.

You’ll oversee five function leaders, drive risk and compliance frameworks, and provide data-driven business

Qualifications

• 8+ years of senior leadership experience in student engagement or related field.
• Experience managing budgets and leading multiple teams.
• Ability to collaborate with elected student leaders and provide continuity.
• Experience designing and embedding risk and compliance frameworks.
• Strong strategic and program management skills to turn strategy into delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead SEA strategy and delivery for clubs, events, campus life and SAS.
• Manage a team of five function leaders and develop their capabilities.
• Embed fit-for-purpose risk and compliance frameworks across SEA operations.
• Provide data, analysis and business cases to support student leaders' decisions.

Skills

Senior leadership

Budget management

Stakeholder management

Strategic delivery

Service transformation

Trauma-informed

Education

Tertiary qualification in Business/Event Management/Community Development

Job description

Head of Student Engagement and Activities

Head of Student Engagement and Activities

About University of Queensland Union (UQU)

UQU has been the heart of student life since our founding, led by students, for students. What began as a collective of passionate individuals has grown into a dynamic organisation representing more than 60,000 students across UQ's campuses.

UQU is the spark behind campus's most unforgettable moments, festivals, advocacy campaigns, clubs and societies, and we’re there when students need us most, through free meals and Student Advocacy & Support services that look after their wellbeing.

Every club it supports, every voice it amplifies, every event it bring to life, is done to empower students to get the most from their university journey. UQU is a team of organisers, campaigners, advocates, and community-builders working collaboratively to back students every step of the way, empowering them to lead its strategic direction based on what students care about. It takes its work seriously, and thousands of students rely on UQU every day.

About the role

Are you a leader who loves bringing teams together? Do you get energy from turning big ideas into great experiences – and from backing others to do their best work?

We’re looking for a Head of Student Engagement & Activities (SEA) to lead UQU’s core student experience portfolio – clubs and societies, events, campus life, satellite campuses, student engagement, and Student Advocacy & Support (SAS).

Working closely with the student executive leadership, you’ll help shape and lead delivery of an integrated SEA strategy that turns student leaders’ vision into well-run services and engagement. You’ll be a key point of triage for the student executive and represent SEA in forums and working groups across the University.

You’ll lead a team of five function leaders – the Senior C&S Coordinator, Gatton Student Engagement Manager, Senior Events Coordinator, Student Engagement & Communications Coordinator and SAS Manager – setting goals, managing performance and building their capability to lead their own teams well, while staying close enough to the work to provide genuine, hands-on support. Behind the scenes, you’ll design and embed fit-for-purpose risk and compliance frameworks, provide data, analysis and business cases to help student leaders make informed decisions, and support the phased rollout of SAS’s Future State Service Model.

You’ll be successful in this role if you’re strategically minded but hands-on, calm and steady under pressure, and genuinely believe that a well-led team is what allows students to be heard, supported and set up to thrive.

This role is offered as a fixed-term contract until December 2027. As the position is funded through the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF), any extension or conversion to an ongoing role will depend on future funding allocations.

About you

• Extensive senior leadership experience (8+ years) in student engagement, tertiary education or a related field, including budget management and leading multiple teams
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with elected student leaders, respecting their decision-making role while providing expert advice, guidance and continuity
• Experience designing and embedding risk and compliance frameworks across multiple functions
• Strong strategic and program management skills, with the ability to turn strategy into practical delivery
• Experience leading or partnering on service transformation, ideally including welfare, advocacy or specialist support services
• Trauma-informed capability, with sound judgement in supporting staff and students through sensitive situations
• Skilled at building trust and influence across a wide range of stakeholders, including elected student leaders
• A tertiary qualification in Business, Event Management, Community Development or a related discipline, and/or equivalent experience (postgraduate qualifications highly regarded)
• Experience working in a university, student union or not-for-profit setting (highly regarded)
• Current open driver’s licence and a current Blue Card (or the ability to obtain one)

What’s in it for you

• A senior role where you’ll help shape the student experience and make a genuine impact
• The chance to help build a positive, values-driven culture as UQU invests in its foundations
• A close-knit community across our St Lucia, Gatton and Dutton Park campuses
• A generous 15% superannuation
• Campus-wide F&B discounts at UQU-owned outlets

Inclusion, diversity & culture

We believe great teams are built on genuine belonging, where people bring their full selves to work and feel respected, protected, and valued for who they are, whatever their background. If you need adjustments to do your best work, just talk to your manager – inclusion here is practical, not performative. Our values – Integrity, Respect, Inclusivity, Creativity, Openness, and Accountability to students – are the foundation of how we operate, treat each other, and make our decisions.

Applications due: Friday, 20 November 2026